Cyber Stadium Series—Base Wars

{{short description|1991 baseball–fighting Nintendo game}} {{use American English|date=January 2026}} {{use mdy dates|date=January 2026}} {{Infobox video game | image = Base Wars cover.jpg | alt = The cover art for the game features a stylized baseball field with one robot pitching, one batting, two fielding, and two fighting; the title says "Cyber Stadium Series Base Wars", and the logo for both Ultra Games and Nintendo are featured in the lower corners, respectively. | genre = Sports | developer = Konami | platforms = Nintendo Entertainment System | publisher = Ultra Games | fetchwikidata = no | released = May/June 1991 | title = Cyber Stadium Series—Base Wars | modes = {{hlist|Single-player|multiplayer}} }}

'''''Cyber Stadium Series—Base Wars''''' is a baseball video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES).

Developed by Konami for the NES, and published by Ultra Games,<ref name="IGN" /> ''Cyber Stadium Series—Base Wars''<ref name="1991 Ultra CSSBW" /><ref name="1991-06 EGM:CSSBW" /> was released in May<ref name="1992-03 NOA Intro Pak" /> or June 1991<ref name="1991-06 EGM:SC" /> in the United States; the game did not receive a European release.<ref name="2019 NES Encyclopedia" /> A baseball video game for one or two players,<ref name="1991-04 Nintendo Power" /> the ROM cartridge features the ability to save games, whether playing either an individual game or the ten-game pennant race.<ref name="1991-07 ACE" />

==Plot and gameplay== In a 24th century where baseball team owners are dissatisfied overpaying their players (e.g. {{US$|2.4 billion}} per year for a lifetime .250 hitter), they have replaced the athletes with armed robots;<ref name="1991 Ultra CSSBW" /><ref name="IGN" /> there are four models of robot to choose from, each optimally suited for specific baseball positions.<ref name="1991-07 ACE" /> One of the game's innovations is where upon force plays, the two opposing players fight for possession of the base; another is the ability to upgrade robots' abilities between pennant games.<ref name="1991-06-21 EW" /> If a team loses three robots in a game (to destruction from incremental damage), they forfeit the game.<ref name="2014-02-05 Game Informer" />

==Reception== {{video game reviews |title={{spaces}} |align=left |EGM=7.75 / 10 |rev1=''Entertainment Weekly'' |rev1Score=B- |rev2=''HonestGamers'' |rev2Score={{rating|3|5}} |NP=3.275 / 5 |Allgame={{rating|2.5|5}} }}

In 1991, across its four 1–5 metrics of "graphics and sound", "play control", "challenge", and "theme and fun", ''Nintendo Power'' gave ''Base Wars'' an average score of 3.275 (3.6, 3.0, 2.9, and 3.6 respectively).<ref name="1991-04 Nintendo Power" /> ''Entertainment Weekly''{{'s}} Bob Strauss rated the game a {{nowrap|"B-",}} primarily penalizing ''Base Wars'' for playing too much like a typical baseball video game and not leaning enough into its science-fiction potential.<ref name="1991-06-21 EW" /> ''Electronic Gaming Monthly''{{'s}} four reviewers averaged a {{fraction|7.75|10}} rating for the game, positively comparing it to ''Cyberball'' and noting its multiplayer mode, variety, and polish.<ref name="1991-07 EGM" /> As of February 1992, Funco was offering {{US$|26|1992}} to customers selling a copy of ''Base Wars''.<ref name="1992-02 GamePro" />

In December 2003, ''HonestGamers'' gave a score of {{fraction|3|5}}.<ref name="GameRankings" /> In 2004, ''Game Informer'' described ''Base Wars''{{apostrophe}} traditional baseball content as similar to ''Baseball Stars'' and ''R.B.I. Baseball'', and while they liked the combat aspect, the game was hindered by poor controls, cameras, and AI;<ref name="2004-10 Game Informer" /> they did opine that, if updated to then-modern standards, a remake would be successful.<ref name="2004-05 Game Informer" /> In 2014, ''Game Informer'' placed the "super bizarre, but in all the best ways" game as their number-two weirdest sports game.<ref name="2014-02-05 Game Informer" /> That same year, Allgame's {{fraction|2.5|5}}-star review—penned by Skyler Miller—was lukewarm, dismissing the combat aspect and describing fielding as "nearly impossible due to a screen that scrolls too slowly to keep up with fast-moving balls".<ref name="AllGame" />

==References== <references>

<ref name="1991 Ultra CSSBW">{{citation |year=1991 |title=How to Play Cyber Stadium Series—Base Wars |publisher=Ultra Games |place=Buffalo Grove, Illinois |language=en}}</ref>

<ref name="1991-04 Nintendo Power">{{cite magazine |date=April 1991 |editor1-last=Tilden |editor1-first=Gail |title=Now Playing |magazine=Nintendo Power |language=en |location=Redmond, Washington |publisher=Minoru Arakawa |volume=23 |pages=87–91 |issn=1041-9551 |oclc=760783416}}</ref>

<ref name="1991-06-21 EW">{{cite magazine |last1=Strauss |first1=Bob |date=1991-06-21 |title=Cyber Stadium Series: Base Wars |url=https://ew.com/article/1991/06/21/cyber-stadium-series-base-wars/ |url-status=dead |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |language=en |issn=1049-0434 |oclc=21114137 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180910095003/https://ew.com/article/1991/06/21/cyber-stadium-series-base-wars/ |archive-date=2018-09-10 |access-date=2020-06-28}}</ref>

<ref name="1991-07 ACE">{{cite magazine |date=July 1991 |editor1-last=Douglas |editor1-first=Jim |title=ACE Games News |magazine=ACE |language=en |location=London |issue=46 |pages=7–10 |issn=0954-8076}}</ref>

<ref name="1991-06 EGM:CSSBW">{{cite magazine |author=Ultra Games |author-link=Ultra Games |date=June 1991 |editor1-last=Semrad |editor1-first=Ed |title=Base Wars |magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly |language=en |volume=4 |issue=6 |pages=2–3 |issn=1058-918X}}</ref>

<ref name="1991-06 EGM:SC">{{cite magazine |date=June 1991 |editor1-last=Semrad |editor1-first=Ed |title=Software Calendar |magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly |language=en |volume=4 |issue=6 |pages=26–27 |issn=1058-918X}}</ref>

<ref name="1991-07 EGM">{{cite magazine |date=July 1991 |editor1-last=Semrad |editor1-first=Ed |title=Review Crew |magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly |language=en |volume=4 |issue=7 |pages=18–26 |issn=1058-918X}}</ref>

<ref name="1992-02 GamePro">{{cite magazine |author=Funco |author-link=FuncoLand |date=February 1992 |editor1-last=McDermott |editor1-first=LeeAnne |title=Swap Your Old Nintendo Games for Cash or New Titles |magazine=GamePro |language=en |location=Redwood City, California |volume=4 |pages=32–33 |issn=1042-8658}}</ref>

<ref name="1992-03 NOA Intro Pak">{{citation |title=Intro Pak |chapter=The Complete Game Pak Directory |publisher=Nintendo of America |place=Redmond, Washington |language=en |page=4}}</ref>

<ref name="2004-05 Game Informer">{{cite magazine |date=May 2004 |location=Minneapolis |editor-last1=McNamara |editor-first1=Andrew |title=Buried Treasures |department=Classic GI |magazine=Game Informer |language=en |volume=XIV |issue=133 |pages=116–118 |issn=1067-6392 |quote=Franchises That Didn't Deserve to Die}}</ref>

<ref name="2004-10 Game Informer">{{cite magazine |date=October 2004 |location=Minneapolis |editor-last1=McNamara |editor-first1=Andrew |title=Retro Reviews |department=Classic GI |magazine=Game Informer |language=en |volume=XVII |issue=174 |pages=134 |issn=1067-6392}}</ref>

<ref name="2014-02-05 Game Informer">{{cite magazine |last1=Federspiel |first1=Isaac |date=2014-02-05 |title=Top 10 Weird Sports Games |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2014/02/05/top-10-weird-sports-games.aspx |url-status=live |magazine=Game Informer |language=en |issn=1067-6392 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190824151637/https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2014/02/05/top-10-weird-sports-games.aspx |archive-date=2019-08-24 |access-date=2020-06-28}}</ref>

<ref name="2019 NES Encyclopedia">{{cite book |last1=Scullion |first1=Chris |year=2019 |chapter=Licensed Games |title=The NES Encyclopedia: Every Game Released for the Nintendo Entertainment System |language=en |location=Great Britain |publisher=Pen and Sword Books |page=30 |isbn=978-1-52673-779-3}}</ref>

<ref name="AllGame">{{cite web |url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=278&tab=review |title=Cyber Stadium Series: Base Wars |last=Miller |first=Skyler |website=AllGame |language=en |access-date=2021-04-30 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141116043129/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=278&tab=review |archive-date=2014-11-16}}</ref>

<ref name="GameRankings">{{cite web |url=https://www.gamerankings.com/nes/587110-cyber-stadium-series-base-wars/index.html |title=Cyber Stadium Series: Base Wars |website=GameRankings |language=en |access-date=2021-02-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191209015431/https://www.gamerankings.com/nes/587110-cyber-stadium-series-base-wars/index.html |archive-date=2019-12-09}}</ref>

<ref name="IGN">{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/games/cyber-stadium-series-basewars |title=Cyber Stadium Series: BaseWars |website=IGN |language=en |access-date=2019-12-19 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171003065016/https://www.ign.com/games/cyber-stadium-series-basewars |archive-date=2017-10-03}}</ref>

</references>

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cyber Stadium Series-Base Wars}} Category:1991 video games Category:baseball video games Category:fantasy sports video games Category:Konami games Category:multiplayer and single-player video games Category:Nintendo Entertainment System games Category:science fiction video games Category:video games about robots