"That 70's Game - Wiffle Ball Arrives on the DS"

I loved playing Wiffle Ball when I was kid. I think I spent more time playing Wiffle Ball than anything else, except maybe sleeping. When this game was first released, I was very excited to grab a copy of the game. Then the reviews came pouring in stating how terrible this game is and I shied away from buying it. Then a few months later I saw it on the clearance rack at a local store and I grabbed a copy for myself. Wow! Was I ever surprised at how fun this game really is to play. So much fun, I decided I have to write a review for other former Wiffle Ball addicts like myself who would also enjoy this game.

Gameplay - This game plays just like the good old days of Wiffle Ball in the streets. It is surprising how realistic they have made the physics of the ball and distance the ball travels when it hits the Wiffle Ball bat. This does NOT play like a regular baseball game. It plays like a Wiffle Ball game. The Wiffle Ball has extreme curving to it from top to bottom, left to right, right to left and even bottom to top. If you've played Wiffle Ball in the yard, you'll remember how slowly the Wiffle Ball traveled to the plate and how much it curved. You really had to wait for the ball to arrive at the plate and then you'd swing that big awkward yellow plastic bat as hard as you could and the ball would go about 15 feet. If you really connected on a swing, though, you could crush that ball into the deepest part of your playing field (backyard, street, schoolyard, etc.). This was not easy. Neither is this DS game! The physics match the pitch and swing and contact with the bat to perfection. You have to be patient before you swing, then you have to time your swing perfectly or else the fielders will easily catch your ball for an out. If they don't catch your ball, then you are awarded a single/double/triple based on distance the ball carried. A solid, well-timed hit will result in a home run outside of the fielder's reach. When pitching, I find it easiest to use the control pad and buttons, while batting is easier to time the swing by using the stylus on the touch pad. You can use either the touch pad / stylus controls or the regular controls or any combination of both. Whatever you prefer. Fielding is also fun, and is accomplished by watching the player on the TOP screen and controlling that player with the control pad to move under the shadow of the ball. With some practice, you should be able to catch almost anything the opponent hits, except for the hardest hit balls. When pitching, you can choose the amount of the curve you want to put on the ball and the area you want the pitch to go.


Story - The game includes quick play or a short season mode. The game offers eight different pre-set players (male and female) and you can select your favorite player to go against the other pre-set players. Unfortunately, you cannot modify your player in any way and you cannot even change the name of the player to match your name. There is also a multi-player mode that requires each player to have a copy of the game, so there is no single card download play. This is also a big minus if you are looking for multi-player fun.


Graphics/Sound - The graphics and sound on this game are fun and bring back some great memories. There was some good attention to details when this game was produced. There are four different playgrounds. They include: the schoolyard, complete with a bike dumped right next to the playing area and a school sign and tree in the middle of the field; the street, complete with parked cars (with alarms!) and other obstacles; the backyard, complete with swimming pool, patio and other obstacles; and the sandlot, complete with weeds and an old trash can. If you played Wiffle Ball as a kid, you will probably recognize at least one of these areas as your old playground. The sounds that are looped through the games are just regular playground background noises, nothing too exciting but better than just plain background music.


Play Time/Replayability - This game only takes about 15 minutes to play one 7 inning game (each inning is 2 outs per team). Season mode includes about 7 games, so you are looking at about 2 hours for one trip through season mode. It does take some time to get used to the pitching/fielding/hitting controls, so it probably would take about 15-20 hours to master season mode and win the championship. If you have a friend who also has this game, the multi-player mode would offer endless replayability.


I recommend this game to anyone that remembers playing a lot of Wiffle Ball as a kid. If you are looking for a baseball simulator or arcade game, you will have to look elsewhere. There is no base-running, only 1 pitcher and 1 fielder, and only 2 outs per inning. These are standard Wiffle Ball rules, but obviously, not standard baseball rules. Chances are you can find this game for very cheap on clearance at your local electronics store, so if you are interested after reading this review, it won't cost much to give it a try! Have fun!

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 10/09/07

Game Release: Wiffle Ball Advance (US, 03/12/07)