Baseball Advance

"Good beginner's baseball game... But don't be looking for a challenge here."

This is the first baseball game I ever got. When I was 10, I got this at a local Toys-R-Us store. Which is why I say it's a good beginner's game. Why say that? Because there's no baseball game with more of a low difficulty level than Baseball Advance.

Well, the one glaring flaw about this game is that there are only four ballparks you can play at: Safeco Field, Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, and Pacific Bell Park (now AT&T Park). Why? My hunch is that it's because they were locations of All-Star Games prior: Safeco in 2001 and Fenway in 1999. Wrigley is flat-out historic, and Pac Bell Park, well, I don't know. But, nonetheless, these are the only four ballparks on this game. I found that unsatisfying at first, but I got over it.

Anyway, there are four game modes: Exhibition, Season, Playoffs, and All-Star Game. Exhibition simply allows you to have a regular baseball game (rosters are as of January 2002). Playing season sets up the actual 2001 schedule of the team you pick and you play all 162 games. Playoffs allows you to select a team to play in a randomly arranged bracket (for example, you could pick the Dodgers and face the Expos in the NLDS). Selecting All-Star Game allows you to play with the actual rosters of the 2001 MLB All-Star Game at Safeco Field. Which, surprisingly enough, can be very fun.

Gameplay is simple: When you go up to bat, you hold the A button until the pitch comes. Releasing A will make the batter swing. Doing the same with B will make the batter bunt. What I find easy about this game's gameplay is that the timing is elementary. For example, in Season Mode, I was playing as the Cubs. By the time I reached the 21st game of the season, I had 5 players with over 20 home runs, including Sammy Sosa with 81. Since I already racked up a 21-0 record by this time, every pitcher on my staff had an ERA under 3.00. By the time I ended the season, I had a record of 150-12, including 67 straight wins at season's end.

Simply put, anybody can play this game and dominate. It's hard to NOT win on this game. So if you're looking for a good first baseball game, pick this up. If you want something a bit more challenging, don't even give this game a passing glance.

On an unrelated note, this is the last video game Jose Canseco ever appeared in.

Reviewer's Score: 6/10, Originally Posted: 07/31/08

Game Release: Baseball Advance (US, 03/20/02)