Super League (Mega Drive)

n/a

NTSC-J/PAL NTSC-U
Super League/Tommy Lasorda Baseball
System(s): Sega Mega Drive, Sega Mega-Tech
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Sega R&D 2
Distributor: Hent Gruppen (SE rental), Tec Toy (BR)
Genre: Sports (baseball)
Number of players: 1-2
Release Date RRP Code JP 1989-04-22 ¥5,8005,800 G-4006 US 1989-09 $59.9959.99 1200 US (Classic) 1992 $29.9529.95 1200C US ▼ (Sega Channel) 1994-06-01 SUBsub EU 1990 1200 EU ▼ (Sega Channel) 199x SUBsub UK 1990 £34.9934.99 1200 SE (Rental) 199x AU 199x CA 199x BR 199x SA ▼ (Sega Channel) 199x SUBsub UK 19xx £? ?

Super League (スーパーリーグ), known in the United States as Tommy Lasorda Baseball, is a Mega Drive baseball game developed by Sega R&D 2 and published by Sega in 1984.

The American version of the game was endorsed by Tommy Lasorda, who was manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers at the time.

Gameplay

The game is a major league baseball game. The Western versions features teams modeled after Major League Baseball, while the Japanese version teams are based on the Nippon Professional Baseball league. Player names and statistics are fictional.

Before each game, players can change the batting order and the starting pitchers. Player one is always the visitor and bats first.

	Defense
	When pitching, and position the pitcher on the mound and throws the ball. During the pitch, holding throws a slider, throws a curve, and throws a change-up (which can be combined with the others to throw a slow slider or a slow curve). While pitching, the player can change the position of the fielders by pressing while pressing a direction on the D-Pad. The fielders can move two steps in any direction. Moving the fielders in makes it easier to catch ground balls and bunts, while moving the fielders back better positions them to field fly balls from hard hitters. The stamina of the pitcher is shown under his ERA in the bottom-right corner of the screen. When a pitcher is low on stamina, the ball becomes harder to control. The player can substitute a relief pitcher by pausing the game with  START  and choosing a substitute. Pressing when there are runners on base shows an overhead view of the diamond. From this view, the pitcher can throw the ball to a base to pick off a runner trying to steal a base by pressing while holding a direction corresponding to the base ( for first, for second, for third, or for home). The pitcher can run the ball to a base himself for a tag-out by pressing while holding a direction corresponding to the base. When fielding, the D-Pad controls the fielder closest to the ball; the computer controls the other fielders. A yellow dot on the miniature field in the bottom-right corner of the screen tracks the ball as it moves; a yellow circle flashes to show where the ball will land, to help position a fielder to catch it. Wind can affect the trajectory of the ball's flight (if enabled). After catching the ball, it can be thrown to base by pressing while holding a direction corresponding to the base.
	Offense
	When hitting, the D-Pad positions the batter in the batter's box. Holding performs a complete swing; only tapping does a check swing (which can be done multiple times, depending on the positioning of the batter, but the batter completes the swing if the bat passes over home plate). Pressing holds a bunt (or pressing again releases it). Tapping or aims the bunt in a direction. Before the pitch, the player can lead-off by pressing while holding a direction corresponding to the destination base ( for first, for second, for third, or for home). After the wind-up, the player can steal a base in the same way. The player can have a runner return to base by pressing while holding a direction corresponding to the destination base. The player can call in a pinch hitter or substitute a runner by pausing the game with  START  before the pitcher winds up and selecting a substitute.

Modes

The game modes are named differently depending on the region of the game:

• U.S. East/West Mode and World East/West Mode (C-League Mode and P-League Mode in the Japanese version): Starts a 30-game season. This mode is for one player competing against computer-controlled teams. The name of the mode indicates the league and the division (or just the league in the Japanese version) of the teams available. If the player wins the league championship, the player's team progresses to the World Series in the Western versions or the Nippon Series in the Japanese version, a best-of-seven game playoff series. The game uses a password for continuing.
• Open Game (Open Mode in the Japanese version): A single game for one player against a computer opponent. The player can choose any team to play and for the opponent.
• Exhibition Game (Vs Mode in the Japanese version): A single game for two players competing against one another. Players can choose any team to play.

In the options, the player can set the computer difficulty (Easy, Normal, or Hard) and whether to bias the game towards pitchers or batters or have an equal game of skill between both. There are also toggles for fielding errors and the ball marker (that shows where the ball will land) and three settings for wind (Off for no wind, Easy for slight wind effects on the ball, and Hard for possibly major wind effects on the ball, especially when it is hit high into the air).

Teams

No versions of Super League carry official licenses from baseball organisations. However, both the Japanese and Western versions use teams inspired by their real life counterparts. Likewise, all player names are fictional.

Western versions

In the West, teams are based on those that competed in the 1989 Major League Baseball season. The "U.S. League" corresponds to the American League, and the "World League" corresponds to the National League.

League	Division	Team	Based on
U.S.	Eastern	DET	Detroit Tigers
		TOR	Toronto Blue Jays
		MIL	Milwaukee Brewers
		NY	New York Yankees
		BOS	Boston Red Sox
		BAL	Baltimore Orioles
		CLE	Cleveland Indians
	Western	MIN	Minnesota Twins
		KC	Kansas City Royals
		OAK	Oakland Athletics
		SEA	Seattle Mariners
		CHI	Chicago White Sox
		CAL	California Angels
		TEX	Texas Rangers
World	Eastern	STL	St. Louis Cardinals
		NY	New York Mets
		MON	Montreal Expos
		PHI	Philadelphia Phillies
		PIT	Pittsburgh Pirates
		CHI	Chicago Cubs
	Western	SF	San Francisco Giants
		CIN	Cincinnati Reds
		HOU	Houston Astros
		LA	Los Angeles Dodgers
		ATL	Atlanta Braves
		SD	San Diego Padres

Japanese version

In Japan, the teams are based on those of the 1989 Nippon Professional Baseball season.

League	Division	Team	Based on
U.S.	Central	Dracons	Chunichi Dragons
		Gaints	Yomiuri Giants
		Carves	Hiroshima Toyo Carp
		Sallows	Yakult Swallows
		Whoels	Yokohama Taigou Whales
		Tiders	Hanshin Tigers
	Pacific	Leopons	Seibu Lions
		Buffals	Kintetsu Buffaloes
		Figers	Nippon-Ham Fighters
		Brives	Orix Braves
		Hawkas	Fukuoka Daiei Hawks
		Orvons	Lotte Orions

Production credits

• Planner: Mae
• Chief Programmer: Yamaichi
• Assistant Programmer: Mizoran
• Graphic Coordinator: Tamun, Wood One, Autumn
• Ground Designer: Tamun
• Fielder Designer: Wood One, Autumn, Big Island, Toyo Ozaki
• Sound Coordinator: Roge
• Director: Yamaichi, Mae
• Special Thanks: Ryuchan, Min, Works Nishi, Kota, Si Extra, Morii, Stresteles, Lee, Lander, Kuma, Uru Uru, Tatsu, Usida Moo, Nekoda Nya, Inuda Wan, Umada Hihiin
• Presented by: Sega

Source:

In-game credits

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• Japanese cover artist: Hiroaki Shioya

Source:

Sega TV Game Genga Gallery

File:Sega TV Game Genga Gallery.pdf

Magazine articles

Main article: Super League (Mega Drive)/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

MX advert (1992)

Print advert in Beep! MegaDrive (JP) #0: "Extra issue of Beep!" (1989-04-27)

Print advert in GamePro (US) #11: "June 1990" (1990-xx-xx)
also published in:

• Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) #12: "July 1990" (1990-xx-xx)

Print advert in Computer Games (GR) #3: "Ioúnios 1990" (1990-xx-xx)

Print advert in Sega Visions (US) #1: "June/July 1990" (1990-xx-xx)
also published in:

• Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) #13: "August 1990" (1990-xx-xx)
• GamePro (US) #12: "July 1990" (1990-xx-xx)
• VideoGames & Computer Entertainment (US) #18: "July 1990" (1990-0x-xx)

Physical scans

Mega Drive version

Sega Retro Average
Publication Score Source

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Based on 0 review

Sega Retro Average

Publication Version Score 1700 igr dlya Sega (RU) NTSC-U 50 Aktueller Software Markt (DE) 75 Beep! MegaDrive (JP) NTSC-J 60 Complete Guide to Consoles (UK) 80 The Complete Guide to Sega (UK) 80 Console XS (UK) PAL 82 Computer & Video Games (UK) 86 Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) NTSC-U 75 Joystick (FR) 70 Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK) PAL 48 Mega Drive Fan (JP) NTSC-J 73 MegaTech (UK) 80 Mean Machines Sega (UK) 80 Play Time (DE) 74 Raze (UK) PAL 81 Score (CZ) 71 Sega Power (UK) PAL 65 Sega Power (UK) PAL 50 Sega Pro (UK) 86 Sega Pro (UK) PAL 82 Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J 62

	72
Based on 21 reviews

Super League (Mega Drive)

Mega Drive, JP
Cover
Cart Manual

Mega Drive, US
Cover
Cart Manual PCB

Mega Drive, US (Sega Classic)
Cover
Cart Manual

Mega Drive, EU
Cover
Cart Manual PCB

Mega Drive, SE (rental; Hent; black)
Cover

Mega Drive, AU
Cover

Mega Drive, BR
Cover

Mega Drive, CA
Cover

Mega-Tech version

Mega-Tech,

Technical information

Main article: Super League (Mega Drive)/Technical information.

ROM dump status

System	Hash	Size	Build Date	Source	Comments
?	CRC32 aa3965db MD5 1d4e55cb51b89942e12d27f9794122c2 SHA-1 057004754c9bfd8bbbc107a69681ae0977b664de	512kB	1989-05	Cartridge (US)	Tommy Lasorda Baseball
✔	CRC32 4fb50304 MD5 9edf4e2024d5bba29748b580930a1ea4 SHA-1 dde1b2465f54f4f6f485c1ba063ff47c5d1baf27	512kB	1989-05	Cartridge (US)	Tommy Lasorda Baseball (Rev. A)
?	CRC32 55baec6e MD5 fe966e29f7dda9084261fdfd648c3f50 SHA-1 fefc7abc2f9fbcc7992b1420b62eb3eb3d5ad1bb	512kB	1989-05	Cartridge (EU)	Super League
✔	CRC32 ea13cb1d MD5 731d1675352961fa7254a720432c0bbb SHA-1 9e975ba4c396617ff9535d51d0929f6d592478fc	512kB	1989-02	Cartridge (JP)	Super League
?	CRC32 MD5 SHA-1		1989-04-30					Page