Oct 24 2008
MLB Power Pros for Nintendo Wii
Baseball is one of the few sports games I enjoy trying out as video games (the only other sport games I routinely like to try are bowling games). A few months ago I tried Backyard Baseball and was disappointed in its Wii controls not being too realistic. I have had MLB Power Pros sitting in my Game Queue a while in hopes that it would prove more realistic and thus more entertaining. This week I finally got it to try.
Just at first glimpse I rate this as better than Backyard Baseball in that the graphics are much more interesting, although not exactly realistic looking, as the characters are more Mii-ish, although the different fields are pretty realistic. Plus, at least the characters are real Major League players.
You can play this game using a variety of game control configurations. You can use just the Wii remote, the Wii remote with a nunchuck, a Wii classic controller, or a Gamecube Controller. I personally tried only using the Wii remote with nunchuck. Others may find a different configuration is more natural for them and that is what I like about the options just as I like these options being available for Mario Kart Wii.
There are a variety of modes to play in from Exhibition to Working your way up to the majors to Home Run derby to Season play. Other modes include MLB life, League, Practice, and Wii Remote. Basically the whole variety of play modes helps gives this game enjoyable depth without having to achieve certain things to get to the depth. I will admit, though, that many modes are a little confusing at first.
Overall this game did impress me as a great baseball game for the Wii, but it is not that great if you want realistic feeling controls. At least it does not try to be realistic and you do use just buttons when you have the nunchuck connected. Also, I believe the controls work a little like the Wii Sports version if you choose to play with just the Wii remote, but then you do not quite get as much control over the game action. Basically I do recommend this if you are looking for a decent Wii baseball game as far as depth goes and actually feeling like your in control of your team and you are really playing actual baseball.
