Major League Baseball Featuring Ken Griffey, Jr.

"What a Catch"

When it comes to sports games I only get what I really enjoy. Major League Baseball Featuring Ken Griffey Jr. is probably the only sports game in which I not only bought, but also played more than any other sports game that I know of. Being somewhat of a baseball fan, at least when this game came out, you really don't need to be a fan to enjoy this game. It is a lot like NBA Jam or the Madden football series in being just a great game to sit down and play. Ken Griffey's Major League Baseball is one of the first games to introduce the real roster of the current Major League teams. This game set such a standard I got really mad when I would find out that somebody like Mike Piazza or somebody had switched teams and ruined my roster on the game. Well now even Ken Griffey Jr. is on the Reds. Not only do you get a real team roster, but also the stadiums are all based on the real stadiums. Maybe you are thinking that is nothing exciting, but for a kid that had never been exposed to such modern day advances in sporting games this was definitely a major highlight of this game.

The features of Ken Griffey's Major League Baseball really do take the cake. You get to play a season straight through with back to back games against another team like in the real thing and there is also a homerun derby where you can pit your favorite player against any other player in the game. You can play two player exhibition games and choose your lineups and batting orders and the game just never gets old. There is also the World Series and the All Stars modes to play as well. It is just plain fun.

Gameplay wise, some things can be a bit exaggerated. The two things that stand out are the relative slowness when a pop fly is hit. Wherever the ball goes you will be switched to the nearest available player to go catch it and sometimes the ball will seem to parachute down so that you have time to make an overly dramatic catch and hear a quip from Ken Griffey Jr. congratulating you on a great play. Pitching and batting is a bit complicated as both the pitcher and the batter have a target reticule in which the direction of the ball will go. All it takes for the batter is to follow the pitcher's reticule and time the swing. The pitcher has a choice of what kind of pitches to make as well as the control of the speed in which he will pitch it. Once the ball is hit of course you become the nearest available player to the ball to try and catch it. The other oddity in this game is the stance some of the batters take. These stances look more like a stance a tee ball player would take to hit the ball. One stance calls for the player to give no strike zone and the other just has the batter standing very relaxed. The stances do not take away from the hitting, but it just looks weird. Of course Ken Griffey Jr. gets his own stance that no one else has in the game as well as a simple cheat to make him hit a homerun every time. The game can be very challenging especially in the season you may think that there was no way to ever win a game while in other games it may appear like your players took steroids before the game and started hitting homers every time. Of course if you are in it to win it you will more than likely go to the World Series.

The sound and graphics are very good for the N64. It may be a little tough to look at now, but back then it was definitely where it was supposed to be as far as graphics go. The music is fine and there are even sequences for the opening of the game with the national anthem being played. There is even a rendition for “Oh Canada” for all of you former Expos fans out there. The crowds will disperse or stay depending on how well a game is being played out. If it is a big game then the stadium will be packed and if the game becomes a shut out there you will see the crowd start dispersing and disappear after each inning in the grand stands. There are plenty of jeers and cheers going on, but sometimes it may feel like you are playing a game with only a handful of spectators watching. The game also has a very enjoyable announcer that calls out every player's name, which was also pretty cool for that game's time.

Major League Baseball featuring Ken Griffey Jr. is an excellent baseball game as it is a superb sports game. Compared to games of today it was definitely a precedent game. The replay value gives you more than what you thought you could get from a Nintendo 64 sports game. As far as getting this game more than a decade later I would say it depends on what type of fan you are. You would probably appreciate a more up to date game on a newer console, but for Griffey Jr. fans or if you love classic baseball videogames then this is probably one you should pick up. Some of the players are still with the teams they were on back then and even the Griff hopes to go back to the Mariner's some day. This is definitely the best baseball game for the Nintendo 64 hands down.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 06/18/08

Game Release: Major League Baseball Featuring Ken Griffey, Jr. (US, 05/31/98)