There are three modes of play in Virtual League Baseball: Player 1 vs. computer, all-star game, and pennant race.

[2] Promotion for the game was further hurt by its infamous "chili dog farts" print advertisement which was centered on a photo of two obese men exposing their butt cracks.

[5][6] Nintendo Power praised the game's graphics and "realistic baseball experience", but wrote that it was hard to defend near the fence.

"[7] Scott Alan Marriott of AllGame found the game reminiscent of Major League Baseball for the Nintendo Entertainment System, noting "plinky sound effects, only one stadium, all fielders moving in unison with the control pad (including the infield and outfield!

), a batting and pitching interface that relies on one button, and base runners who move at the speed of light.