Batter Up: Play Super Nintendo With a Baseball Bat

12 years before the Nintendo Wii took over living rooms, Sports Sciences released Batter-Up, a motion-controlled baseball bat for the Sega Genesis, Super Nintendo, and personal computers. The company claimed it was the first "virtual reality baseball bat." Was it a swing-and-a-miss or a home run? Learn how Batter Up works and the history of Sports Sciences.
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#GamingHistorian #Hardware #SNES

[@GamingHistorian]

Fun fact: I strained my elbow while filming myself swinging this bat. Hope your year is off to a great start!

[@Drayton226]

Cool

[@incorporealfear]

The things we do for work ay?

[@MentalLiberation]

Feel Better my friend. My year was off to a great start, and then it took a nasty nosedive, with a bunch of inconveniences that really pissed me off. On the plus side though, I did get a lot of great games. Keep up the great work norm and kudos to the upcoming achievement of excellence: 1M subs

[@JavierFernandez01]

Hahah awesome. Those things were so incredibly cool. I never did get to play with one. I did do the mat for foot race games. :D

[@Patrick.Howie.]

@@incorporealfear obviously you're not Canadian

[@DGR_Dave]

I'm not even joking, I just found one of these YESTERDAY and had never seen one before and had no idea what it was used for! I can't wait to watch now and find out all about it haha!

[@GamingHistorian]

Great timing! You might discover you know TOO much now

[@beavertom]

DGR does Troll levels with the batter up bat when?!?

[@danboy12342]

I love that we go from ahoy or tv level highest quality documentaries an hour long to 20 minutes of plastic niche, love this channel

[@GamingHistorian]

Variety is the spice of life, as they say

[@mrbransformer4184]

This is hands down my favorite gaming show. Period. Thank you for the hard work and the incredibly awesome in-depth looks at everything.

[@criznittle968]

we're in agreement

[@GamingHistorian]

Thank you very much!

[@edicionespictorama248]

Same here. I also struggle finding similar content and often find myself watching old videos. Any recommendations?

[@distractedFreek]

I really enjoy his voice and rhythm, kinda reminds me of the narrator from How it's Made.

[@henrybierman8431]

I think it tops AVGN because this show gets better every episode, but AVGN peaked like ten years ago

[@MukiMuki688]

Forgot to mention the most important reason the Wii motion control succeeded: It was 1st party. Thus, it forced every game made for the Wii to utilize the motion sensor to some degree. With the Power Glove, the Batter Up, and all previous devices, they worked with only a small selection of games.

[@AssociationAdmirer]

I dunno, I find it hard to imagine a console where the Power Glove or the Batter Up was the primary controller becoming a success. Or even making it to market.

[@rdrouynriv]

The accelerometers on the Wii controller could do more than these devices with more accuracy. It wasn't just first party support.

[@EvaFull]

That box art SCREAMS, “The ‘90’s!!” 😂😂😂 I literally had a flashback to being a teenager in that era & seeing that marketing everywhere whenever I would go shopping at the mall. 😂😂😂

[@GamingHistorian]

I definitely had flashbacks of my old school binders when I saw the Batter Up boxart

[@EvaFull]

@@GamingHistorian That style art definitely scarred a whole generation of us ‘80’s/‘90’s kids. 😆

[@KLegyyn]

That box art reminds me of that one kid playing a NARC video game in space screaming: "ASSSSSSSSSSSS!" . .

[@WindFireAllThatKindOfThing]

Makes me want to wear a Vuarnet hat to go with my leopard print Airwalks, Stussy T-shirt, and acid washed 501's

[@osurpless]

And yet in recent years, Eastern European models have made wondrous use of the fisheye lens throughout their oeuvre…

[@amazingeric97]

I remember when this bat got released for the Super Nintendo. I also remember it being sold at a discount price. I thought about purchasing the bat but decided to stay with the controller. I did play Ken Griffey Jr Presents MLB on the Super NES a lot back in the day. I liked the first Ken Griffey Jr baseball game more than the second.

[@GamingHistorian]

Ken Griffey Jr. Baseball is my favorite. It's definitely more fun with a regular ol' controller too!

[@Marzimus]

Winning Run wasn't the same. Art style was lackluster and the whole thing just didn't feel as fluid and responsive.

[@joeblankenship377]

I definitely remember seeing ads for it. I think a lot of kids were too smart to be fooled by it. There was no possible way that the swing did anything other than push the A button.

[@borrisg4972]

Also, in the first one you smash into the wall and collapse if you keep running to catch the ball, and you literally run people down instead of tagging them out. When you strike out you curse the ump or break your bat in half. Those 3 actions are why you don't waste your time on ANY baseball game other than Ken Griffey 1. Well, that and Bases Loaded 2 on the NES. That was the first game I've seen (and only one I played) that let player 2 charge the mound after player 1 intentionally beans the batter.

[@nelson-haha89]

I swear I played with one of these as a kid. The picture unlocked a memory way deep in my brain.

[@Marzimus]

Memory unlocked!

[@doomtho42]

Same here. As soon as I saw the picture a rush of memories came flooding back to me. Memories that I doubt I’d accessed since soon after they occurred. What a sensation of trippy nostalgia.

[@vinegarfly]

Thank you Gaming historian! Haven't watched this one yet, but your quality and entertainment value is always top notch 👌

[@GamingHistorian]

Thanks Carl, I appreciate it!

[@JQAlchemist]

Not gonna lie, that weird 90'd fisheye lens-like art also reminds me of the character art that was used in Road Rash [32-Bit] for the PS1, Saturn, PC, and 3DO

[@CaptainCat101]

I'd totally get that bat to get it autographed by a professional baseball player

[@Tom_Van_Zandt]

This is the 1st Gaming Historian video I've watched in close to 3 years...when the woman's voice comes on at the end and mentions how episodes are funded it's very nostalgic for me. It reminds me of my mom on a Sunday afternoon watching PBS.

[@MotorBro78]

I think it’s great Sports Sciences kept at making motion control and infrared peripherals. During that age of gaming it was really ambitious to try to develop that stuff. The consoles and the games were never designed with motion control in mind. That all changed with the Wii. Gotta tip my hat at the effort, good stuff. And a great video, too, Norm!

[@ToddJambon]

A technology that blew me away as a kid was the Sega hologram in the arcade. I thought that every TV would be like that in the future and that it was the future of gaming displays, as well. I wonder if you could do an episode on that? I know you probably don't have the machine; but I think a lot of video and gameplay footage is out there. I'd like to know why they only ever made two games.

[@Pendarr]

Yes!! I went to an arcade/ice skating rink called TILT when I was a little kid and they had that hologram machine, it absolutely blew my mind! I don’t remember anything about the game or what it was called (an easy google search I’m sure) but I’ll never forget that arcade cabinet and the technology 😊

[@ToddJambon]

@@Pendarr the nost common game was called Time Traveler.

[@robwaters8848]

@@Pendarr Pretty sure it was something like a time traveling cowboy and you do western shootouts.

[@EebstertheGreat]

It's an illusion. The light from a Sony TV is reflected by a concave mirror, which is what makes it look like the image is floating in space. But it's actually just a TV screen, and it has no more ability to be 3D than any other TV. The footage you see is stored on a Laserdisc. We might see something like this again, but the mirror does add a lot of cost and weight to the cabinet, and the design typically only looks good if there is minimal or no background (so the characters appear to float in the air), which is pretty limiting.

[@ToddJambon]

@@EebstertheGreat i understand how it works. And im sure we could do much better today

[@andresbravo2003]

This is really Awesome. I’ve never used it even I played Wii Sports Baseball with the Wii Remote when it launched back then, it’s very great how this SNES Accessory was ahead of its time.

[@qubafootbag]

Thank you for one another great episode!! I love when you say "faded into obscurity" this phrase happen to be present on this channel quite often 😁

[@TanabiGoat]

I really liked how you analyzed the package art and explained the style being of the era. I remember that art style and I always tremendously hated it, it was always so cringe-worthy. It's like someone say, 'Kids like weird distorted things, let's put that on the box!' It's like fear and loathing in Box Vegas or something :) Anyway, I'm glad that art style is long dead insofar as advertising and packaging goes.

[@TheKraig]

This seems perfect for an arcade baseball game. Easily repaired/replaced when damaged, offers that short burst of fun and may have benefited from having an arcade game designed for it specifically (better outfield controls). I'm surprised this wasn't also subject to the anti-violent parent brigade which also helped define the 90s. Love the insights and research as always, sir.

[@Pensfan5919]

So, there's a similar thing to this for hockey, but only compatible with one game, as far as I can tell. The plastic Wiimote stick that EA made for their only Wii NHL game (why they didn't port 3-on-3 arcade, I'll never know), NHL Slapshot. It was fun, but my only one broke during a move a few years ago and lost the foam blade at the end.

[@Ubritoons96]

0:34 Woah, hello new GH office set up. Looks very nice. A good way to start Gaming Historian’s 2023. XD

[@Jared_Wignall]

It’s always a good day whenever a new Gaming Historian video is released. Keep up the great work Norman!

[@cmd6939]

agreed! I'm always hoping to see that blue dot every time I log in to youtube.

[@haydenhiggins3312]

Your channel is one the best gaming channels I’ve watched. Thanks for making great content.

[@Morbos1000]

It is funny how I have such clear memories of things from the early 90s that they feel like they were yesterday, yet I see things like this and it feels like it is from the ancient times!

[@8ByteBrian]

I remember a friend in my neighborhood having one of these things. It wasn't terrible, but the bat was so small I always felt like it was going to go flying out the window with every swing. The motion detection wasn't bad, but there was definitely lag. I think after about a week, we were all bored with it.

[@songoku9348]

Ah, always a blessing when Norman uploads.

[@ElricSowrd]

I remember seeing this peripheral on Magazines in the late 90's.

[@mjdf122]

Gaming historian welcome back my man see you next video always a pleasure Year in and Year out we’re almost at 1 million subscribers years in the making

[@TBustah]

My family had the Genesis version. It worked alright, but as you said, baserunning was awkward. We mostly just used it for home run derbies. In retrospect, they probably should’ve put a controller port on it so that you could use a normal pad for baserunning, pitching, and fielding without having to switch controllers.

[@mightymouse9001]

You really have the perfect voice for documentaries like this.

[@ryanmichels2981]

Your videos are always SO well done, from content to production quality. When I see a new vid in my subscription feed I’m always excited to see what you have in store for the vid. Keep up the great work!

[@chefjeff1366]

Always a treat when a new episode comes out! Truly living up to the Gaming Historian name, with well-researched and well-produced videos... love the subtle humour as well - "look at the box art - it's terrible" 😆

[@steveharvey2102]

The Historian is right though. The box art style was common back then. I remember the game "Cyber Tiger". A PS1 golf game and I think the cover are was similar.

[@PatTheNESpunk]

Great video! I have a "swinging" golf accessory for the NES, that likely uses similar tech to all of this, but mine is broken. You needed to hit a real ball, so it seems that would be for a golfing enthusiast with a net and all. I'd love to test it out.

[@krisfrederick5001]

After seeing what people were doing while Wii Bowling...I can't possibly see anything going wrong with this...BATTER UP! 👀

[@IronSwish777]

Been a fan of your videos since first stumbling upon your Tetris video 5 years or so ago. I truly can’t think of a more likeable KZbinr; the quality of your videos are professional, well researched, and well worded. Then, while watching this video, I noticed the KC on your shirt. Being from KC myself, and experiencing the disappointment that is Royals baseball for each year of my life, save for a couple, it brought a smile to my face hearing you talk about how much you enjoy baseball yourself. Keep it up, Norm! Always a pleasure to learn from you.

[@Pyke_]

This is what I call great quality content. There is so many retro gaming channels out there but most of them are just collectors bragging about their gaming collections. Here we have a lot of research, information and good editing.

[@dwood78part23]

I don't remember the baseball controller for the Super NES, so this is going to be a good one.

[@50TBRD]

When I was putting together my SNES collection like 15 years ago, I did get the Batter-Up Bat complete. Never did acquire the TeeV Golf complete though.

[@AltimaNEO]

Haha, Im glad you pointed out the box art. It was the first thing I noticed and it gave me that heavy 90s advertisement nostalgia.

[@lukestarkiller441]

Another great, informative video, Norm. A shame how so many of these motion control peripherals failed just because the technoght wasn't there yet, and what they did have, ended up being too expensive to market.

[@Drayton226]

Gaming historian I never know when you were going to do a video but I know they're going to be wonderful thank you so much

[@jmreeves89]

It's been over a decade. I think it's time (well, maybe this summer when you have more time lol) for a Gaming Historian about Gaming Historian.

[@matthewj1677]

My dad was a 8 year old and played baseball and video games, (he has all the nintendo consoles In the living room) but when I showed him this video, he had never heard the batter up bat. Shocking!

[@BetoSmith89]

He is back! I already finished almost all of your videos while waiting for a new one. Keep it coming please! I enjoy watching your content while I’m having lunch or dinner.

[@MakopoweredGaming]

I remember seeing the ads with that weird fisheye lens graphic all the time in gaming mags - it's nice to learn the story behind them!

[@Ratralsis]

Man, Norm. I gotta say. Bold of you to put the best part of the video (you getting a home run and giving the camera a happy thumbs up) so early in the video. It paid off, but still. Very bold.

[@JayBe443]

That patreon bit and the end felt nostalgic! Reminded me of the PBS recognition on shows from my childhood

[@DoppelgangerShockwave]

I remember that bat. I didn't have many baseball games, so I had passed on it for that reason alone.

[@derekbroughton218]

It will always crack me up how he says prices like Dr Nick Riviera ( 4:58 ) 😂

[@benjaminbernal4729]

Norman is trying not to laugh while swinging that bat

[@angelchayne]

Love this channel!!! Never stop making these vids brother! I love documentaries

[@reidmcfatridge]

Thank you so much for making these videos. I’m about to have surgery tomorrow and your videos have got me through the last couple months of binge listening them on my way to and from work and prepping for tomorrow. I’ve also started collecting a lot of the pieces you’ve talked about in your previous videos. Also just got a Mario paint today!

[@hwogrillo]

It's nice to still have a youtuber who makes quality content and hasn't gone all in with spamming my sub box with shorts I'm never gonna click on or livestreams I'm never gonna watch. Thank you for that.

[@jorgebarrera2165]

Another great video, thank you Norm Ken Griffey Jr Baseball was bad ass…on another note I’d love to have seen grumpy old Lou Pinella swinging the Batter Up Bat hahahaha

[@juha2031]

Gonna watch this tomorrow with a cup of coffee.

[@MikeDest]

I picked up one of these at Goodwill in 2000 for $3. I tried to use it once and then it went back into the box and just put in with the rest of the collection. Fun to see it kind of working.

[@timothy790110]

Listening to your vids is like puttning on a nice thick, comfy sweater on a autumn evening and snuggling up beside a crackling fire with a warm cup of chocolate

[@WrestlingWithGaming]

Man, the way it works is so simple that it's kind of ingenious. Great video, Norm!

[@_NoDrinkTheBleach]

I think my mom bought me the Batter Up from a going out of business sale for like $5. It absolutely worked, but it had some serious limitations for half of every game. It was definitely best suited for games with Home Run Derby modes.

[@Nos7algiK]

Your videos are always such a treat, Norm!

[@caffeineadvocate]

Look at you, using the Royals as your team.. Nice touch. :)

[@Pendarr]

I love all GH videos but I especially love the ones about things I’ve never even heard of before!

[@sammiller5354]

My favorite part of the video was Norman’s UMKC Roo’s shirt.

[@beatuplexus]

Your channel helped me through a very hard time in my life and I just wanted to say from the bottom of my heart, thank you for everything ❤

[@MrShadow2x]

I remember my cousin got one of those! I think he got the Genesis version. We thought it was the coolest thing ever at the time, but we didn't fully understand how it worked.

[@James-gj8rn]

I was just watching your Roll and Rocker episode, keep up the great content Norm

[@gobosox2080]

The Bigs was one of my favorite games on the Wii.

[@Pangtime]

Your channel has been my favorite KZbin channel for about 2 years now. I always look forward to new episodes. This is coming from someone who has gotten rid of all paid subscriptions. I noticed you are closing in on 1 million subscribers. Must be exciting! Keep up the awesome work and congrats on the upcoming milestone!

[@rodddossantos1437]

This channel’s content is always insightful, but also presented in such a calming and almost soothing manner. I’m 44 and this means a lot to me. Oh, and good call on Ken Griffey Jr. on SNES (I’m a baseball guy too)! Keep up the GREAT work!

[@TheLarryburns84]

I love that basically anyone could get into this guy's content, not easy to do with video game related material

[@michelguerin5208]

I really enjoy your video games documentaries. They’re Very informative and entertaining. Keep up the good work and please produce some, more often….😊

[@PBthesquirrel]

Yayyy new GH video!! I'm a new fan and have been bingeing your stuff. I even got my mom watching!

[@JamieLikesGames]

Dude you're so close to 1M subs. Well deserved. You'll hit that this year. Hope you're keeping well ❤️

[@doddeddo]

You're the best bro, all these years every time I see a gaming historian video pop up I feel like atreat is coming dude thanks, greets form mexico

[@trix48751]

The style of the box art for the “Batter Up Baseball Bat” is also used in title cards of the Cartoon Network classic “Ed, Edd n Eddy”.

[@BUNSOPAVES_PHD]

Had this for the Genesis and loved it at first playing World Series and RBI Baseball

[@JSPOT1n0nly]

Nice KC shirt. I had this bat. Me and my dad bonded around this and Super Bases Loaded 3. This and street fighter is just about all i did with my SNES.

[@demontamerbf18]

After watching a lot of videos on KZbin about videogames, consoles and their history I always think I know every piece of hardware released and later I find out something completely new I had never heard of, this was one of those things, amazing video.

[@lai5115]

When the Gaming Historian uploads, it's a good day.

[@ligomi]

Wow I had one of these and I 100% forgot about it!

[@R3troZone]

Yay motion control periferals! I was one of 3 guys that mass produced a 3rd party golf club for the Wii called the Chickenstick. It was made, assembled and shipped all over the word from just the 3 of us in a small warehouse in Hackensack New Jersey.

[@lap456]

I knew that form a TV show called The Next Step they showed a prototype motion controlled golf cub for the NES. Don't know they had an motion controlled Baseball Bat for the SNES. So; saved for letter viewing.

[@maverick7291]

I love your documentaries. Your voice is just relaxing to listen to, like listening to Casey kassem.

[@philipc05]

Always enjoy your content!

[@drygnfyre]

There was a Tiger Electronics knock-off product that was released around the same time, or maybe later in the 90s. It was basically those old Tiger LCD handheld games, but reworked into a bat you could swing around. It was actually not bad, but very limited. I think they also did a tennis variant.

[@LukeKnyght]

Informative and entertaining as usual, love the sing at the end

[@doomtho42]

Oh my god I remember this. It’s probably been 20 years since I’ve seen one, and I had completely forgotten about it.

[@rossvegas7]

Always top quality videos from big norm thanks mate

[@jasonmuller1199]

Gaming historian has the best game related documentaries, your work is excellent thanks

[@vitacilina555]

Quality as usual. It's always a better day when there's a new Video release.

[@squirrelnasty]

Gaming historian keep putting in work love your videos from day one been watching!!!

[@ilikemaincraaft13.52]

love your video man. all the best :)

[@Chris.Cook.]

This unlocked old, forgotten memories for me! I can't remember if I or a friend owned one of these, but I suddenly remembered hitting a slightly too close lamp playing KG Jr. MLB, and getting into a bit of trouble. Can't remember if it was my house or a friend's. XD I can also remember that the foam wasn't great quality, and tended to rot/shed pretty quickly from high use.

[@thattagen]

You always show us the coolest stuff! I've never even heard of Batter Up!

[@OlDirtyChinesRestaurant]

Another great video! Keep em coming. 👍🏼👍🏼

[@barnaby_joness]

I subbed to your channel recently, and I had no idea you were a fellow Kansas Citian! I saw your shirt in this vid and thought, “That’s gotta be a UMKC Roos shirt, right?!” Love your content, keep up the good work!

[@merman1974]

Fascinating. I was aware of the golf games, but over here in Europe baseball wasn't as popular so no-one was going to import that bat. I really like the fact that it had the DIP switches for compatibility with several games, where some of those early peripherals were tied to a particular title.

[@spookerredmenace3950]

ah the 90s the decade of early promises of things we use now, but many failed and died but then were reborn and perfected

[@matthewjones9237]

Yay! Nu Vid!!! Thank you , Norman! 🤗😘

[@MaidenHell1977]

Man just when you think you have seen it all from those good old glory days, here comes Norm with another piece of history no one knew about. Great episode, cheers buddy.

[@JessesAuditorium]

Damn dude, you're about to hit 1 million. I still remember you answering me what camera you used around 300k, couldn't have happened to a cooler person!

[@nerdcave6797]

i've owned one of these as a curiosity for years and wondered about it, but could never find info on it. this video was somewhat of a relief