"* The ball hits the clock. * “Now, he’s just killing time!”"

* The ball hits the clock. * “Now, he’s just killing time!”

Compared to the Madden and NHL series, Triple Play was begun in 96 (before that EA Sports had Tony LaRussa Baseball, a solid series on Sega’s sports-centric Genesis). But, it has been a heavily talked about series for quite a long time. It has debuted on not only the Playstation and Playstation II, but also on the Nintendo 64 and of course, the PC. Some have praised it for its upbeat commentary, smashing graphics and pick-up-and-play fun! Others have regarded it negatively as being too easy and unrealistic.

Graphics – 7

Compared the graphical marvel that is NHL 2001, Triple Play Baseball comes off as slightly less polished. It looks like what the PSX version would be if run through Bleemcast! The textures are shiny, but also low-resolution. The animations are quite varied and include all the typical motion-captured animations one would find in a baseball games. The stadiums, aside from the disappointing crowd, are represented well, but don’t hold a candle to either of the Dreamcast baseball games. Taking a nod from World Series Baseball 2K1, some in-play cut scenes (complete with commentary) appear from time to time as well.

Play-by-Play – 10

Jim Hughson, whom I complimented for his great commentary in my review of the PC version of NHL 2001, does double duty for EA Sports in NHL and Triple Play. This version will be the last the will, because he is to be replaced by the ubiquitous NBC commentator, Bob Costas. In the booth with him is Buck Martinez. The commentary is always witty and constantly amusing. Puns fly in the Extreme Big League Challenge mode that will certainly cause the player to laugh out loud more than once. The imaginary advertisements for companies such as Lobster Cola and Gamma Airways return to add to the humor. The regular commentary is well timed and typically accurate. This is the best commentary team in baseball games, in my opinion. We will have to see if Acclaim’s new 3-man team or Visual Concepts’ new 2-person imaginary team can best this.

Other Sound – 7

A litany of arcade sound effects rule the roost here. Ball contact sounds like a cannon going off. Balls woosh by like gale-force winds and so on. A PA announcer and the crowd shout out goofy comments, varying from the typical heckling to just plain cheering. A weird almost unexplainable bell-like sound effect also follows every foul ball.

Gameplay – 8

Gameplay follows a very user-friendly setup. Batting is a simple as timing the pitch and holding the d-pad (if you use a game pad) or arrows (should you favor a keyboard) and pressing the button. Pitching uses a unique interface where you select the pitch then hold down the button to either over-power or under-throw the pitch. Holding it too long will almost always result in a wild pitch or ball. Fielding is somewhat clumsy compared to N64 or Dreamcast releases and collisions between fielders can occur often. Game modes include exhibition, season, tournament, home run derby and extreme Big League Challenge. The Extreme Big League Challenge is a very fast-paced and enjoyable take on the Home Run Derby. Not only are you trying to hit homers, but also hitting targets—from bull’s-eyes, to cows, to clocks, to dragons and even a giant Jose Canseco! This mode comes with some great stadiums (even a living room!) and the funniest play-by-play ever. Stat tracking in all modes is generally accurate.

Customization – 9

Creating players is quite easy and stats can be bumped up as much as wanted. As far as I can see, there is no limit to created players. Teams can also be designed. There are also secret stadiums and players.

Overall – 8/10

While graphically outdated and lacking in the area of non-commentary sound, it has solid and fun gameplay and the best commentary team in video game baseball (the equivalent of Dan Stevens and Peter O’Keefe for football) and some unique modes other baseball games do not possess. Recommended!

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 02/25/02, Updated 02/25/02