eBaseball Powerful Pro Baseball: История и эволюция серии

eBaseball Powerful Pro Baseball, previously known as Jikkyō Powerful Pro Yakyū and marketed internationally as Power Pros, is a Japanese baseball video game series created by Konami. The game is known for its super deformed characters, and fast paced but deep game play. Most games in the series are developed under license from the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) and the Japan Professional Baseball Players Association (JPBPA), letting them use the league's team names, stadiums, colors, and players' names and likenesses. There are also six games in the series with the Major League Baseball (MLB) and Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) license, two with the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) and Korea Professional Baseball Players Association (KPBPA), and one with the World Baseball Classic license. It is long running in Japan, starting out in 1994 for the Super Famicom, and appearing on many different consoles: Saturn (1995–1997), PlayStation (1994–2003), Nintendo 64 (1997–2001), PlayStation 2 (2000–2009), Dreamcast (2000), GameCube (2002–2006), Wii (2007–2009), PlayStation 3 (2010–2016), PlayStation 4 (since 2016) as well as PlayStation Portable (2007–2013) and Vita (2012 2018). The game has two spin off series: Professional Baseball Spirits, a baseball sports simulation series with more realistic graphics and physics, and Power Pro Kun Pocket. The latter was released on handheld systems between 1999 and 2014 with versions for the Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, and Nintendo DS. Although the series was originally designed as the side story of Success mode and was part of the main series, Konami retroactively declared it as a separate series. On May 12, 2006, a version of Power Pro was released featuring Major League Baseball players, under the title Jikkyō Powerful Major League. The Power Pro series has featured online play since its tenth incarnation on the PS2 and its first handheld version on the PlayStation Portable. A version of Power Pro was announced for the PlayStation 3, first shown at the Tokyo Game Show in 2005, but it would take another five years for the series to reach the PS3, with the system instead getting Power Pro's sister series, Professional Baseball Spirits, for the interim. On August 3, 2007, an American release of the series was announced for both the PlayStation 2 and the Wii. The game, titled MLB Power Pros, was published by 2K, and sold poorly. as of March 2023, the series has sold over 24.7 million copies, in addition to 48 million mobile game downloads as of 2022.

This is the major system development in the main series (as well as information of seasons series and MLB Power Pros series), some minor development, such as player's ability, are not included in the development.

Released on February 24, 1994 for the Super Famicom. The game has the license of the Nippon Professional Baseball and the Japanese Professional Baseball Players Association, though the Meiji Jingu Stadium and the Hanshin Koshien Stadium are listed under a fictional name. Success mode is not included in the first two installments. Commentary is provided by Asahi Broadcasting Corporation radio commentator Abe Noriyuki.

Released on February 24, 1995 for the Super Famicom. The first game in the series with full Pennant mode, and save game features. The Hanshin Koshien Stadium is fully licensed, but the Meiji Jingu Stadium is still listed under a fictional name. Commentary is provided by Asahi Broadcasting Corporation radio commentator Motoharu Ōta.

Released on February 29, 1996 for the Super Famicom. Success mode, which becomes one of the main features in the Power Pros series, is firstly installed in this game. Commentary is once again provided by Abe Noriyuki, who stayed in this position until Power Pros 8.

Released on March 14, 1997 for the Nintendo 64. With the generation leap, the game's graphics (polygon based stadia), and controls greatly improved. The Success Mode firstly features original characters, some of them become regular even nowadays.

Released on March 26, 1998 for the Nintendo 64. In March 1998, the game was the best selling game for the Nintendo 64 in Japan.

Also known as Jikkyō Powerful Pro Yakyū 6. Released on March 25, 1999 for the Nintendo 64.

This game was the first in the series to be released on the PlayStation 2. First game in the series with fully polygon based graphics. IGN thought that the game was fun, but criticized the games for its "horrible" graphics and for its lack of power on the new console. The game was due to be released on March 4, 2000, but was later pushed back to July 6, 2000.

Vocalized opening ("Little Soldier" by Chihiro Yonekura) is firstly featured in the series, with the openings made by Kyoto Animation which mainly works on animation after production at that time. They have been working on the openings until Pawapuro 11 as they had started working on the anime version of Air, a famous production from Visual Arts/Key. The production works are passed to Production I. G in Pawapuro 12.

This game was the first in the series to be released on multiple platforms – PlayStation 2 and GameCube. This game was also the first in the series to employ cel shading.

Success Mode first features creating teams instead of individual players. Online mode is firstly available in a main series title. And the only installment that allow machine crossovers. Mylife mode, an alternate type of Success Mode that player controls the Japan League player instead of original character (but you can still play created player in Success Mode), is firstly placed in this installment.

Created for the 10th anniversary of the Power Pros series. Audio endings are first featured in Success Mode (made by Kyoto Animation), as well as the ability to break the bat and performing safety bunts.

Modified player password system, means password systems cannot be placed on previous installment (for Nintendo side). However, password from 12–14, can be used on Portable 1 and Portable 2 (within Sony platform only). Cheering Songs Editor is available since this installment, like players, password system are used to transfer and import the songs. Cheering Songs can be transferred to any installment within the Sony's platform without restrictions. As long as that installment support Cheering Songs.

The game firstly features MLB instead of NPB series. It also holds the license for the 2009 World Baseball Classic.

As Nintendo's GameCube has stopped production at that time, it is the only installment of main series that only features in PS2 platform since 8. Major system changes have been placed in this installment. In online mode, every players only control one player in the team, not a whole team. Scenario Mode, a feature since the first series is cancelled from this installment.

Wii platform is added in Nintendo side, replacing GC for the future installment in Pawapuro (and MLB PP series), as a feature of Wii, motion control system is supported in Wii side, both versions support online mode which adepts system in 13 (but controlling three players instead), in separated server. Success Mode firstly features leading a high school team, targeted at Summer Koshien Champion. Later also feature currently Japanese NPB players as members of the National Team.

The series finally officially has its debut in America, numbers of Japanese players who had turned into a Major League Player participated.

Released for the 15th anniversary of the series. Also, numbered versions are established for the first time since '94. And different unique contents (apart than control and console feature differences) are firstly featured in different versions.

Released on July 15, 2010 for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable. 2010 is the first game in the series which supports high definition video (1080p), true surround sound (5.1 channel LPCM). Mylife mode is omitted from the PlayStation 3 release.

Released on July 14, 2011 for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable. Unlike the previous installment, the two version have the same content.

Released on July 19, 2012 for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable and PlayStation Vita. The game introduced significant gameplay mechanic changes to the series, including the PawaSta mode, which is only available in the PlayStation 3 and Vita versions.

Released on October 24, 2013 for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable and PlayStation Vita. Unlike 2012, the game is also compatible with the PlayStation TV microconsole.

Released on October 23, 2014 for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita to commemorate the series twentieth anniversary. 2014 is the first game in the main series, which have active Japanese MLB players as "OB players".

Released on April 28, 2016 for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita to commemorate the Success mode's twentieth anniversary. The game introduced many game play elements to the series, lifted from the Professional Baseball Spirits series. On April 27, 2017 the game was updated with 2017 season rosters, the players are able to choose from the 2016 and 2017 rosters upon launching the game. The game also introduced two new game modes to the series, "PawaFes" and "Challenge".

Released on April 28, 2018 for the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita. 2018 is the first game in the series to support the PlayStation VR and PlayStation 4 Pro, along with high dynamic range video and 2160p resolution. The game also includes a new game mode, "Live Scenario", lifted from Professional Baseball Spirits 2015. A 2019 season pack was recently added as an updated feature to Power Pros 2018.

Released on June 27, 2019 for the Nintendo Switch. The Success mode is a remake version of some scenarios in Power Pros 9.

Released on July 9, 2020 for the PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch. It is the first entry in the series to feature Konami's eBASEBALL branding in its official title.

Revealed on January 13, 2022, this game was released for PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch on April 21, 2022. One of The success modes, Rivals, features selected events from Power Pros 9, Power Pros 13 and Power Pros 2011.

Announced on July 20, 2022, which will collaborate between Konami and World Baseball Softball Confederation. The game will also become the first Powerful Pro Baseball game featuring English text since MLB Power Pros and the first with Japanese voiceover available in the English release. In October 24, 2022, Konami had filed a trademark for “eBASEBALL Power Pros”, this trademark was confirmed by Japanese authorities and made public on November 1, 2022. The game was announced in a Nintendo Direct presentation on February 8, 2023, and launched on the same day for Nintendo Switch and PS4/PS5 gaming consoles.

The Power Pros series raised some controversy in Japan with its use of the term "Gyroball", a term made popular by Japanese pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka when he signed with the Boston Red Sox. The Gyroball appears not as a pitch usable in a baseball game, but as one of the special abilities assigned to particular pitchers. In Pawapuro, pitchers that have the Gyroball ability get increased velocity on their fastball, which is completely different from the actual definition of a Gyroball (a pitch with a spin resembling that of a slider). Power Pro and other baseball manga (which also give misinterpretations of the Gyroball) have given the impression that the Gyroball is an all powerful strike out pitch, which it is not. Several professional pitchers (including classic players) are given this ability in the game, but Daisuke Matsuzaka is not given the Gyroball ability in any of the game's installments. Daisuke does not appear in Pawapuro 14 as he was transferred via Posting system to Boston Red Sox, through two seam ball which made closer to his pitching is added in this installment. It is expected Daisuke will return as a Seibu OB somedays (through Daisuke's official password has been released in MLB Power Pros 2), but his ability changes is still unknown at this moment.

Below is a rough list of the games within the Power Pro series. Basically, can de divided into certain categories below. Main series: Ending with only number suffixes (except '94, the first series), most major system amendments (including success mode) are placed in the main series. Number series are not used after 15. Season series: A PlayStation exclusive series, ending with suffix in year number, it is mainly an alternate installment of the main series which is installed in Super Famicom and PlayStation 2. This series has been merged to the main series as the PlayStation had stopped being manufactured. Since 1998, two installments are released every year, one normal version in the start of the season, and one named Kettei ban(Post Season version), with the latter have statistic (and sometime involving player transfers) update that reflects his performance in the season. This has become one of the tradition of Konami even after this has been merged in the main series, much like the Winning Eleven series with a more frequently update. Ketten ban version is cancelled in 15 (But they used on Pro Baseball Spirits instead). However, year series are revived after that. MLB Power Pro series: The only series that is officially released in America, it features MLB series instead of traditional Japanese NPB series, through Japanese version is also available. See the MLB Power Pros entry for further details. It is noted that passwords cannot be used on same installments with different manufacturer's machine (Sony/Nintendo has their own password format). Passwords of Power Pros (Japanese version) cannot be used on American version either.

Shōnen Sunday x Shōnen Magazine: Nettou! Dream Nine (DS, 2009) The baseball game developed by Pawapuro Production, featuring characters from Weekly Shōnen Sunday and Weekly Shōnen Magazine's manga (like Major, A of Daiya, Touch, Kyojin's Hoshi, Fairy Tail, Kekkaishi, Samurai Deeper Kyo, Project ARMS, and more).

A 4 part web series based on the mobile phone version of the game was produced by CloverWorks.