Hits a Home Run!

Author's Rating:

Pros: Outstanding game play, realistic season, full statistics, all the major league players

Cons: 2 years old. Griffey 2000 might be worth it.

Author's Review
Ken Griffey Jr. Baseball is a blast to play! I'm addicted. Step into Camden Yards, or the Kingdome, saunter up to the plate, and swing for the fences. You'll know what I'm talking about.

You begin by selecting one of 3 main modes of play. Exhibition, Season, or Home Run Derby. I'm a sports game junkie and always hop right into a season the minute I get a game. I don't take that game out of my N64 until I complete said season. Of course KG Jr. Baseball has now been taking up my game slot for a great many days as I try to complete my first 162 game season with my favorite Baltimore Orioles. What keeps me going toward this goal is the way in which this game makes you feel like you are riding out the season toward the pennant. I'm currently only in the June part of my schedule, and already some of my .500 hitters are having their June Swoon. It feels like the other teams have gotten better as my team has slowly declined from a beginning of the season torrent. I wouldn't put it past the designers of this game. I heard stories of how they spent a couple of years perfecting the game play.

The graphics in this game I don't think are quite as good as some of the EA Sports games, but where faithful rendering of a player's bulging muscles fall short, this game makes up in accurate Baseball simulation. The fielding is especially remarkable. If Cal Ripken has to backhand a ball down the third base line, it takes him longer to spiun and throw to first than it does if he's got an easy dribbler to his glove hand. Roberto Alomar on jumps the runner who is going to spike him at second base while he tries to turn a double play. The examples go on and on, and I'm still seeing new game play nuances 60 games into the season. And don't get me wrong, the views of all of the stadiums are spectacular and breathtaking. I really enjoy the different conditions of playing against Boston at Fenway vs. the short right field porch at Camden yards.

This game supports the rumble pack for a little added interest. This game is very technically friendly as it does not require a memory pak to save season information. All data is saved right to the cartridge, so you can pop it in and play...no worries.

It is not overly easy to get hits in this game. This is great because in baseball you should only be able to hit .300 just like the pros. The batting stances of every major league player are well represented and the sound effects and behavior of the ball leaving the bat are perfect.

This game now appears used on the shelves of most Blockbuster video outlets and Video Game Stores. This is a cheap game that you will not be able to put down!