Japanese v American Version

[ultimate7]

As far as I can remember the NES version will go "forever" no ending while tied.  The arcade version will end after 9 innings.

[Gantry]

There's no doubt that the extra teams alone make Family Stadium a better pick.  But the real MLB players we all grew up with are what makes RBI so fun.  We know them and have followed them since we were kids.  But no BOPs are a huge downside for me as an RBI fan....

But in terms of controls and gameplay, i would argue it is the better of the two.  

I see virually no differences between the controls and gameplay of FamSta and RBI.   Which areas do you consider better?

[ultimate7]

There is no question Famista gets an advantage for CPU pitching.  12 teams is good, but no BOPs is bad.  12 inning ending in ties would be bad.  The passwords are also nice, but not just being able to choose the team to play against is a negative.

Everything else as far as game play seem exactly the same.

[GreatScott]

i had forgot about the lack of bops.  it is a nice feature of the american version.  Look im partial to the american version too.  It has charms that FS just doesnt.  I prefer american RBI to FS.
i was just trying to suggest that family stadium is a great game that deserves more attention.  It is definently better if you are just playing the computer.  whatever im glad ive generated discussion over the game and got people playing family stadium a bit.  

[TβG]

thanks to nightwulf i think that team #1 (M) is made up of at least a few all-stars from 87, check out some of the names: kanseko-canseco, guin-gwynn, raian-ryan, rigeto-righetti, rifukin-ripken.... just to name a few.

[BeefMaster]

My guesses:
Paketo    RHB .358 40 = Puckett
Sando     RHB .314 18 = Sandberg
Sutorou   LHB .290 36
Kaataa    RHB .286 32
Makuga    RHB .300 61 = McGwire (Maris matches the stats better, but it appears to be current players)
Shiyumito RHB .320 48
Bafui     RHB .320 52
Osumisu   LHB .310  2 = Ozzie Smith

Kanseko   RHB .270 42 = Canseco
Rifukin   RHB .312 32 = Ripken
Guin      LHB .360 18 = Gwynn
Matsuchin LHB .382 40

Raian = Ryan
Sukotsuto = Sutcliffe?
Baren = Bedrosian
Rigeto = Righetti

That's the best I can come up with so far... if anyone else can contribute, please do.

[nightwulf]

Ok, so you've all got me interested in "figuring out" the Japanese game.

Just as today, twelve teams existed when the game was made. However, three changed their names.

Pacific League: Hawks, Lions, Buffaloes, Orion (Marines currently), Fighters, Braves (Blue Wave currently)
Central League: Tigers, Dragons, Giants, Swallows, Carp, Whales (Bay Stars currently)

So I went back to the list of team "letters" from the ROM, and started comparing with what little information I could find online regarding Japanese players from the mid 80's.

M-
G- Giants
L- Lions
C- Carp
B- Braves
D- Dragons
F- Fighters
S- Swallows
R- Hawks
W- Whales
T- Tigers
N-

The two teams not listed are Orion and Buffaloes. I couldn't find any relation between players on either team and players listed in the ROM. I believe the other ten teams listed are correct, as players in the ROM do match actual player information I found.

"M" definitely seems to be USA players. There was no team which logically could be represented by "M" at the time, I couldn't find any players from the Buffaloes or Orion which matched the ROM, and hell the similarity is just too glaring (Kanseko? Come on).

"N" is still anybody's guess. I like the idea of "Namco Stars" as suggested in the dee-nee FAQ, but I still haven't been able to find information on any players listed in the team.

Nightwulf

[BeefMaster]

Video game characters, maybe?  I once played a game on MAME called "Pipi & Bibi's: Whoopee", which was kind of like Elevator Action, except with pictures of women in various states of undress if you finished a level.  Just a thought, since Pipi is one of the players on the N team.  A Google search for the game shows that it was made by Toaplan, though, and I don't know whether they have any relationship with the makers of RBI.

[TbT]

Forrest Gump