Top Five MLB Games of the Last Decade

[RaychelSnr]

As the 2010 baseball season gets underway, it's kind of hard to believe that it is already 2010. Looking back, the years 2000-2010 were truly a golden era for baseball gaming. Out of all the sports that were digitally re-created this past decade, baseball games faced the most competition, which led to many outstanding titles that were created by multiple development studios.

In celebration of baseball's opening week -- and in an effort to compile the top five baseball games of the decade -- I have spent the last three weekends huddled in my basement feverishly playing some of the best baseball titles from the past 10 years.

With so many worthy candidates, narrowing the list down to just five was no easy task. It should be noted that each game chosen not only had to demonstrate superior gameplay, but also had to leave a distinct impression on the genre as a whole.

Three weeks of intense baseball gaming, a broken Dreamcast controller, several pots of coffee, and one angry wife later, I give you Christian McLeod's Top 5 Baseball Games of the Last Decade.

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[GlennN]

No mention of High Heat Baseball, especially the 2002 PC version? The batter/pitcher duel was never presented better. Yes, the graphics were not great, but High Heat played a terrific game of baseball!

[Matt Diesel]

You forgot High Heat for the PC. Easily one of the best. I agree with the rest.

[DJ]

Good list, although I'd argue MLB 09 deserves the nod over 08. 08 is a great game, no doubt, but I (and others) found it too easy to hit for a high average, even with slider adjustments.

I'll have to check World Series 03 out for my PS2. I never played that game but it sounds like fun.

[boomhauertjs]

Re: Top Five MLB Games of the Last Decade

High Heat has to be on this list. Nothing to this day has played a better game of baseball.

[aukevin]

Re: Top Five MLB Games of the Last Decade

For me it would be:

1. The Show 10
2. MVP Baseball 05
3. The Show 07
4. ASB '03
5. High Heat 04

I didn't have the opportunity to play many games in the late 90's and early 00's while I was in college.

[Bumble14]

FYI Guys, High Heat 2002 would have been my #6 pick on this list. I nixed it at the last moment because overall I felt that MLB01 was more deserving. HH02 was an awesome game, it just barely didn't make the list.

[choadler]

Re: Top Five MLB Games of the Last Decade

MLB 10 is better than 07 for me. MVP and MLB the show are neck and neck for the greatest.

[Trustpt]

I'd just change the top order: #1 MLB 10: The Show, #2 MVP Baseball 05

[TheArsenologist]

While I agree that The Show: 10 is phenomenal, people asking for it to be on the list should read that this is games of the LAST decade. While decade distinctions may be arbitrary, 2010 is not in the same decade as the previous games, and thus not eligible for the list.

[InSainn]

Technically, despite what the media tells you, the next decade doesn't begin until 2011, just like the millenium didn't technically start until 2001. So actually MLB 10 would be in this group...

[ChaseB]

Technically, despite what the media tells you, the next decade doesn't begin until 2011, just like the millenium didn't technically start until 2001. So actually MLB 10 would be in this group...

I think that part of the list is impact as well. So I think, obviously, that MLB 10 is better than '07 but it may not have the same type of impact in the grand scheme of things.

[GaryT531]

Those early 2000's 2k baseball games were crap. All of them. Dreamcast, PS2, XBOX...

[Gleebo]

High Heat deserves to be in top 3 on this list, that game had the best pitcher/batter interface ever.

[M11x]

Re: Top Five MLB Games of the Last Decade

1. MLB The Show 10
2. MVP 2005
3. High Heat 2004
4 and 5 (not sure between The Show 2007 and High Heat 2003. I've never played '02.)

MVP 2005 and High Heat 2004 seemed the most realistic gameplay at the time and had the ability and consumer support to mod most aspects of the pc versions and even port the rosters to the console versions.