Rusty's Real Deal Baseball
{{Short description|2013 video game}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2014}}
{{Infobox video game
|title = Rusty's Real Deal Baseball
|image = RRDBBLogointro.jpg
|caption = Game icon, featuring Rusty Slugger (left) and one of his ten children (right) in front of Rusty's store
|developer = Nintendo SPD
|publisher = Nintendo
|producer = Kouichi Kawamoto
|director = Katsuhiko Kanno
|composer = Kenji Yamamoto
|programmer = Shinji Kitihara, Kazuki Yoshihara
|released = {{vgrelease|JP|8 August 2013|NA|3 April 2014|KO|28 May 2014}}
|designer = Ryosuke Suzuki, Tadashi Matsushita
|genre = Sports
|modes = Single-player
|platforms = Nintendo 3DS
}}
Rusty's Real Deal Baseball{{efn|Known in Japan as {{nihongo|Darumeshi Supōtsu-ten|だるめしスポーツ店||lit. Darumeshi Sports Shop|lead=yes}}}} was a free-to-play baseball video game published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS eShop. It was released in Japan in August 2013 and in North America in April 2014; the game was not released in Europe.
The game and its minigames are no longer available to download due to the Nintendo eShop closure on Nintendo 3DS.{{Cite web |title=Wii U & Nintendo 3DS eShop Discontinuation |url=https://en-americas-support.nintendo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/57847 |website=Nintendo Customer Support |access-date=9 October 2023 |archive-date=16 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220216083802/https://en-americas-support.nintendo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/57847 |url-status=live }}
Gameplay
The game features baseball themed minigames, which can be purchased individually at Rusty Slugger's store, called "Rusty Slugger's Sport Shack". The player is given a free demo of one of the minigames, but will eventually need to pay for them. While each minigame is paid through microtransactions, players can haggle with Rusty to purchase the games for a lower price.{{Cite web|url=https://hardcoregamer.com/2014/04/20/new-rustys-real-deal-baseball-trailer-released/82003/|title=New Rusty's Real Deal Baseball Trailer Released|date=2014-04-20|website=Hardcore Gamer|last=Creegan|first=Dermot|access-date=9 November 2020|archive-date=17 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201117012351/https://hardcoregamer.com/2014/04/20/new-rustys-real-deal-baseball-trailer-released/82003/|url-status=live}} Playing the minigames will reward players with items that can be used to haggle with Rusty, which Rusty will accept and use to fix his life problems. One of Rusty's children will tell you if the price can not be lowered any further, and if a player chooses an ineffective option of dialogue, they can reset Rusty's mood with a donut for a better approach. Players can compare minigame scores with other player via StreetPass.
The game will intentionally keep players from trying to purchase the games for full price, but can still be purchased after multiple warnings. When a player pays for full price, Rusty's past mentor Pappy Van Poodle will give him the items awarded from the minigames instead.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2019/05/video_meet_pappy_van_poodle_the_nintendo_character_nobody_knew_existed|title=Video: Meet Pappy Van Poodle, The Nintendo Character Nobody Knew Existed|date=2019-05-15|website=Nintendo Life|last=Doolan|first=Liam|access-date=9 November 2020|archive-date=7 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201107224314/https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2019/05/video_meet_pappy_van_poodle_the_nintendo_character_nobody_knew_existed|url-status=live}}
After the Nintendo 3DS eShop closure, the minigames cannot be bought anymore, but the story can be seen in game for free.{{Cite web |title=Wii U and 3DS eShops are GONE, but now you can See the Story of Rusty's Real Deal Baseball for Free |url=https://www.koopatv.org/2023/03/wii-u-3ds-eshop-gone-rusty-real-deal-baseball.html#:~:text=March%2029%2C%202023-,Wii%20U%20and%203DS%20eShops%20are%20GONE%2C%20but%20now%20you,obliterated%20on%20March%2027%2C%202023. |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230331012730/https://www.koopatv.org/2023/03/wii-u-3ds-eshop-gone-rusty-real-deal-baseball.html |archive-date=March 31, 2023 |website=koopatv.org}}
Development
Rusty's Real Deal Baseball was announced in a Nintendo Direct in 2014. According to Satoru Iwata, the concept of the game was created with the theme of "good feelings".{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2014/02/13/rusty-39-s-real-deal-baseball-coming-to-3ds-in-april.aspx+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us|title=Rusty's Real Deal Baseball Coming To 3DS In April|magazine=Game Informer|last=Juba|first=Joe}}{{dead link|date=April 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} The game's release date was announced via Twitter, and released in Japan in August 2013 and in North America in April 2014.{{Cite web|url=https://www.shacknews.com/article/83770/rustys-real-deal-baseball-rounds-eshop-bases-next-week|title=Rusty's Real Deal Baseball pitches Nintendo's take on 3DS free-to-play next week|date=2014-03-28|website=Shacknews|last=Watts|first=Steve|access-date=9 November 2020|archive-date=15 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115172731/https://www.shacknews.com/article/83770/rustys-real-deal-baseball-rounds-eshop-bases-next-week|url-status=live}}
Reception
{{Video game reviews
|MC=74/100{{Cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/rustys-real-deal-baseball/critic-reviews/?platform=3ds|title=Rusty's Real Deal Baseball|website=Metacritic|access-date=1 November 2023|archive-date=14 July 2024|archive-url=https://archive.today/20240714032258/https://www.metacritic.com/game/rustys-real-deal-baseball/critic-reviews/?platform=3ds|url-status=live}}
|Destruct=8/10{{Cite web|url=https://www.destructoid.com/review-rusty-s-real-deal-baseball-272688.phtml|title=Review: Rusty's Real Deal Baseball|date=2014-04-03|website=Destructoid|last=Carter|first=Chris|access-date=7 October 2020|archive-date=12 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112032217/https://www.destructoid.com/review-rusty-s-real-deal-baseball-272688.phtml|url-status=live}}
|IGN=6/10{{Cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2014/04/09/rustyas-real-deal-baseball-review|title=Rusty's Real Deal Baseball Review|date=2014-04-08|website=IGN|last=Thompson|first=Scott|access-date=7 October 2020|archive-date=11 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201011201644/https://www.ign.com/articles/2014/04/09/rustyas-real-deal-baseball-review|url-status=live}}
|USG=4/5{{Cite web|url=https://www.usgamer.net/articles/rustys-real-deal-baseball-3ds-review|title=Rusty's Real Deal Baseball 3DS Review: Haggle Your Way to Freedom|date=2014-04-08|website=US Gamer|last=Oxford|first=Nadia|access-date=9 November 2020|archive-date=16 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116063548/https://www.usgamer.net/articles/rustys-real-deal-baseball-3ds-review|url-status=live}}
}}
The game received generally favorable reviews, scoring a 74/100 on Metacritic.
The game was praised for the characters and humorous writing. Scott Thompson from IGN called the game "uncharacteristically dark" and "surprisingly funny". Chris Carter from Destructoid liked Rusty's unique dialogue and multiple choices of writing during haggling portions of the game. He appreciated Rusty's characteristics and storyline, and believed the game had "awkward silliness".
Notes
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References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Officialwebsite|http://rustysrealdealbaseball.nintendo.com/}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rusty's Real Deal Baseball}}
Category:Free-to-play video games
Category:Minigame compilations
Category:Nintendo 3DS eShop games
Category:Nintendo 3DS-only games
Category:Video games about dogs
Category:Video games developed in Japan
Category:Video games scored by Kenji Yamamoto (composer, born 1964)