With the 1999 playoffs a little more than a month away, baseball fever is in high gear. Chicago’s teams might realistically be out of contention, but elsewhere there are several tight division and Wild Card races. Sure, you could watch on TV, but why be a passive observer when you can jump into the action as a player, a manager or even a front-office honcho? In fact, there are enough baseball video game titles available this season that you could play a different game every inning and not exhaust the supply.
With so many products on the market, there’s a lot of me-too-ism going on. Almost every title offers both seasonal and exhibition play, as well as a home run derby and roster management. All use real players, and most incorporate authentic major league team names and logos. Stadium graphics and real-life play-by-play announcers usually round out the package. With so many similarities, the gap between the gaming all-stars and bush-leaguers often comes down to how well they handle the fundamentals, just as in real baseball. All games are rated E (everyone).
HIGH HEAT BASEBALL 2000
3DO. Windows 95/98, PlayStation. $30 (PC version reviewed).
For computer managers, High Heat Baseball 2000 is this year’s MVP. It retains the realistic pacing and atmosphere found in last year’s debut version, but adds vastly improved 3-D graphics.While the new eye candy is nice, it’s the little touches that give this game its remarkable baseball flavor. Pitchers protest umpire’s calls, and batters hit by pitches glare at the offending hurler. At game’s end outfielders can be seen loping back to the clubhouse.
As a longtime fan of the national pastime, I also appreciated the vibrant 3-D ballpark graphics. Whether you’re in beautiful Camden Yards or the aesthetically challenged Veterans Stadium, you’ll experience the game in a realistic setting. Baseball nostalgia types will enjoy playing in the long-defunct Polo Grounds with its ridiculously short right-field fence.
An arcade game at heart, this game incorporates simulation-like elements such as career mode, in which minor leaguers must be developed and phased in over the course of several seasons to replace existing players. There’s also a player-editor module that lets you change the attributes, skill level and appearance of a player. If your favorite Phillie didn’t make the elite All-Star Team, the player-editor can turn him into the second coming of Mike Schmidt. You even can add yourself to the roster. Sorry, big-league salaries are not included.
There’s a lot of Internet buzz among sports gamers regarding this game, and deservedly so. Would-be Terry Franconas seeking live opponents will appreciate the game’s multiplayer options. Microsoft’s Gaming Zone supports the game with a dedicated gaming area for head-to-head play. A PlayStation version also is available. More information: www.highheat.com
MICROSOFT BASEBALL 2000
Microsoft. Windows 95/98. $20.
Oddly enough, Microsoft doesn’t offer multiplayer action for its own product in the Gaming Zone – because this game doesn’t support Internet play. Despite that, at $20 the game is a steal that Lou Brock could be proud of.
While its player graphics aren’t quite up to High Heat’s standards, Microsoft Baseball 2000 offers an easier interface and a realistic atmosphere. The intense battle between batter and pitcher is realistically captured by the hitting interface. This feature allows pitchers to vary their pitch types and locations, nipping corners of the plate or trying to fool batters with off-speed stuff. True, this feature is found in almost every baseball game, but here it is pulled off especially well. It’s fun to set up hitters with Curt Schilling’s blazing fastball, only to freeze them with an unexpected two-strike curve.
Microsoft Baseball 2000 offers realistic simulation, with players making all the right moves. Fielders, for example, back one another up appropriately. Fans also will notice that hitters use individualized batting stances. Players have actual scans of their faces attached as well as differentiated body types, eliminating the drab cookie-cutter approach found in many games.
While this is a good game at a great price, it’s not quite playoff caliber. Small play glitches sometimes occur. For example, in one game, the Phils’ Bobby Abreu was thrown out by the Dodgers’ left fielder while advancing from second to third on a clean single to the outfield. Also, the lack of Internet play is a real shutout for fans of multiplayer gaming. More information: www.microsoft.com/sports/baseball2000
TRIPLE PLAY 2000
EA Sports. Windows 95/98, PlayStation, Nintendo 64 (PC version reviewed). $40. (Nintendo $50).
One of the longest-running baseball game franchises, EA Sports’ Triple Play has received mixed reviews over the years. Arcade gamers typically enjoy its fast action and superior graphics, while baseball purists spit tobacco juice over its rather iffy simulation aspects. This time around, EA Sports seems to have gotten it together. This is a gorgeous-looking game, thanks to excellent 3-D graphics. Play is akin to watching a televised baseball game, an effect achieved by varying camera angles and player close-ups. Seeing a player furiously chewing gum or flexing his arms adds fun and authenticity to play. Even the purists will have to stand up and take notice of the attention to detail. For example, the notorious late afternoon shadows at San Francisco’s 3Com Park (deep inside I still want to call it Candlestick) are captured brilliantly, leaving the home-plate area coated in darkness while the rest of the field is bright and sunny. While this remains an arcade-oriented game, it packs enough authenticity to keep casual fans entertained, and might even draw in some hard-core gamers. More information: www.easports.com
MLB 2000
989 Sports. PlayStation. $40.
PlayStation gamers can break into the starting lineup with MLB 2000, which features excellent player graphics, detailed stadiums and even a rudimentary farm system that can be used in full-season play. MLB 2000 also has Vin Scully, the famous voice of the Dodgers. Until a game company inks Harry Kalas, Scully gets my vote as best play-by-play man in a video game. More information: www.989sports.com
HARDBALL 6 2000 EDITION
Accolade. Windows 95/98. $20.
Each season brings its flops, and this year is no exception. Games to avoid include Hardball 6 2000 Edition, a stopgap measure from Accolade that merely adds updated rosters to last year’s game. Although priced accordingly, the same money gets you Microsoft’s new game. I only can recommend this game to those with slower computers, as it will run on a Pentium 100. With unremarkable game play and graphics that seem even more out-of-date than they are, this one deserves an unconditional release. More information: http://st3.yahoo.com/accoladeinc/ har620ed.html
ALL-STAR BASEBALL 2000
Acclaim Sport. Nintendo 64. $60.
Nintendo 64 gamers have a varied lineup of their own from which to choose. All-Star Baseball 2000 from Acclaim Sports is the best choice. Fluid motion-captured player graphics, a silky smooth frame rate and detailed major-league stadiums combine to produce a winner.
More information: www.acclaimsports.com
KEN GRIFFEY JR.’S SLUGFEST
Nintendo. N64 ($60) and GameBoy Color ($30).
For some star quality, step up to this plate. The N64 version contains standard baseball action, but adds some cool graphic effects. Pregame stadium “fly-throughs” allow gamers to explore their favorite big-league parks from the inside. I also enjoyed the behind-the-back views of outfielders chasing down fly balls. The GameBoy edition is “baseball lite,” meant to amuse younger players. My 8-year-old son loves it.
More information: www.nintendosports.com/griffey2/index. html
BOTTOM OF THE NINTH
Konami. Nintendo N64 and PlayStation. $30.
This should have been called “Bottom of the Barrel.” Why? Muddy graphics that would have been obsolete last year are just embarrassing now. There’s no Major League Baseball licensing, so the Apollo All Stars play the Neptune All Stars. “A” versus “N.” Get it? Even though the game uses real player names, they certainly don’t behave like their namesakes. For example, base runners don’t always advance when they should. More information: www.konami.com/games/bottom 9th 99/
