Tecmo Super Baseball

Rookie and I have been waiting for this one to come in so we could have an in-depth look at it. Especially while the baseball fever is on, we can't get enough of baseball games.

Hey baseball fans, get a load of the special effects that Tecmo has developed for Tecmo Super Baseball. This game packages features that I have never seen in a sports game before. The rotation and scaling of the field is incredible. The other feature that is great about this game is that you can pick either batting or the pitching perspective. This is a plus for baseball fans. Tecmo has taken America's pastime to a higher level. Gather your gear and let's play ball!

BUY ME SOME PEANUTS ANO CRACKER JACKS..

Going ... going ... going... GONE! As the runner touches the bases after hitting a home run, the crowd roars with excitement. Tecmo Super Baseball details every moment as close to the real thing as it gets. The digitized speech of the commentator adds the final touch to the sound effects on the field. Also, listen to the calls of the umps on the pitches and at the bases. Not only are the graphics incredible, but so are the sounds Tecmo has developed. Below are more features that you may recognize from a real baseball game.

MLBPA SPONSORED

Being MLBPA sponsored, you get to see all of the players from the baseball league, with all of their current stats in hand. Look through their individual stats and find out how they are doing in the league. You can also check out all of the league leaders: pitching, batting, ERA, and so forth. MLBPA has brought realism baseball games home.

Fans of the popular Tecmo Super Bowl will be happy to hear that Tecmo Super Baseball follows closely in the footsteps of that good gridiron game. This game manages to be a statistics-filled gaming experience that also generates some real excitement.

Put Me in, Coach

Much like Tecmo Super Bowl, TS Baseball has a wide range of game-play options. All 28 MLBPA-licensed teams and two Super Star teams are included, which you can alter to your liking. Whether you coach a team, play the computer opponent, or play a friend, you can enjoy a full 162-game season with all the up-to-date stats you can handle. Using Team Data, you can scope out every major Batting and Pitching stat, and during a season, you can check the current leaders in every category.

This game is more than just stats, though. Its good action is made possible by solid, responsive control. In the field, you can align your fielders' infield and outfield depth and put on shifts. On the mound, you can throw a fastball, curve, change up, or any of your pitcher's specialties and you can precisely control the direction of the pitches. In the batter's box, use a Normal, Power, Contact, or Bunt stance, depending on the situation and your hitter. The batter reacts smoothly to your button presses, so count on high-average stars (like Tony Gwynn) stroking lots of singles and power hitters (like Matt Williams) jerking plenty of dingers out of the park.

Diamond Delights

To its credit, TS Baseball has better graphics than its football teammate. Large sprites clearly show off every play, while lifelike portraits show off every player. An excellent 360-degree rotating view enables you to follow the ball around the park from the fielder's perspective. All that's missing are better details and some close-up animations of exciting plays.

If you think that the SNES has superior sound, TS Baseball might give you second thoughts. Cheap ballpark music and unclear voices hurt the overall feel of the game. One nice feature, however, is the jazzy rendition of "Take Me Out to the Ball Game."

Sultans of Swing

It's not a grand-slam homer, but Tecmo Super Baseball is certainly a ringing double into the gap, especially if you liked Tecmo Super Bowl. It's a nice way to spend the long off-season.

Now that baseball is on strike, I feel great! If you're a baseball fan, however, you should check this game out! lt's just like being at the game!

Hey, if you subscribe to the 'seen one baseball video-game, seen 'em all' theory, Tecmo Super Baseball may make you reconsider. On-field angles and a scrolling perspective give this game a certain level of excitement and increased involvement that you won't find in most baseball cartridges.

After that first crack of the bat you see that you're not playing this game while watching the action from the nosebleed section. Once a ball is hit, the view switches from the batter-pitcher face-off to a camera behind the fielder with the best chance to make the play. An on-field bulls-eye indicates the final destination of fly balls, and you get a great look at oncoming grounders. A throw to any base causes the perspective to chase the ball while the screen scrolls for a tighter shot of that area of the field. This smooth yet quick movement around the field is Tecmo Super Baseball's most impressive aspect. But wait - there's more! Although lacking a Major League Baseball license, the game does have the all-important Player's Association affiliation which brings the 1994 early season rosters and the 1993 season stats to the plate. Pre-season, season, and all-star games are offered, and all modes can be enjoyed by one or two players. Battery back-up keeps track of your win-loss record and plenty of individual stats during seasonal play. You can even compare your players' numbers with other's in the league by checking the rankings in 20 batting and pitching categories. And if you're not satisfied with the super star (all-star) teams that represent each league you can create your own, picking and choosing from all the team rosters.

The only difficulty with Super Baseball arises in the area of control, and it is more of an adjustment than a problem. Since defense is played from the field looking toward home plate, the direction you must press to throw to bases is the opposite of most baseball games. For example, in most games, third base corresponds to the left direction, whereas in this game third corresponds to the right. This can be a bit confusing at first and not only affects fielding but can lead to some base-running goofs on offense as well. After a few games the control becomes second-nature and you're turning double plays like a pro.

This is a pioneering graphical approach to a baseball video game that easily matches or surpasses anything that other companies have put on the field.

The national pastime around the world seems to be for the most part, baseball. Already we have seen nearly countless incarnations of the sport on the video game format. Now companies can improve upon the common theme. This is one of those games. The graphics are well done, and it gives the impression of being in a real stadium. People who like this sort of game will most likely enjoy it.