MLB The Show 25: In-Depth Review

MLB The Show is making its fourth appearance on the Switch, and while it’s impressive to see such a comprehensive sports game on Nintendo’s aging hybrid console, recommending it is becoming a challenge unless you have no other way to enjoy virtual baseball. There’s a lot to love about the game itself, and over these four years of reviewing MLB The Show for Nintendo World Report, I’ve seen the various game modes reach their peak simultaneously. It’s great to witness a developer consistently innovate and refresh these modes successfully. Unfortunately, the experience is hindered by the limitations of decade-old hardware.

One of this year’s high points is the revamped online-only Diamond Dynasty. For those unfamiliar, this is their ongoing mode where you gather virtual cards to build a team and compete in different single-player and multiplayer settings. Over the past couple of years, Diamond Dynasty became quite complex with the introduction of resets and various sets and seasons, leading to your previous collections becoming obsolete. Thankfully, in 2025, that’s no longer the case. However, this change means it takes a bit longer to form top-tier teams, which is a positive overall.

Another exciting addition is the Diamond Quest, a unique roguelike board game mode. You roll a die, navigate a grid, and uncover spaces with challenges. This concept is fantastic, offering a mix of quick challenges—like striking out two batters in an inning or hitting an extra base hit—and more extended ones, such as playing a 3-inning game or scoring runs within 12 outs. It’s a wonderful feature in MLB The Show 25 but lacks quickness on the Switch. Slow load times make it feel laborious, turning an otherwise enjoyable mode into a chore. This sluggishness affects most of the Diamond Dynasty mode, which could have shone brightly without this drawback.

On the other hand, the Road to the Show mode, where you create and follow a player’s career, received a significant upgrade last year. This year, it’s even better with streamlined story elements and new starting points in high school and college. Previously deemed not quite ready for Switch, this mode is now much improved despite still grappling with technical issues due to Switch’s limitations.

Franchise mode, a personal favorite from other sports games, has seen significant updates too. In the past, it remained mostly unchanged, but the latest iteration offers a richer experience with more depth in managing contracts, drafts, and financial negotiations. If you enjoy the strategic aspect of sports management, this mode can be extremely captivating. However, the tutorials could use some work, as even a seasoned fan of baseball’s free agency found the initial stages challenging. Once you get the hang of it, forming a team as a general manager with myriad strategic options is a blast.

The Storylines museum modes, introduced in MLB The Show back in 2023, have been a delight, though they seem to be losing their initial spark this year. Nevertheless, exploring the history of Negro League heroes like Cool Papa Bell and Turkey Stearnes is still awe-inspiring. Sony has plans to introduce more Storylines through future free updates. Although it’s disappointing that nothing akin to last year’s Derek Jeter Storyline is yet announced, the Negro Leagues content stands strong despite borrowing elements from past games.

If you’re limited to a Nintendo Switch but crave a licensed baseball game, MLB The Show 25 is a decent choice. It showcases the series’ hallmark of polished gameplay and varied modes, albeit with some compromises. Let’s cross our fingers that Switch 2 will offer a more fitting home for MLB The Show 26.