Greatest Nine
{{Short description|1995 sports video game}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Greatest Nine
| image = Greatest Nine video game cover.jpg
| developer = Sega CS1
| publisher = Sega
| platform = Sega Saturn
| release = {{vgrelease|JP|May 26, 1995{{cite magazine | author=Edge staff | date=May 1995 | title=Saturn release schedule | url=https://archive.org/https://archive.org/details/edge-020-may-1995/page/19/mode/1up | magazine=Edge | publisher=Future plc | issue=20 | issn=1350-1593 | page=19}}}}
| modes = Single-player, multiplayer
|caption =
|alt =
}}{{nihongo foot|Kanzen Chuukei Pro Yakyuu Greatest Nine|完全中継プロ野球 グレイテストナイン|Kanzen Chūkei Puroyagu Gureitesutonain|"Full Broadcast of Professional Baseball Greatest Nine"|group=lower-alpha|lead=yes}}, or simply Greatest Nine, is a baseball-themed sports video game developed by Sega CS1 and published by Sega in 1995 for the Sega Saturn. It spawned a franchise that remained exclusive to Japan until the 2002 release of Baseball Advance on the Game Boy Advance. A modified version of original Greatest Nine was released internationally as the 1995 iteration of World Series Baseball on the Saturn.{{cite magazine | author=Mean Machines staff | date=October 1995 | title=Out Now: World Series Baseball | url=https://archive.org/details/mean-machines-sega-magazine-38/page/n89/mode/1up | magazine=Mean Machines Sega | publisher=EMAP | issue=38 | issn=0960-4952 | page=90}}{{cite magazine | author=Salmon, Mike | date=August 1995 | title=GP Sports: Sega Baseball (tentative title) | url=https://archive.org/details/Game_Players_Issue_55_August_1995/page/n72/mode/1up | magazine=Game Players | publisher=Imagine Media | issn=1087-2779 | issue=55 | page=69}}{{cite magazine | author=The Feature Creature | date=January 1996 | title=Special Feature: With the Home Away Team | url=https://archive.org/details/game-pro-issue-78-january-1996/page/47/mode/1up | magazine=GamePro | publisher=International Data Group | issue=78 | issn=1042-8658 | page=47}}{{cite magazine | author=VideoGames staff | date=October 1995 | title=Saturn Preview: World Series Baseball | url=https://archive.org/details/video-games-the-ultimate-gaming-magazine-issue-81/page/55/mode/1up | magazine=VideoGames | publisher=Larry Flynt Publications | issue=81 | issn= | page=55}}{{cite magazine | author=Cavalier, Cal | date=November 1995 | title=Review: World Series Baseball | url=https://archive.org/details/Gamefan_Vol_3_Issue_11/page/n123/mode/2up | magazine=GameFan | publisher=DieHard Gamers Club | volume=3 | issue=11 | issn=1092-7212 | pages=124–5}}{{cite magazine|title=Finals|magazine=Next Generation|issue=9|publisher=Imagine Media|date=September 1995|page=89|url=https://archive.org/details/NEXT_Generation_09/page/n90/mode/1up|author=Next Generation staff|issn=1078-9693}}
Gameplay
{{expand-section|date=April 2025}}
Development and release
Kanzen Chūkei Pro Yakyū Greatest Nine was developed by Sega CS Research and Development No. 1. The project was led by graphic designer Takaya Segawa.{{cite magazine | author=Kataoka Ryuichi | date=January 11, 2022 | title=セガ、北海道札幌市に「セガ札幌スタジオ」を設立 セガのゲーム開発やデバッグ業務を担当する新スタジオ | trans-title=Sega establishes "Sega Sapporo Studio" in Sapporo, Hokkaido. The new studio will be responsible for developing and debugging Sega games | url=https://jp.ign.com/sega/57059/news/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241113194217/https://jp.ign.com/sega/57059/news/ | archive-date=November 13, 2024 | language=ja | website=IGN | accessdate=April 10, 2025}} He was new to the company and had only just completed his first game, Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine, in his second year there.{{cite web | author=GAME CREATORS Editorial Department, Saito | date=August 21, 2019 | title=クリエイティブオフィサー・瀬川隆哉氏に聞く！ 長くファンに愛され続ける『ファンタシースターオンライン2』の運営秘訣とセガゲームス社員の働き方 | trans-title=Interview with Creative Officer Takaya Segawa! Secrets of running Phantasy Star Online 2, which has been loved by fans for a long time, and how SEGA Games employees work | url=https://game-creators.jp/media/interview/114/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230823182604/https://game-creators.jp/media/interview/114/ | archive-date=August 23, 2023 | language=ja | website=Game Creators | accessdate=April 8, 2025}} Future Nippon Professional Baseball player Masahide Kobayashi (then in school at Nippon Sport Science University) was used for the game's motion capture.{{cite web | author=Sega staff | date=December 16, 2002 | title=Creator's Note #09 | url=http://sega.jp/fb/creators/vol_9/3.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150914014225/http://sega.jp/fb/creators/vol_9/3.html | archive-date=September 14, 2015 | language=ja | publisher=Sega | accessdate=April 10, 2025 | url-status=dead}} Greatest Nine launched for the Saturn in Japan on May 26, 1994. A modified version of the game with players from the Major League Baseball was released internationally later that year. Segawa later served the same role on Sega's Puroyagu Chīmu o Tsukurou! baseball series.{{cite web | author=Danshoku Dīno | date=October 10, 2009 | title=正式サービス開始2周年記念！ 「プロ野球チームをつくろう！ONLINE」のこれまでを振り返りつつ，次回作についても聞いた | trans-title=Celebrating the second anniversary of the official launch of the service! Looking back on the history of '"Let's Make a Professional Baseball Team! Online, we asked about the next installment. | url=https://www.4gamer.net/games/039/G003924/20090810018/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231112061839/https://www.4gamer.net/games/039/G003924/20090810018/ | archive-date=November 12, 2023 | language=ja | website=4Gamer.net | accessdate=April 10, 2025}}{{cite web | author=Baka Inu | date=June 10, 2016 | title=野球ファンの理想が全て叶えられるゲームに―「野球つく！！」開発陣にインタビュー | trans-title=A game that will make all the dreams of baseball fans come true / Interview with the developers of Baseball Tsuku!!'' | url=http://www.gamer.ne.jp/news/201606100103 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240407023610/http://www.gamer.ne.jp/news/201606100103 | archive-date=April 7, 2024 | language=ja | website=Gamer.ne.jp | accessdate=April 10, 2025}}
Reception
{{VG Reviews
| CVG = 88/100{{cite magazine | author=Rad Automatic | date=August 1995 | title=Review: Greatest Nine Baseball | url=https://archive.org/details/computer-and-video-games-magazine/Computer%20and%20Video%20Games%20165/page/n43/mode/1up | magazine=Computer and Video Games | publisher=Future plc | issue=165 | issn=0261-3697 | page=44}}
| Fam = 27/40{{cite magazine | author=Famitsu staff | date=June 2, 1995 | issue=337 | page=32 | magazine=Famitsu | publisher=ASCII Corporation | title=NEW GAMES CROSS REVIEW | language=ja}}
| GameFan = 97/100{{cite magazine | author=Cavalier, Cal | date=August 1995 | title=Greatest Nine | url=https://archive.org/details/GamefanVolume3Issue08August1995ALT/page/n83/mode/2up | magazine=GameFan | publisher=DieHard Gamers Club | volume=3 | issue=8 | issn=1092-7212 | pages=84–5}}
| MMS = 86/100{{cite magazine | author1=Swan, Gus | author2=Merrett, Steve | date=September 1995 | title=Saturn Review: Greatest Nine | url=https://archive.org/details/mean-machines-sega-magazine-35/page/n73/mode/2up | magazine=Mean Machines Sega | publisher=EMAP | issue=35 | issn=0960-4952 | pages=74–5}}
| rev1 = Ação Games
| rev1Score = 8/10{{cite magazine | author=Ação Games staff | date=October 1997 | title=Greatest Nine | url=https://archive.org/details/acaogames147janeiro2000poster/A%C3%A7%C3%A3o%20Games%20%23120%20%28Outubro%201997%29/page/n35/mode/1up | magazine=Ação Games | publisher=Editora Azul | issue=120 | issn=0104-1630 | page=36 | language=pt}}
| rev2 = Electronic Entertainment
| rev2Score = {{rating|4.5|5}}{{cite magazine | author=Olafson, Peter | date=September 1995 | title=The Big Game, the Big Fight, and...Alex Trebek? |
url=https://archive.org/details/ElectronicEntertainment21Sep1995/page/n79/mode/1up | magazine=Electronic Entertainment | publisher=IDG | issue=21 | issn=1074-1356 | page=78}}
| rev3 = Games World: The Magazine
| rev3Score = 81%{{cite magazine | author=Games World staff | date=September 1995 | title=Reviews: Greatest Nine | url=https://archive.org/details/games-world-15/page/17/mode/1up | magazine=Games World: The Magazine| publisher=Paragon Publishing | issue=15 | page=69 | issn=1354-2907}}
| rev4 = Joypad
| rev4Score = 90%{{cite magazine | author=Kagotani, Yuriko | date=July 1995 | title=Test: Greatest Nine | magazine=Joypad | publisher=Yellow Media | language=fr | issn=1163-586X | url=https://archive.org/details/joypad-magazine-044/page/n159/mode/1up | issue=44 | page=27}}
| rev5 = Mega Console
| rev5Score = 77/100{{cite magazine | author=Ravetto, Marco | date=October 1995 | title=Review Saturn: Greatest Nine | url=https://archive.org/details/MegaConsole19/page/n79/mode/1up | magazine=Mega Console | publisher=Futura Publishing | language=it | issue=19 | page=80}}
| rev6 = Sega Pro
| rev6Score =69/100{{cite magazine | author=Pilkington, Mike | date=September 1995 | title=Review: Going for a home run... Greatest Nine | url=https://archive.org/details/sega-pro-49/page/n61/mode/2up | magazine=Sega Pro | publisher=Paragon Publishing | issn=0964-2641 | issue=49 | pages=62–3}}
| rev7 = Sega Saturn Magazine (JP)
| rev7Score = 21/30{{cite magazine | author=Sega Saturn Magazine staff | date=June 1995 | title=Sega Saturn Soft Review | url=https://archive.org/details/sega-saturn-magazine-ja-1995-06-01/page/112/mode/1up | magazine=Sega Saturn Magazine | publisher=SoftBank Group | language=ja | issue=6 | page=112}}
| rev8 = Ultimate Future Games
| rev8Score = 70%{{cite magazine | author=Ultimate Future Games staff | date=September 1995 | title=Load up your bases in Greatest Nine: Here's pitchin' at ya | url=https://archive.org/details/ultimate-future-games-10/page/n75/mode/2up | magazine=Ultimate Future Games | publisher=Future plc | issue=10 | issn=1355-7289 | pages=76–7}}
}}
{{expand-section|date=April 2025}}
Next Generation rated it four stars out of five, and stated that "In the end, minus a few malfunctioning control features that Sega US promises to fix, Greatest Nine is an excellent sports title for the Saturn and an extremely encouraging sign of what's to come."
Legacy
Greatest Nine quickly became a franchise for Sega. Counting the original game, six entries were released for the Sega Saturn between 1995 and 1998. It was later revived in 2002 on the Game Boy Advance (GBA). This version was developed by Smilebit (absorbed by Sega in 2004), also responsible for Motto Pro Yakyuu Team o Tsukurou!.
=Sequels=
- Greatest Nine '96 – Saturn (1996)
- Pro Yakyuu Greatest Nine '97 – Saturn (1997)
- Pro Yakyuu Greatest Nine '97 Make Miracle – Saturn (1997)
- Pro Yakyuu Greatest Nine '98 – Saturn (1998)
- Pro Yakyuu Greatest Nine '98 Summer Action – Saturn (1998)
- Baseball Advance – Game Boy Advance (2002)
Notes
{{notelist}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.mobygames.com/game/208391/kanzen-chukei-pro-yakyu-greatest-nine/ Greatest Nine] at MobyGames
Category:Greatest Nine video games
Category:Japan-exclusive video games
Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games
Category:Nippon Professional Baseball video games