Little League World Series Baseball 2008

"An Amazing Wii Controlled Baseball game for those looking for their WIIsports sequel!"

This game is what I've been waiting for, forever on the wii. Finally, a wii baseball game that fully incorporates wii controls, and does so in a brilliant manner. While I LOVE the power pros series, it still has not evolved to the wii controls as a full option, and I've been waiting for a game like this. MLB 2k8 was atrocious.

Basically, to sum this up, it is like wii sports, but with better graphics, deeper gameplay, and a great challenge. I picked up Backyard Baseball 09 for Wii, and despite wii controls, it was a breeze on the most difficult difficulty.

Here, there are four levels of difficulty, adjustable on the fly in all modes, and the gameplay is incredible fun. There is exhibition, World Series Mode, Clubhouse (where you unlock lots of medals), and Challenge where there are a series of (actually) very fun challenges to play, such a batting and pitching contests that revolve around other sports like bowling or HORSE. The World Series mode is rather short, lasting only a couple hours, but the game tracks your progress and you are constantly unlocking trophies and such as you constantly beat the games' myriad of set scores and goals.

The only knocks on this game?
Negatives
-You don't control baserunning/stealing (although you can assure you get a close play by using a tension bar- similar to what the bigs for wii had)
-only 3 stadiums (though all three look beautiful, but more would have been nice)
-World Series mode is not very detailed like a full season or the crazy insane modes of MLB Power Pros 2008

Positives
+very anime inspired look, replete with cool little cinemas on special plays
+A mix of sim and fantasy
+Batting controls are awesome, allowing for indian chops, uppercut swings, and level swings
+Pitch delivery is amazing and emulates real motions, complete with the twist of the hand
+the bonus system can be very fun when mastered- it becomes very strategic, and helps you get the play on that much needed extra base or deep fly ball
+Excellent computer ai, that while not rubberbanded like the old Midway games, definitely plays harder when losing; I've played two complete World Series modes and have had maybe two blowout games; everything else has been close with a lot of extra inning games.
+Graphics are beautiful, and have that same wiisports clean look, but with much better textures and background detail- A huge step from wii sports and even cleaner looking than Power Pros

Graphics:10/10
For Wii, a beautiful game with excellent animations and beautiful stadiums. They all have tremendous detail, and the ball physics are excellent, as the ball realistically bounces off every surface. No hits look the same.

Sound: 6/10
Very Generic. The broadcaster is good (well known also), though the characters are introduced only by number, and not by name. A slight knock, but one that irked me.

Gameplay; 10/10
Wii sports Baseball, but with MUCH more control. The gameplay is super fun. I consider this the funnest baseball experience yet on the WII. Superb control over pitching and batting, with the fielding being semi controlled by the ai, leaving you to make only the big plays like diving leaps or jumps at the wall to rob a homer. A power meter exists similar to the Bigs, but unlike there, where it was only for pitching or batting, it becomes an essential strategic tool for baserunning and fielding as well.

Replayability; While it lacks the depth of a Power Pros, which is arguably the deepest sim experience given it's reached it's fifteenty console release in Japan, the World Series mod and actually very fun minigames make it replayable for the long term until another baseball game comes along that can mimic the excellent gameplay of this game.

8.5/10

Overall though, this is an amazing game, and I love it! Pure fun! Baseball is one of the great sports that translates amazingly to the wii with proper controls!

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 08/11/08

Game Release: Little League World Series Baseball 2008 (US, 08/05/08)