Review: Baseball Slugger: Homerun Race 3D

Overview Baseball Slugger: Homerun Race 3D is an arcade baseball game. The game focuses on the Homerun Derby with three different modes to blast baseballs. Homerun Derby is simple enough, all you have to do is hit as many homeruns as you can before getting to a predetermined number of outs (usually 10). In Baseball Slugger you have fully animated customizable 3D characters. You use the touch screen and accelerometer to control you swing. One of the main selling features is a full featured online matchup mode. This control mechanism works well, and it's all about timing. Features In Baseball Slugger you get to play classic homerun derby, arcade mode, online matchup, and training mode. In Classic you get 10 outs to work with, and anything that isn’t a homerun is considered an out. In arcade mode there are score bonuses depending on many different factors including consecutive HRs, hitting to all three fields, hitting the scoreboard, and poles. There are also special balls like gold ball, magic ball, and triple ball. Check the complete game guide for a how to, and description of the bonuses. To control your swing, you tap to swing the bat, and position the bat head using the accelerometer. Also in a recent update you can now access your itunes library, in game, to play your own tunes. The online mode may be the best feature with live head to head matchups available at any time. You connect to the server, and can play anyone, as well as add friends. Every matchup is a head to head version of arcade mode, and contributes to your overall score, starting at 1000. Each game you play contributes to your gold ball score which you can use to purchase numerous items for your batter. You can customize him completely with new jerseys, helmets, hair & skin color, and new bats. Some of the upgradeable items improve your contact and power, and consequently your scores. The Good The visuals are good, but not great. The 3D exaggerated muscular batters are nicely designed, and the customization provides some uniqueness. When you hit a ball there is a trail following it, and as each ball is flying a distance tracker is next to it. When you hit the ball on the sweet spot there are a couple videos that play, either a three angle orange blast or pausing right when the bat connects. There are quite a few different camera angles randomly chosen to show each hit. The gameplay is the best aspect, and the main reason to pick this game up. Arcade mode is a great single player experience providing tons of bonuses to regular homerun derby. The game is super addictive making you want to keep playing to figure out the best timing for the varying pitches. You don't have to be a baseball fan to have fun hitting homers. Online Matchup mode works perfectly connecting you to the server, and playing live head to head matchups. Once you pick an opponent both players begin, and the first pitch is thrown at the same time. It's really fun competing live trying to fill the meter to the center of the screen first. Your opponent is shown in picture in picture at the top right, and can be quite distracting anxiously watching their performance. The matchups work so smoothly, that if you lose you'll want a rematch against that person. Most matches are close, and you'll just miss out as your opponent gets a 5 streak, and fills the meter, as you're one homer away from filling the meter. The customization feature adds even more to replayability, as you can improve your player the more you play. The game doesn't save your in game progress, but does save your overall stats. The Bad The game is great, but is only Homerun Derby. A small baseball minigame is the only aspect of Baseball Slugger. Non baseball fans may like this title more than true baseball fans. It can be quite repetitive tapping to swing, and only scoring for hitting homers. The controls work nicely, but it removes you from feeling like you're playing baseball. The sounds are pretty average with the same crack of the bat for every hit, and a stock cheer of the crowd. A rock song plays in the menus, and thats about it, nothing to write home about. Every game is in the same stadium, but you can change the time of day. The Verdict Baseball Slugger executes perfectly at what it sets out to do. Homerun Derby is perfected, and combined with Let's Golf you can have all your sporting game needs covered. Online matchups and customizable characters make this one of the best games to play over and over. The visuals and sounds are nothing special, but the gameplay is fun and addictive enough to forget about them. Baseball Slugger is a great game that you'll find yourself spending a lot of time with. It lacks some of the bells and whistles of others so this is a should buy. [gallery link="file" columns="4"]

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