Play Cal Ripken Jr. Baseball Online

Cal Ripken Jr. Baseball came out for the Sega Genesis in 1992, published by Mindscape. It was one of many baseball games on the system, arriving at a time when developers were still figuring out how to translate the sport's depth onto a 16-bit console. The game carried a famous name, but it had to stand on its own gameplay.

You control all nine players on the field, handling both pitching and batting. The main goal is to outscore your opponent over nine innings. A couple of its mechanics stand out: the pitching interface uses a cursor you position to aim your throws, and fielding is simplified with an automatic player selection that switches control to the fielder nearest the ball. The game moves at a brisk pace, and while it is not overly difficult, mistiming a swing or a throw can quickly change an inning. It feels straightforward and responsive, a solid pick for a quick game.