MLB 2006

MLB 2006 is a baseball video game developed by 989 Sports and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 2 on March 8, 2005. A PlayStation Portable version, simply titled MLB, was released in April 2005. Vladimir Guerrero of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim was featured on the cover.

The game was preceded by MLB 2005 and was the last game in the 989 MLB series before MLB games from SCEA started being released by San Diego Studio under the ' series in 2006.

Gameplay

MLB 2006 offers a baseball simulation featuring all 30 Major League Baseball teams, authentic stadiums, and nearly 1,200 real players. The game includes multiple offline modes such as exhibition, season, career, franchise, and home run derby, as well as online options for tournaments and roster updates. Players can create custom athletes, even importing faces via an EyeToy camera. The season mode allows players to manage lineups, trades, and drafts while playing through a full schedule, including the All-Star Game and playoffs. Career mode focuses on a single player's journey from the minors to the majors, with performance-based promotions and contract negotiations. Franchise mode expands management responsibilities to include scouting, staff hiring, stadium upgrades, marketing, and budget control. Hits and fielding outcomes vary naturally, with bobbled balls, ricochets, and dirt-stained uniforms. Pitching uses a release-point meter system for accuracy, while batting relies on timing, with optional "guess pitch" and "guess location" features to improve odds. Fielding and baserunning controls allow for dives, throws to specific bases, and preloaded steal attempts. Confidence and player attributes influence performance, and CPU opponents adapt to patterns. Games can be fully played, simulated inning-by-inning, or managed through a SportsCast interface resembling a board game. Online play supports up to 32-player tournaments and includes messaging tools for organizing matches. Commentary by Matt Vasgersian and Dave Campbell tracks the action closely, complemented by realistic stadium sounds and crowd reactions. Adjustable difficulty levels and tuning sliders let players customize gameplay.^[3]

Reception

The game received "favorable" reviews on both platforms according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.^[4][5] GamePro said that the PlayStation 2 version "follows up last year's comeback player of the year with control tweaks and makes its formidable Franchise mode even better."^[6][a] Some websites gave the same console version favorable reviews while it was still in development.^[7][8]

Notes

1. ^ GamePro gave the PlayStation 2 version 4.5/5 for graphics, and three 4/5 scores for sound, control, and fun factor.

References

1. ^ "MLB 2006 SET TO HIT ONE OUT OF THE PARK ON PLAYSTATION 2". PlayStation.com. Sony Computer Entertainment America. March 8, 2005. Archived from the original on April 5, 2005. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
2. ^ IGN staff (May 3, 2005). "Game of the Month: April 2005". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived July 20, 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
3. ^ Provo, Frank (March 11, 2005). "MLB 2006 Review". GameSpot. Fandom. Archived August 6, 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
4. ^ "MLB 2006". Metacritic. Fandom. Archived January 17, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
5. ^ "MLB". Metacritic. Fandom. Archived April 20, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
6. ^ Slo Mo (April 2005). "This Championship Season". GamePro. No. 199. IDG. pp. 96–97. Archived September 2, 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
7. ^ Leahy, Dan (February 25, 2005). "GameSpy: MLB 2006". GameSpy. IGN Entertainment. Archived June 24, 2007 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
8. ^ Marriott, Scott Alan (February 15, 2005). "MLB 2006 Review". X-Play. G4 Media. Archived from the original on February 17, 2005. Retrieved March 2, 2025.

External links

• Official website (archived)