1995 · Extended Play Productions · Sports

Triple Play 96

Sega exclusive

Triple Play 96 is one of the earliest entries in EA's Triple Play series that featured a full MLB and MLBPA license with many of the top players of the 1995 season along with authentic stadiums from all 28 MLB teams along with 2,500 frames of animation to give the game a more realistic feel. Many of the standard options are present such as exhibition, season, playoffs, etc. along with a battery back-up that can keep extensive track on 25 different stat categories and has 12 unique pitches that can be chosen during the game. Players can also create their own baseball player and use them in the game or go against four friends.

Released: 18 April 1995
Platforms: Sega Genesis
Genres: Sports
Developers: Extended Play Productions
Publishers: EA Sports

About

Triple Play 96 is a sports video game developed by Canadian studio Extended Play Productions and published by EA Sports for the Sega Genesis. An updated version titled Triple Play: Gold Edition was released exclusively for the Sega Genesis the following year and added updated 1996 rosters and a new "Professional Mode".

Keywords

baseball

The articlegameplay, story, development, reception

Gameplay

Triple Play 96 gives players the option of using an enlarged view or normal view, and allows for trading players, and includes a season mode and player stats.

Development

Triple Play 96 was produced by Canadian studio Extended Play Productions, which was a developer within Electronic Arts division EA Canada. The game's lead designer, Chris Taylor, started at EA Canada (then Distinctive Software) in 1988. EA asked the team to replicate the success they had on Sega Genesis release of FIFA International Soccer with other sports. Baseball was chosen as Taylor had experience leading production on HardBall II. Prior to using on the name Triple Play, the titles Line Drive Baseball and Double Play Baseball were considered but were both already copyrighted.

Taylor sought help from Rick Smith to provide a robust statistics calculation system by breaking down "pseudo code" into C. Programmer Kevin Pickell, who wrote the Genesis data and asset libraries for EA Canada, stated their task was "to essentially mirror the look and feel of FIFA" and they "already had the workflow for generating the animating characters and that was essentially copied for Triple Play." The large batter sprites popularized by the World Series Baseball influenced Taylor to include them in Triple Play. This was the last EA game Taylor worked before moving on to Cavedog Entertainment and then eventually Gas Powered Games.

Reception

Next Generation reviewed the Genesis version of the game, rating it three stars out of five, and stated that "Triple Play Baseball is a solid baseball effort, and it ranks right up there with Sega's World Series '95".

The Gold Edition was the runner up Genesis game of the year by Electronic Gaming Monthly.