All-Star Baseball 2000

"Failing to capture the real game of baseball"

Well, I was really looking forward to getting this game. I thought that it would be great and would actually play baseball right for a change. But I was sadly wrong. This game features great graphics, realistic looking players, and for once, good commentary(even though I hate the Yankees and their announcer, he did a good job though)
I was very excited when I put this in the old N64 and was amazed at the games graphics when I saw the little demo game when the game first starts up. So I decided to start a simulation game (I hate all that arcade crap, but I have played arcade before, I'll get into that later) and I pick my team the Mets and start a game somewhere.

This game offers three play modes, Rookie (duh) Veteran (an ok player) and All-Star (again, duh) I chose rookie to start. Bad move, not only did I throw a Perfect game my first time, I lit up the score board for 26 runs in 9 innings. So i start a new game on Veteran, again I pitch amazing, giving up 1 run on one hit. But wait, I was held for only 17 runs this time, now we are getting somewhere.
So i turn on All-Star and theres not much of a difference from Veteran in the AI's hitting capabilities, but on my hitting, all I get is popped flies in foul ground. This happens like 10 times in a row. I finally get a hang of it and score 12 runs, while Hampton (yes he was on the Mets back then) blanks the opposing team once again. I play again this time against the Yankees, because we all know how these games just love the Yankees and give them everything there is, awsome pitching, great batters and all. I thought I was in for a challenge. Wrong. 14-1.(Jeter is way to overpowered in this game, 459 foot homer in the 4th) They scattered 6 hits off me. Well now that I have shared some of my expierence with you, time to get to the Review.

GAME PLAY: 6/10

As stated above, this game is WAY to easy even on the hardest difficulty. Some other things to state. Even when I was having a battle in this game (only against the Indians did i ever have trouble, they handed me my first lost, stupid Benitez gave up 4 homers when I was trying to close it out, where have i seen this before? oh yea, every play-off game he ever comes in) The AI team takes out their pitcher like every inning. Never has an opposing starting pitcher gone more than 5 innings. When I start off the game with a hit, I see a pitcher get up in the bullpen.

GRAPHICS: 10/10

This is some of the best graphics on the N64 and is a major plus in this game. But as everyone knows, graphics don't make the game, it only adds to it.

CONTROLS: 9/10

Easy enough. A hits, B is a stronger hit. C-Right=first, C-Up=second, C-Left=third, C-Down=Home, Z is run fast and throw fast. Only reason I gave it a 9 was because they forgot to mention that pressing R in the out feild throws the ball to the cut-off man, I saw the AI doing it and it drove me crazy that i had to watch my balls role into second or third or even home sometimes. They never mention it in the manual. So hey, if you are reading this and didn't know either, your welcome ;-). But if your reading this your probably thinking about getting the game, not already have it.

REPLAYABILITY: 8/10

I play this game with my little cousin, as he likes to play because he gets a thrill from hitting home runs for some reason. Maybe he likes the extremely fake looking fire works they shoot out after you hit one. Winning the World Series is not worth the trouble just to tell you.

OVERALL: 7/10

This game lacks the real baseball feel and the feel of real baseball is what we need. If you want a good baseball game
buy the old old regular NES and get Bases Loaded, that's a fun game and it captures baseball very well.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 08/26/02, Updated 08/26/02