HardBall III#Release
{{Short description|1992 video game}}
{{Infobox video game
| title =
| image = Hardball III Cover.jpg
| caption = Super NES cover art
| developer = MindSpan
| publisher = Accolade
| director =
| producer = Pam Levins
Pam Davis
| designer = Mike Benna
Jeff Sember
| programmer = Mike Benna
Jeff Sember
| artist = John Boechler
| writer =
| composer = Alistair Hirst
| released = DOS
{{Video game release|NA|1992}}Genesis
{{Video game release|NA|March 1993{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/Electronic_Gaming_Monthly_44/page/n25/mode/1up|title=Review Crew: Hardball 3|magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly|issue=44|date=March 1993|page=26|accessdate=January 10, 2022}}}}Super NES
{{Video game release|NA|June 1994{{cite web |url=http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/downloads/snes_games.pdf |publisher=Nintendo of America |access-date=April 12, 2023 |title=Super NES Games |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140611225644/http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/downloads/snes_games.pdf |archive-date=June 11, 2014 }}}}
| genre = Sports
| modes = Single-player, multiplayer
| platforms = DOS, Genesis, Super NES
}}
HardBall III is a multiplatform baseball video game developed by MindSpan and published by Accolade between 1992 and 1994 for the DOS, Sega Genesis, and Super Nintendo Entertainment System platforms. The game is licensed by the Major League Baseball Players Association and is the sequel to HardBall II.
The console versions are simplified versions of the HardBall series found on the personal computers of the time. Season stats are logged through a lengthy password in these versions due to the lack of a hard disk drive that was already common in the more expensive personal computers at that time.
Release
In November 1993, Accolade signed an agreement with Atari Corporation to be a third-party developer for the recently released Atari Jaguar and licensed five titles from their catalog to Atari Corp. in order to be ported and released for the system, with HardBall III (then titled Al Michaels Announces HardBall III) being among the five licensed games and it was first announced in early 1994.{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/stream/Gamefan_Vol_2_Issue_01#page/n209/mode/1up|title=Other Stuff|magazine=GameFan|volume=2 |issue=1|publisher=Shinno Media|date=December 1993|page=212}}{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/stream/GamePro_Issue_055_February_1994#page/n187/mode/1up|title=ProNews: Atari Announces Jaguar Licenses|magazine=GamePro|issue=55 |publisher=IDG|date=February 1994|page=186}}{{cite magazine|url=http://www.stformat.com/stf55/pages_nx1500/stf55_086.jpg |title=News - Update - Sports Accolade|magazine=ST Format|issue=55|publisher=Future plc|date=February 1994|page=86|access-date=2019-01-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160720063036/http://stformat.com/stf55/pages_nx1500/stf55_086.jpg|archive-date=2016-07-20|url-status=live}}{{cite web|last=Reutter|first=Hans|url=http://www.cyberroach.com/jaguarcd/html/hardball.htm|title=Unreleased Or Unfinished Jaguar Games - Al Michaels Announced Hardball III|publisher=cyberroach.com|access-date=2018-09-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171001045323/http://www.cyberroach.com/jaguarcd/html/hardball.htm|archive-date=2017-10-01|url-status=live}}{{cite video|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxfuLRX9oRA |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211214/LxfuLRX9oRA |archive-date=2021-12-14 |url-status=live|work=YouTube|date=May 23, 2016|author=doctorclu|title=Interview with Faran Thomason about Bubsy on the Atari Jaguar}}{{cbignore}}{{cite web|last=Wallett|first=Adrian|url=http://www.arcadeattack.co.uk/faran-thomason/|title=Faran Thomason (Atari/Nintendo) – Interview|publisher=arcadeattack.co.uk|date=September 3, 2017|accessdate=2018-09-19}} It was originally planned for a Q3 1995 release date and was being developed by NuFX.{{cite web|url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Sports+titles+coming+from+Atari.-a016004111|title=Sports titles coming from Atari|website=TheFreeLibrary.com|publisher=Business Wire|date=January 6, 1995|accessdate=2018-09-22|archive-date=2018-09-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180922211406/https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Sports+titles+coming+from+Atari.-a016004111|url-status=dead}}{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/stream/MANIAC.N020.1995.06/MANIAC.N020.1995.06-DURiAN_Searchable#page/n39/mode/1up|title=Feature - XT Generation Report - Atari Jaguar|magazine=MAN!AC|issue=20|publisher=Cybermedia|date=June 1995|page=40|lang=de}}{{cite web|author=CRV |url=http://gdri.smspower.org/wiki/index.php/NuFX|title=NuFX|website=gdri.smspower.org |date=August 7, 2017|access-date=2018-11-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171019140157/http://gdri.smspower.org/wiki/index.php/NuFX|archive-date=2017-10-19|url-status=live}} However, the port went unreleased for unknown reasons.
Reception
Computer Gaming World in 1992 said that "HardBall III looks like another winner", complementing its emphasis on action while also providing simulation functions. The magazine praised its "glorious" support for VGA graphics and sound cards, and concluded that the game "packs more features in a single box than any of its competitors".{{cite news | url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1992&pub=2&id=97 | title=Accolade's Al Michaels Announces Hardball III | date=August 1992 | access-date=3 July 2014 | last=Rogers | first=Win | pages=78–79 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140702235249/http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1992&pub=2&id=97 | archive-date=2014-07-02 | url-status=dead | issue=97 }} Reviewing the Super NES version, GamePro praised the huge number of options and player stats, but felt the rough graphics and "choppy" player movements reduce the game to merely above average.{{cite magazine|title=Number III is Best Hardball Yet|magazine=GamePro|issue=58 |publisher=IDG|date=May 1994|page=108}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/pc/151381-hardball-iii HardBall III] at GameFAQs
- [https://www.giantbomb.com/hardball-iii/3030-4735/ HardBall III] at Giant Bomb
- [https://www.mobygames.com/game/hardball-iii HardBall III] at MobyGames
{{HardBall series}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:HardBall 03}}
Category:Cancelled Atari Jaguar games
Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games
Category:North America-exclusive video games