There Was Nothing Cute About Major League Baseball…Until Now
Power Pros has been around in Japan since 1994, known as Jikkyo Powerful Pro Yakyu, and for those who slept on its North American debut last year, MLB Power Pros 2008 is your chance to find out why it has been so popular overseas for the past 14 years. With a great response to the debut, 2K has brought it back to the PS2 with a few new additions to attract newcomers to the franchise.
Those seeking a more fun and relaxed, less technical and time-consuming baseball game, Power Pros is one the whole family can enjoy. Graphically, from the get-go, you can presume this game was made with the Wii in mind. Cute, legless character models slightly resemble their real-life counterparts – Manny Ramirez has dreads sprouting from underneath his cap and David Ortiz has his chinstrap beard. Everything from the brightly colored, easy to read and navigate menus to the spirited party music makes this game family-friendly and geared towards those who probably don’t spend every waking moment of spare time with a game controller in hand.
The pitching and batting mechanics work well for a simplistic game of this sort, and though it was designed for the Wii, PS2 owners will have just as much fun playing this as its debut last year. The way you hold the bat in position and swing it over the plate would make perfect use of the Wii-mote, though the Left Analog does a fine job on the PS2. Hitting the ball on time requires you to hit X just as the ball crosses the plate, though getting the ball to go where you want is the real trick, and it takes time to learn how to line them up well. In fact, strikes happen quite frequently whether you’re playing on either the pitching or batting end.
Pitching is as simple as placing the ball where you want inside the strike zone and hitting X, and more experienced gamers will have no problem striking out the CPU. Seeing batters swing and come up with big whiffers is amusing, as the batter does a 180 and lands on his butt with his eyes swirled out of control. And it might be a good idea to keep a couple pitchers in the bullpen. They can tire easily or become dazed on the mound – with stars around their heads and all – and begin to throw wildly. There isn’t a whole lot to fielding or base-running, and those used to more complex baseball titles may actually have a hard time simplifying their style to get used to the slow movements and basic controls of these little guys. Don’t let the cuteness of MLB Power Pros fool you – winning an Exhibition match on even Normal setting has its difficulties at times.
Though not much has changed from last year to 2008, this title does offer some new features. The first noticeable improvement is the addition of MLB Life Mode. In it, you’ll take an existing player or create a new one to work your way up to the majors and live out a 20-year career. If you’re familiar with last year’s title and Success Mode, it’s the same idea. Instead of playing as a student in a college-based JRPG, you’ll be managing car and house payments, building stats and relationships, and basically becoming the biggest superstar you can be.
Besides MLB Life Mode, there are a few other new things as well – though it may not be worth doing away with the old version and replacing it with this one. The 2008 version also includes hot and cold boxes for some batters while playing. Commentating has improved a bit with more variety, though it’s almost the same as it was last year. There is a lot more stuff to unlock this time around, which is a definite step up also. The Shop is set up like a virtual concession stand of sorts and is where you can purchase various items, including different uniforms, pitching and batting forms, and extra ballparks. You can unlock baseball cards for every player on every team in the league and view them in the Baseball Cards section, which also features short biographies about each team.
And all the modes that made MLB Power Pros so much fun return as well. Success Mode tells the story of your created player as a spirited college student working his way up from Double-A with dreams of making it to the MLB. Though the animations and music feel incredibly dated, the mode is fun and actually pretty in-depth, as it takes you around campus and lets you manage your practice and free time, and money and personality traits, including friend data and likeability amongst female students you’ve been getting familiar with – you sly dog, you. Season Mode lets you take a team from the Major League or create your own expansion team on a long rise to the top, and League Mode lets you set up a tournament between six teams. Then there’s also the very basic Home Run Mode as well as Practice Mode, both of which should help you learn if you’re just getting used to Power Pros.
When playing a quick game, you’re able to play in any stadium, regardless of which home team you choose. Also, you change other details including the time of day, wind, weather, amount of innings, mercies, and more. Some of the stadiums are actually pretty impressive, especially compared to the simple character designs, though crowd movement looks a tad bit dated – which is passable considering this is a game you probably won’t take too seriously anyway.
With all the attempts out there at creating the best baseball simulations, by trying to get pitch and swing mechanics down to a tee with lifelike recreation of the sport on your console, MLB Power Pros 2008 is a breath of fresh air in a genre that sometimes seems to take itself a bit too seriously. While the simplicity may bore some advocates of simulation baseball games, those who like a more lighthearted approach will appreciate what Power Pros brings to the genre. If you’re unfamiliar with the series, Power Pros 2008 is the perfect place to start.
RATING OUT OF 5 RATING DESCRIPTION 3.0 Graphics
Graphics aren’t impressive by any stretch and are obviously suited for the Wii, which may disappoint some PS2 users. 3.9 Control
Extremely simple controls suitable for people of all ages, yet difficulty settings add variety. 3.5 Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
Music becomes a tad repetitive after hours of gameplay. Commentating has improved since last year. 3.7 Play Value
Good, simple baseball is fun for parties and special occasions, though it becomes a bit repetitive when played solo for extended periods of time. 3.7 Overall Rating – Good
Not an average. See Rating legend above for a final score breakdown.
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