"Late 80's Sega Baseball... I'm in heaven!"

In the back of my local arcade there is this little arcade machine that I can't help but spend $2.25 in every time I go to the mall. Baseball is the game and *Clutch Hitter* is the name.

Jose Canseco, Dave Henderson, Mark McGwire, Rickey Henderson, Carney Lansford... All of my favorite Oakland A's when I was growing up, are on the game. It's like deja vu.

The game features ALL-STAR play, EXHIBITION PLAY, and a TOURNAMENT MODE. I wondered how the tournament mode worked until I played it. You play the last 3 innings of the game, with a preset score being displayed when you start. The first game you are ahead 2 runs, then 1, then none and the score gets progressively worse until the last tournament game where you're down 2 runs and have to come back. I made it to the final game the first time I played it. The Bash Bros. couldn't win it for me.

The stars really shine in this game. With Rickey Henderson, you'll get plenty of triples and with Canseco (Mr. 40/40 and soon to be Mr. 500) you hit a homerun almost every game.

When on the mound, a stamina meter displays how much ''power'' you have left. The harder the pitch thrown, the more the bar depletes. So if you want Clemens to go all nine, you better throw a few slow balls.


Graphics 8/10

For a game that was made back in 1989, this looks pretty much like a Super Nintendo game. It's on par with ''The Simpsons'' game of the same time period. Players are buff and well detailed. The frame rate is a little choppy when pitching, but not when fielding.


Sound 9/10

It sounds like baseball... Great umpire sounds, realistic crowd sounds, etc. You get the point.


Control 9/10

The game uses 3 buttons. I'd be lying if I told you which were used for what, but the game controls very easily. No complaints here. With arcade games, it always depends on what shape the joystick is in. Works fine at my mall.


SUMMARY

Plop a quarter or two into this machine and get ready to be taken back back back back back... 1989! Ok, so that was a lame Chris Berman impersonation, so sue me! (No, please don't.)

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 04/17/00, Updated 04/17/00