The Game Review has been written by Joseph Valencia (18/12/2004).
(spaceworlder_a_nospam_t_hotmail_dot_com)
If there's any sport I love, it's Baseball. If there's any system I have a religious devotion to, it's the NES. Put two and two together and what do you get? Baseball on the NES. The greatest sport ever on the greatest system ever. Published around the NES launch as a part of Nintendo's sport series, Baseball is a simple but adequate title for those who are simultaneously fans of the NES and America's greatest past time.
Gameplay (8/10):
First of all, there aren't any real teams in this game. Instead you have about six generic teams to choose from. According to Nintendo's Baseball section in the Animal Crossing guide, teams D and R are the best while the others are so-so. Personally, I can't tell the difference but what the heck. While some rules may have been altered here or there, this is pretty much like real baseball. My only complaint is the AI of your team mates: they're brain dead! The ones closer to the bases are OK, but it's the players in the outfield who make me want to throw my control pad at the TV. Sometimes they'll chase a pop-up and give up halfway through, other times they'll do nothing at all, and every once in a while they might do something smart. Amazingly, the dumb AI of my team mates doesn't get in the way too much.
Graphics (7/10):
Probably the coolest thing graphics-wise is the way the ball zooms in and out when it's hit. Sometimes it'll look like the bugger is flying straight at the TV screen. Otherwise, this is an NES launch title so what do you expect? While pretty basic, I can't say the visuals are ugly either. The way the crowd "flashes" when you hit a home run is just trippy, though.
Sound (7/10):
The sound consists of a few effects and some catchy jingles. The crowd murmurs when you hit the ball, the ball makes that "wheeeeeeeeeeeew" sound when it goes flying through the air, and for some reason you hear an explosion every time someone is struck out. The jingles are all catchy and capture the feel of the moment in a way that only the NES sound-chip can.
Controls (8/10):
You have control over how your batter is positioned, what pitch you'll throw, and where your baseman will run. The controls are pretty easy to grasp, but it took me a little while to understand how running from base-to-base worked. I find that getting a player to return to a base is really difficult and I have yet to pull this maneuver off. When your opponent hits the ball, you have no control whatsoever over the players. The only thing you can do is choose where a certain player throws a ball once he gets a hold of it.
Overall (8/10):
Overall, Nintendo did a good job of translating the game of baseball onto the NES. There are probably better baseball sims out there, but this one stands out as one of the first really good ones to be released. What I love about this game is the fact that it's so basic: there are no stats to manage, no "dynasty" modes, and no custom teams. So if you're in the mood for pure, Nintendo-fied baseball, then this is the game for you.
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