Spitball: Baseball Roguelike

You're the pitcher. And you cheat.

It's 1977. The Tri-City Grifters have seven games to make the playoffs, three rounds to win the pennant, and one pitcher with a jar of petroleum jelly in his back pocket. Every game is one inning with the game on the line. Get three outs before they score.

CALL EVERY PITCH

Your pitches are cards. Each one lands in its own pattern on the zone. Every hitter is guessing (a speed and a spot), and the whole game is crossing him up: throw the other speed, somewhere he's cold, and watch him freeze.

PITCH DIRTY

The spitball. The scuffed ball. Mud, pine tar, an envelope for the umpire. Every dirty pitch builds heat, and the more heat, the closer Big Sal looks. When he wants the ball, watch his eyes and palm it, or get in his face with an alibi: "That's pine tar!" "Rosin bag, Sal!" Get caught and it costs you. Get away with it and the organist plays Three Blind Mice.

HIRE A CROOKED CREW

Between games, the clubhouse. The beer vendor who gets the bleachers going on every strikeout. The organist. The ballgirl Big Sal can't stop looking at. The batboy who calls time on the big hit. Each one bends a rule of baseball, and crew who feed each other chain into combos. Four linked and the other team can't touch you.

WORK THE RUNNERS

A man takes a big lead. Spot the steal sign and throw over, read the catcher's signs for a pitchout, or let Sneaky Pete deal a hand of In-Between for the hidden-ball trick.

A NEW SEASON EVERY RUN

Seven games, three playoff rounds, one pennant. Lose two and you're done. Every run deals new hitters, new crew and new pitches. Win the pennant and keep going: endless mode runs until somebody finally beats you.

OPEN PACKS

Every season pays out wax packs of 1977 Spitball cards. Complete a set and that crew member, pitch or locker is yours for good. Got a stick of bubble gum? Chew it to swap a card. Achievements earn coaching points to sharpen your pitches at spring training.

• One purchase. No ads, no in-app purchases, no account.

• Plays offline. Your Locker Room follows you to your iPhone, iPad and Mac through iCloud; we never see it.

• iPhone, iPad and Mac (Apple silicon), with a layout of its own on the big screens.

• Painted 1970s trading-card art, a ballpark organist, and a synth band that knows the count.