Alright, let’s talk about messing around with the difficulty in MLB The Show. When I first started playing, maybe years ago, I jumped right in, probably on whatever the default was. I think it might have been Veteran?
Honestly, those first few games were rough. I was swinging at everything, couldn’t pitch to save my life. So, okay, ego check time. I swallowed my pride and knocked it down. Way down. Probably to Beginner or Rookie.
Starting Easy
Okay, yeah, Rookie. That felt way better. Pitches came in slower, the strike zone felt huge, and I could actually make contact. It was good for just learning the ropes, you know? Figuring out the hitting timing, learning pitch types without getting blown away every single at-bat. I played on Rookie for a good while, just getting comfortable with the controls and the flow of the game.
- Hitting felt forgiving.
- Pitching was simple – aim and throw.
- Fielding assists helped a lot.
But after a bit, it got… well, kinda boring. Winning every game 15-0 isn’t really that fun long-term. You start hitting home runs on pitches in the dirt, and the CPU fielders seem to forget how to catch sometimes. That’s when I knew I had to bump it up.
Moving Up the Ladder
So, I went back to Veteran. Things got a little more challenging. The CPU pitchers mixed things up more, and I couldn’t just wait for meatballs down the middle. Hitting required a bit more patience, recognizing pitches. Pitching also needed more thought – couldn’t just throw fastballs all day. It felt like a decent step up, more engaging.
I hung out on Veteran for a long time, playing through franchise modes, Road to the Show. It felt like a good balance for a while. Challenging enough to keep me focused, but not so hard that I was constantly frustrated.
The All-Star Hurdle
Then came All-Star. Man, this felt like the first real jump. Pitch speeds noticeably increased. That PCI (the hitting thingy) felt smaller, or maybe my timing just went out the window. CPU pitchers started dotting corners, throwing nasty breaking balls that looked like strikes until the last second. It was tough. I remember striking out way more often.
I had to actually practice. Went into practice mode, cranked up the pitch speed sliders just to get used to seeing the ball come in faster. Focused on plate discipline – not swinging at everything. It took a while to adjust, lots of frustrating games, lots of weak pop-ups and strikeouts looking.
Pitching on All-Star also demanded more. You really had to mix speeds and locations. Throwing the same pitch twice in a row in the same spot was asking for trouble. The CPU hitters punished mistakes way more often.
The Higher Realms
I’ve dabbled with Hall of Fame and even peeked at Legend. Okay, that stuff is just crazy hard for me. The PCI is tiny, pitches come in like rockets, and the CPU seems psychic both at the plate and on the mound. It felt less like playing baseball and more like a reaction test I was constantly failing.
Hitting on those levels requires insane reflexes and pitch recognition. Pitching feels like threading a needle while the batter seems to know exactly what’s coming. Maybe some people love that challenge, but for me? It just wasn’t fun anymore. It felt more like work.
Finding My Place
So, where did I land? Mostly, I stick around All-Star now. It feels like the best balance for me. It makes me work for hits, makes me think when I’m pitching. I still have games where I get blown out, and games where I feel like a superstar. It keeps things interesting.
Sometimes, if I just want to relax and mash some homers in Road to the Show, I might knock it back down to Veteran for a bit. Or if I’m feeling particularly sharp, I might try Hall of Fame in short bursts, just to see if I’ve improved. But day-to-day, All-Star is my home base. It’s about finding what’s fun and challenging for you, not about what level anyone else plays on.
