Great Sluggers/Gameplay

At bat

 * Joystick: While waiting for the pitch, use the 8-way joystick to position your batter inside the batting box. All nine players take a turn at bat in order.
 * First Button: Press and hold this button to swing your bat. If you do not hold this down long enough you may bunt the ball instead of swinging at it.
 * Second Button: Press this button to initiate stealing a base. You must first push the joystick in the direction of the base you would like to steal. For example, if you have a runner upon the first base and would like to steal the second, first push the joystick to the left, then press the second button.

Pitching

 * Joystick: Before the pitch is thrown, you must push the joystick to the left or right, to move the pitcher from one side of the pitch mound to the other.
 * First Button: Before you press this button, you must push the joystick, to determine the speed of the ball. Push it up to throw a slow ball, or down to throw a fast ball. Pushing it in any other direction or not pushing it at all will result in a normal speed pitch. Throwing many fast balls or slow balls will wear a pitcher out faster. Once the ball is thrown, you must push the joystick to the left or right to control the path of the ball on the way to the batter.
 * Second Button: Once a runner is on a base, press this button to switch from the batter/mound view to the infield view where you can attempt to tag out runners who are stealing bases. Pressing it again will switch from the aforementioned infield view back to the aforementioned batter/mound view.

Running bases

 * First Button: Runners will automatically move to the next base, once a ball lands on the ground. Press this button to request that a runner continues running, or that he run before the ball has landed. You must first push the joystick in the direction of the base you would like to reach. For example, if you have a runner headed on to the first base and would like to run all the way on to the second, first push the joystick up, then press the first button.
 * Second Button: As mentioned above, runners automatically move to the next base, unless it is a fly ball, in which case they wait to see if it is safe to run. You may decide that you do not want to wait and send a player ahead. But if it turns out that the ball was caught, you'll need to send him back to the base before he is tagged out. If you were heading on to second base when the ball was caught you will have to send the runner back to first base by pushing the joystick to the right, and then pressing the second button. (If he does not manage to make it back there in time, he will be tagged out).

In the field

 * Joystick: Before the ball is caught by any player you must use the joystick to determine the general directions that the players are running in. Given that is no one outfielder that you will be in control of at any time in this game, all of them will move in the direction that you are holding the joystick in.
 * First Button: Once the ball is in one of your players' hands, push the joystick in the direction that corresponds to the base you would like to throw to, and press the button. If you do not push the joystick in any direction, the ball will automatically be thrown to first base (like you meant to throw there).
 * Second Button: Once the ball is in one of your players' hands, you can run on to any base, by pushing the joystick in the direction that corresponds to the base you would like to run to, and pressing the button. Now that you've learned these important playing techniques it's time to meet the teams (all twelve of them are returning favourites from the last three titles, and their lineups are the same as those of the last one: SWS93).

Yakult Swallows (ヤクルトスワローズ, lit. Yakuruto Suwarōzu)
Founded: 1950 Manager: Nomura (野村)

Chūnichi Dragons (中日ドラゴンズ, lit. Chūnichi Doragonzu)
Founded: 1936 Manager: Takagi (高木)

Yomiuri Giants (読売ジャイアンツ, lit. Yomiuri Jaiantsu)
Founded: 1934 Manager: Nagashima (長嶋)

Hanshin Tigers (阪神タイガース, lit. Hanshin Taigāsu)
Founded: 1935 Manager: Nakamura (中村)

Yokohama Baystars (横浜ベイスターズ, lit. Yokohama Beisutāzu)
Founded: 1950 (as Taiyo Whales) Manager: Kondō (近藤)

Hiroshima Tōyō Carp (広島東洋カープ, lit. Hiroshima Tōyō Kāpu)
Founded: 1950 Manager: Yamaki (山木)

Seibu Lions (西武ライオンズ, lit. Seibu Raionzu)
Founded: 1950 Manager: Mori (森)

Nippon-Ham Fighters (日本ハムファイターズ, lit. Nihon-Hamu Faitāzu)
Founded: 1946 Manager: Ōsawa (大沢)

Orix Blue Wave (オリックスブルーウェーブ, lit. Orikkusu Burūwēbu)
Founded: 1936 (as Hankyu Braves) Manager: Doi (土井)

Kintetsu Buffaloes (近鉄バファローズ, lit. Kintetsu Bafarōzu)
Founded: 1949 Manager: Suzuki (鈴木)

Chiba Lotte Marines (千葉ロッテマリーンズ, lit. Chiba Rotte Marīnzu)
Founded: 1950 (as Lotte Orions) Manager: Yagisawa (八木沢)

Fukuoka Daiei Hawks (福岡ダイエイホークス, lit. Fukuoka Daiei Hōkusu)
Founded: 1938 Manager: Konpon (根本)

Mascots (マスコットス)
All twelve teams now have a unique mascot; some of them had previously appeared between innings for SWS '92 and '93, but here they appear on the "FAVOR" screens which come up during the game's attract sequence (and depend on what the arcade operator has set the option to), as well as in the background when their team hits the ball so hard it flies out of the stadium for a home run, and at the start and end of all "Namco Sports News" reports.

The mascot of the Yokohama Baystars (formerly Taiyo Whales) is also named after that invincibility powerup from Nintendo's Super Mario Bros. series.