Mario Super Sluggers

Posted 4 years ago By - Zach R.

A few years back, Namco-Bandai stepped up to the plate and delivered what may not have been a Home Run, but was certainly a fun and engaging little baseball game. "Mario Superstars Baseball" was brought to the Gamecube back in 2005, and it was a fair attempt at bringing America’s past-time into the Mushroom Kingdom. This year, they’re back at the plate and while they certainly don’t strike out, they merely hit a shallow base hit due to a drastically shortened challenge mode, and interesting, but unreliable controls.


Gameplay

One of the first things you’ll notice about "Mario Super Sluggers" is that there are actually three control types for you to use. The standard Wii-mote only, the Wii-mote and Nunchuk style, or you can even opt to use old-school style controls by turning the Wii-mote on it’s side and using the buttons and D-pad for a NES-type of feel.

Younger players will likely fall back on the Wii-mote only method, which stays true to the "Wii Sports" formula. The fielders will move into position automatically, and with a slight waggle of the remote, you can make Mario and friends dash just a tiny bit faster. The only real negative to this side of things is that you have very little control over your player aside from the basics, and it can be extremely frustrating to rely on the AI to make the right decision. The NES mode offers more control, but is essentially not much fun to play with unless you’re feeling nostalgic for the old days, which, if you are, there’s a least one better title out there for you on the Wii.

For those who like more control over their players, the Nunchuk and Wii-mote combo are really the best way to go. Batting and pitching remain standard affairs, but the fielding is a whole different ballgame with this particular control type. The problem with this mode, is that being in the right place at the right time, isn’t always as straight-forward as it should be, and more often then not, you’ll find your player over or underestimating exactly where the ball is at any given time. Some may say that’s more realistic, but anyone who’s ever played an MLB game at all knows it shouldn’t be that difficult to gage where a ball is going to land.

The controls, in general, work as they’re expected to, but of course, can be a bit unruly at times. Super pitches that don’t charge, bats swinging before you’re even really set up to swing, and some button presses that don’t register as well as they should hamper what really should have been a AAA title for Nintendo. Don’t get me wrong, none of these things are so prevalent that the game is unplayable, but it’s something that you really have to watch for if you’re in a game against the AI that will pounce on any advantage you can give them.


Graphics and Sound

Sluggers looks the part of any Mario game that’s come out for the Wii, with the exception of Galaxy which had a bit more shine to it. All the character models, animations and effects are well done. Not jaw-dropping good, but certainly not hideously ugly, by any means.

The same can be said about the game sound-wise, as well. It’s standard Mario fare, which isn’t a bad thing at all. The voices can range from endearing to grating, but again, if you’ve ever picked up a Mario title before, you know what to expect. The music is as catchy as ever, which I suppose whether you like it or not will depend on your tolerance for overly poppy synthesizers and show tune-like ditties.

Value

There are plenty of modes which you can toy around with, but where you’ll spend most of your time is likely in multiplayer exhibition matches, as the Challenge mode, which is where you would normally find the meatiest content is disappointingly short, and not nearly as fun as the previous game in the series. Instead of battling it out against other captains, you’re simply relegated to finding people to team up with and completing challenges that prove whether or not you’ve got the skills to beat Bowser and company.

That being said, there are close to 40 different characters to unlock, and each has their own special skills. Some, like Donkey Kong and the rest of the Kong family have some amazing skills at bat, while others, like the Toads, are known for being excellent runners and decent in the field. You’d think that unlocking all of these would take some time, but as most of the challenges they present are simple "Get the runner out" type of fare, it can really take a matter of 2 minutes, give or take, depending on how well you’ve mastered the controls.


There are also several fields to unlock, which range from the traditional baseball stadium, like Mario’s, to bizarre obstacle filled field, such as Wario’s. All of the fields have their own spin, which definitely adds some value to the game, as no two fields play alike. Chain Chomps, Warp Pipes, and the like litter various fields and definitely make even a 9-inning game, more than just your ordinary game of stick.

As can be expected on the Wii, there are plenty of mini-games on hand as well, and most of them are fun, if not just a tad on the forgettable side, with the exception of Toy Field, which returns from the Gamecube iteration. You may opt to play through them once on your own, but after that, unless you’ve got young kids, you’re likely not to go back and play against the AI which can be ego-bruising and tough on the higher difficulties, unless you really like a challenge.

Bottom Line

If you’re new to the series, love all things Mario, or are just curious about how the great game of baseball is given a new twist in the Mushroom Kingdom, then by all means, give "Mario Super Sluggers" a chance, as it does offer some great fun in both multiplayer and single player games. However, if you’ve already got "Mario Superstar Baseball" for the Gamecube, the Wii version just doesn’t add enough to warrant a purchase outright.

1 year ago :: Rhythm Heaven Fever
1 year ago :: (WiiWare) Zombii Attack
1 year ago :: Fortune Street
1 year ago :: Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, The
1 year ago :: Rayman Origins
1 year ago :: The Adventures of Tintin: The Game
1 year ago :: Disney Universe
1 year ago :: The Black Eyed Peas Experience
2 years ago :: The Conduit 2
2 years ago :: Mario Sports Mix