Double Play

Step up to the plate with Double Play, a two-player baseball game released by Midway in 1977. Players use an eight-way joystick and three buttons to control their batters, timing swings to hit pitches thrown across a horizontal screen displaying a simple baseball field. The gameplay is straightforward: successfully hitting the ball advances runners around the bases while preventing the opposing team from scoring. Double Play features basic graphics in a limited color palette, typical of early arcade games and utilizes an Intel 8080 processor to run its actions. Before each game begins, players are greeted by a rendition of "Take Me Out To The Ball Game," setting a familiar atmosphere for the sporting competition. It followed Midway’s Tornado Baseball and preceded Extra Bases, forming part of a series of baseball-themed arcade titles. This upright cabinet offered a simple yet engaging sports experience, and was later re-released under the name "Extra Inning." The game encourages head-to-head play for two contestants, providing an accessible introduction to baseball simulation within the confines of early video game technology.