Review of MLB The Show 25

As MLB The Show steps into its fourth year on the Nintendo Switch, one can’t help but admire the ambition of bringing such a detailed sports game to Nintendo’s aging hybrid console. However, unless playing baseball virtually on a different platform isn’t an option, it’s getting tough to recommend. The game’s components are superb, and after covering MLB The Show for Nintendo World Report over these years, I can confidently say this is the sharpest all the modes have been at once. The developer deserves kudos for continually innovating and refreshing these modes successfully. Yet, it’s hard not to feel let down by the limitations imposed by this decade-old hardware.

One standout feature is the overhaul of the online Diamond Dynasty mode. If you’re not familiar, it’s a mode where you collect virtual cards to create your own team, competing across single and multiplayer modes. Previously, it got overly complicated with various sets and seasons resetting throughout the year, often rendering your past collections obsolete. Thankfully, that’s changed in 2025. While the progression feels slower when assembling a stellar team, it’s a positive change overall.

What’s more, Diamond Dynasty shines with a fresh twist: Diamond Quest, a roguelike board game mode. Players roll dice to navigate a grid, uncover spaces, and face challenges. The idea is fantastic, offering a mix of quick challenges—like striking out two batters in an inning—and more extended ones—like a 3-inning game. Yet, on the Switch, the experience is hindered by sluggish load times. Over time, even though I enjoyed Diamond Quest, it began feeling like a chore. Slow loading and a lack of challenge variety are significant culprits, affecting the entire Diamond Dynasty mode on the Switch.

As for the Road to the Show mode, where you craft your player’s career, last year’s overhaul was mostly impressive, and this year it’s even better, having refined some cumbersome story elements and added high school and college starting points. I used to think this mode wasn’t quite ready for the Switch’s big leagues, but this year it’s improved, despite technical setbacks due to the console’s limitations.

Though I haven’t spent much time with Franchise mode in the past, I’ve always enjoyed it in sports games. In recent years, it hadn’t changed much, but the latest iteration has had significant improvements. It’s much more engaging now as a general manager simulation, with a deeper dive into free agency, drafts, arbitrations, and tenders. If you love tinkering with budgets and stats, this mode could be dangerously addictive. Admittedly, the tutorials could use some polishing—I had a rough go in my first offseason, despite following baseball’s free-agent frenzy. Yet, once I got a handle on things, managing a team became incredibly fun with the ample levers I could pull to enhance it.

I’ve been a fan of the Storylines museum modes since they debuted in 2023, but this year, it’s showing signs of wear. However, delving into the history of Negro League legends like Cool Papa Bell and Turkey Stearnes remains a highlight. Sony plans more updates with additional Storylines, although nothing akin to last year’s captivating Derek Jeter Storyline appears imminent, which is a letdown. Nonetheless, the Negro Leagues content is marvelous, even if it rehashes elements from previous games.

If you’re keen on a licensed baseball game and can only play on a Nintendo Switch, MLB The Show 25 is adequate. It faithfully delivers the excellent gameplay design and variety the series is known for, but the Switch version feels compromised. Let’s hope the next iteration on Switch 2 offers a more fitting home for MLB The Show 26.