What happens when you cross arcade baseball with Mario characters. AWESOME!!
User Rating: 8.5 | Super Mario Stadium Miracle Baseball GC
First of, let me start by saying that I'm completely bias to anything with Mario in it. Well, just about everything, I didn't like that Mario 3 on 3 basketball game; but beside that I love Mario games. I also love baseball games so this was a match made in heaven. Gameplay: The gameplay in Superstar baseball is extremely easy to pick up and play. Unfortunately, the only real drawback in this category is the depth that is provided on the pitching side. First batting, in Superstar baseball, every character has a different batting stands and "main" point of contact. If you don't really know much of baseball, the main point of contact or "sweet spot" is located on the barrel of the bat. When a baseball player makes perfect contact between the baseball and the bat it usually results in a homerun. All these minute details for batting in Superstar baseball are great. The user can move the caricature around the batting box for maximum positioning; user can bunt and decide to use a normal swing or a power swing to attempt a humdinger. As basic as this may sound, its quite indepth and provides a large arsenal for achieving your goals in the batting box. The same level of depth isn't found on the pitching and fielding side. The pitcher has two pitches: fastball with no control after the pitch and change-up with complete control after the pitch. Other than those two pitches, some characters have a special pitch related to their personality, for instance Mario throws a fireball fastball while Bowser throws a bullet screwball. These special pitches are controlled by little dots on the side of the interface which are gained and lost in pressure situations. Lets say bowers is up to bat against Mario, top of the second inning two outs man on first and third. In this situation, a little pressure cut-scene before the at-bat would trigger showing that one of these power-up dots is on the line. If the user wins the mini battle they receive a new dot, if they lose the encounter they lose a dot; its definitely a nice mix of things, and allows for pretty intense battles both in multiplayer and single player. The fielding is weird since you have to point the analogy stick in the direction you want to throw. Which sounds simple but in practice isn't to friendly and takes sometime to get use to which usually turns off newcomers. Story: Mario and Luigi are playing catch when a invite to the bowser baseball tournament comes a flying down towards them. Of course, not to be upstaged by bowser, Mario quickly joins the tournament and begins murdering countless koopas and goombas. Ok, who are we kidding here, this is a sports game, it doesn't have a story and it doesn't need a story.
Graphics: The graphics in Mario Superstar baseball are quite good in the sense that Mario and gang have never looked better. Then again, the graphics are cartoony in style, but that comes with the territory of creating a Mario game. Overall, this game isn't going to blow people away, yet they weren't intended too.
Sound: The game is quite basic and has common Mario style sounds for every character. The overall presentation of the games sound isn't boring but sounds somewhat generic. Sound effects are simple and easy too, bats hitting the ball and characters gloving the ball sound kind of weird but get the point across. Conclusion: Why would you buy this game?? If you love arcade baseball and Mario then happiness awaits you. On the other hand, if your a hardcore baseball fan that wants the most realistic baseball game ever, well, what the hell are you doing reading this review in the first place, didn't you read the title of this game. Secondly, if you don't like these cheesy theme style games than obviously your going to hate this game as well. Basically, what I'm saying is that this game isn't going to change your mind if you already hate arcade style baseball games or Mario games or Mario spin-off games in general. Lets be real here, this game was made for people that are foolish enough like me, to spend money on a game just because it has Mario's beautiful face on it. It isn't the next big franchise of the industry and the average age group that plays this game is probably 5 - 15 but I don't care I love most Mario spin-off games so if you do too, go get this game.
