GamePro Arcade

Review: MLB Stickball

Oct. 10 6:45 PM by Terry Terrones

It's a bit of a surprise to see something like stickball made into a videogame. A pastime that evokes images of kids playing in the street somewhere back east in the 1950's isn't exactly what you'd expect to see when scrolling through arcade offerings. That's not to say its something current gamers wouldn't enjoy. If made properly, a stickball title could be fun. Too bad the recently released "MLB Stickball" for XBLA misses the mark. A game that's too tough for kids but too boring for adults just can't seem to make up its mind on who its for, and ends up leaving nobody happy.

If you've never heard of stickball, all you need to know is its essentially street baseball. For equipment, all you need is a broomstick for a bat and a tennis ball. If a ball bounces off a building, a bench, a tree or a passerby's head, its in play. Manhole covers and cones are bases and pitches can be thrown traditionally, lobbed like a softball or bounced into the strike zone.

There's plenty of opportunities for fun in a game like this and MLB Stickball does get a few things right. The different city streets where the games are played offer some unique rule changes in each locale (hit different objects for extra base hits, break a window for an out) and the many real life settings keep the game fresh. Controls are very basic, utilizing only a few buttons. Simple controls combined with cute character models that look like bobblehead dolls give the game a kid friendly feel.

While MLB Stickball looks like a kids game, the pitching and hitting are so difficult most children will get quickly frustrated. Even adult gamers will need a little time to get the feel for the fickle gameplay, but they'll be bored with this title once they do. With no fielding, throwing out runners, stealing bases or even base running - there just isn't much to do and boredom quickly sets in. Adding insult to injury is the dreadful multiplayer. Four gamers can play on a team together but with only two things to do, pitch or hit, three players are observers at all times! Yawn.

MLB Stickball is a cute and simple game but its a weak groundout, not the home run it aspires to be.

Pros: Its simplified baseball

Cons: Pitching and hitting are a chore, gameplay just isn't much fun, MLB license not used effectively enough

Sound: 1.5
Controls: 2.75
Graphics: 2.5
Fun Factor: 2.5

The Info: Platform: XBLA, Publisher: 2K, Developer: 2K, ESRB: E, Players: 1-4 (2-4 online), Price: 800 MS Points ($10)