HardBall!
HardBall! — frequently asked questions
- What platforms is HardBall! on?
- HardBall! was released on Apple IIGS, Atari 8-bit, Commodore C64/128/MAX, ZX Spectrum, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, Atari ST/STE, Mac, DOS, Amiga, Apple II, Amstrad CPC, MSX, MSX2.
- When did HardBall! release?
- HardBall! was first released on December 31, 1985.
About HardBall!
Play is controlled with a joystick or arrow keys and an action button. One of the four cardinal directions is used to choose the pitch, and again to aim it towards low, high, inside (towards batter), or outside (away from batter). The same directions are used to aim the swing when batting. When fielding after a hit, the defensive player closest to the ball will flash to show it is the one currently under control. The four directions are then used to throw to one of the four bases. The game incorporates a pitcher perspective, often used in MLB broadcasts. There are also managerial options available. The player has a selection of pitchers to choose from. Each team member has his own statistics that affect his performance, and can be rearranged as desired. Prior to HardBall!s release, there were managerial baseball games available, such as Micro League Baseball but HardBall! was the first to integrate that aspect with the arcade control of the game action itself.
Summary via IGDB.
Game details
- Developer
- Accolade
- Publisher
- Advance Software Ltd.
- Game modes
- Single player, Multiplayer
Details via IGDB.
Reception
Every version compared
Prices, contemporary reception and the studio credited for each release
| Platform | Year | Loose | Complete | Sealed | Period reviews | Fake risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sega Genesis | 1991 | $4 | $16 | $33 | 2 reviews | Low |
Also released on: Apple IIGS · Atari 8-bit · Commodore C64/128/MAX · ZX Spectrum · Sega Mega Drive/Genesis · Atari ST/STE · Mac · DOS · Amiga · Apple II · Amstrad CPC · MSX · MSX2. We haven’t priced or authenticated those versions yet.
Collector value & authenticity
Sega Genesis · PriceCharting sold data · Verified 2026-10-29
Other releases and variants
| Release | Loose | Complete | Sealed |
|---|---|---|---|
| European (PAL) release | $13 | $35 | — |
How often it sells
- Loose: about once a month
- Complete: about once a month
- Sealed: about 2 times a year
Sales frequency from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, as of 2026-10-29.
Price over time
- Loose
- Complete
A loose copy sold for about $0.87 in Apr 2012, $4.97 five years ago, and $6.44 as of Oct 2026.
Show as table
| Month | Loose | Complete |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2013 | $0.87 | — |
| Jan 2014 | $2.00 | $5.97 |
| Jan 2015 | $1.48 | $2.50 |
| Jan 2016 | $1.49 | $5.25 |
| Jan 2017 | $1.99 | $5.92 |
| Jan 2018 | $3.95 | $7.72 |
| Jan 2019 | $3.70 | $7.72 |
| Jan 2020 | $3.80 | $7.00 |
| Jan 2021 | $4.40 | $7.61 |
| Jan 2022 | $5.00 | $10.00 |
| Jan 2023 | $5.24 | $10.45 |
| Jan 2024 | $5.62 | $8.88 |
| Jan 2025 | $4.62 | $9.45 |
| Jan 2026 | $2.77 | $12.72 |
| Oct 2026 | $6.44 | $16.13 |
Monthly price estimates from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, sampled quarterly, through Oct 2026.
Release record
| Territory | Date | Barcode |
|---|---|---|
| North America | June 1991 | 015605031014 |
| Europe / PAL | June 1991 | — |
- Region
- NA+EU
- Released
- 1991
- Authenticity
- Low
A competent but plain baseball game on the Genesis that is about as cheap as US carts get.
HardBall! began as a computer game from Accolade, and the Genesis cartridge was published by Ballistic in June 1991 in both North America and Europe. MegaTech found it a decent baseball game, but one without enough novel or interesting features to appeal beyond real fans of the sport.
What the press said at the time
| MegaTech Issue 1 | December 1991 | MEGATECH RATING 75% |
| Mean Machines Games Guide | May 1992 | OVERALL 75% |
“All in all, it was a very close game. But in this reporter's eyes, it’s still Tommy 1, Challengers 0.”
“A good baseball game - perhaps the best - but actually a pretty dull game.”
“A decent baseball game which doesn't have enough novel or interesting features to make it appeal to anyone other than real fans of the sport.”
“A decent baseball game which tketn'l have enough novetor interesting features to make it appeal to anyone other than real fans of the sport,”
How the Sega Genesis version differs
Ballistic released Accolade's hit computer game for the Genesis in 1991.
Video Games & Computer Entertainment compared it with Tommy Lasorda Baseball, noting that HardBall! lets you run a World Series but not play out a whole season.
MegaTech gave the Genesis version 75%, calling it a decent baseball game for real fans of the sport.
Also on other platforms
Commodore 64 · Apple II · Atari 8-bit · Amstrad CPC · ZX Spectrum · Mac · Atari ST · Amiga · Apple IIGS · MSX2 · MS-DOS
- Commodore 64. The Commodore 64 original topped the UK sales chart in early 1986.
- Commodore 64. Info called it the best baseball simulation seen to date for the 64/128, and by 1989 it had passed 500,000 units sold.
Before you buy
Among US carts it is one of the cheapest. The European cart usually costs far more than the US one, so there is no reason to look for it for a bargain. A complete US copy means the case, cartridge and manual.
HardBall! screenshots
Watch on YouTube
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