User Rating: 5.8 | Nolan Ryan's Baseball SNES
Nolan Ryan Baseball is an underplayed SNES game that is decent if you get into it, though it has some major drawbacks. But as most games, to appreciate it, you must take it for what it is. Gameplay: 5/10 The baseball dynamics are fun. The pitching is not very realistic, but it is fun being able to move a ball around and have a 90 mph curve ball. As the pitcher you can move around on the mound and chose where you are pitching from. I found it hard to strike out players. In fielding, the controls are self explanitory. The worst part is that the fielders run slower than the base runners. Batting is fun, but there is a major glitch in the game... maybe not a glitch but a programming mistake. If you crowd the plate, more often than not you will get hit by the pitch... over and over again. You can run up the score this way. The stat keeping is fine, but probably the biggest negative to the game is that the out of game management is weak. There isn't any full season, just a short pennant race. You can chose whatever team you want to play, but you don't necessarily follow one team throughout. And, this game was not licensed with MLB, so the team names and player names are generic. Graphics: 8/10 The graphics are great... done in more of a cartoon big head style. It is not very realistic, but it is fun. The field of play is not bad, and it is a nice touch to have a close up on close plays at the bag. Sound: 8/10 The sounds such as background and sound effects are pretty good. In a complete play through the game, I was unable to hit a home run, so I don't know what special effects are there. But for foul balls, outs, there is a simulated voice that calls it out. Reviewer's Tilt: 5/10 Despite some of its strong points, the game play weakness are too significant to overlook. This is not the best baseball game out there.