Ken Griffey Jr. Presents Major League Baseball

"Let the game begin..."

Introduction:

Ken Griffey Jr. is one of the best baseball players ever. The same goes for this game that he is featured in. It is just one of the numerous baseball titles that I have ever played and it is not a letdown. Every second will be enjoyed as the game features superb gameplay and an outstanding overall presentation.

Gameplay: 9/10

The amusement that this game provides is limitless. Most of the time the games are short so you can play this basically anytime you have 15-20 minutes to spare. It is still realistic however. The CPU will always give you a challenge even if it is playing as the worst team and you are the best team. The hitting system in KGPMLB is just flat out amazing yet. You can move the batter anywhere in the box easily with the directional pad. If you want to pull the ball, swing early, and if you want to hit opposite field, swing later. Depending on where the ball makes contact with your bat will determine how far you hit the ball. Pitching is also easy to perform well. You determine the speed and where the ball moves by simply moving the directional pad in a given direction. Even though the players don't have names of actual players (except Ken Griffey), they each have individual skill. This will lead to some pretty intense games between you and the CPU. Overall, ‘gameplay' is a solid representation of how baseball is played in real life.

Graphics: 8/10

With the SNES's narrow capabilities, this game does the best it can in terms of graphics. Each and every player has their own unique stance and build. You can even relate most stadiums to their real life counterparts like the Green Monster in Fenway. The animations can also offer some humor. Sometimes you just cant help but laugh when your outfielder runs into the centerfield wall or your hitter strikes out for the third straight time.

Sound: 7/10

Only one basic tune is played on the menus throughout the whole game. This might get annoying after awhile. The umpire calls ball and strikes in a clear cut voice, and the animation sounds are solid. A portion of the National Anthem is played before games and this only adds to the games realism. ‘Sound' is an essential part to this games mass appeal.

Controls: 8/10

Batting, pitching, and base running could not have been better implemented than they are in this game. There is, however, a problem with fielding. It is sometimes hard to control where your fielder will move because of the directional pads limited movement. This trivial problem might create some fielding mishaps, but it will not be enough to disrupt the flow of the game.

Play time/Replay Value: 10/10

You could play this game forever. It is a baseball game for goodness sakes! When does baseball ever end? Never, it comes back every year.

Final Recommendation: Buy

If this game can be found at a game store nowadays it is probably significantly cheap. Buy it and you will not be disappointed. The overall “baseball” feel to the game is simply something that cannot be found in other baseball titles. Ken Griffey Presents Major League Baseball is one for the ages.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 04/28/06