When you think Nintendo, you think of Mario. When you think Nintendo Baseball you think of Ken Griffey Jr. Ken Griffey's been starring in Nintendo games since the early days of Super Nintendo. And that's exactly the problem. Nintendo has built an entire series of baseball games based on the star power of Griffey and not the quality of the game.
The latest in this dreadful series is Ken Griffey Jr's SLUGFEST for Nintendo 64. This is the second Griffey game on the 64. Slugfest is a step up from the original which was simply titled Major League Baseball Starring Ken Griffey Jr. The graphics are a little better, but what's missing far out shines the improvements. The Stadiums are still very flat looking. The audience is a test pattern and nothing more. You don't hear nor see them here. The backdrops behind the Stadiums look like painted cardboard from a high school play.
The players are typical polygon images with the detail of a child's drawing. The sound effects are no better. In fact the announcer sounds decent, but is only excited when Griffey makes a play. The umpire sounds like a glorified soda machine. My ATM has more personality than this.
The default control is some of the worst yet for Griffey. So if you play this game do yourself a favor and change the setting to discontinue the Batting targeting system. For those of you who have played the Bottom Of The 9th series will recognize this system which they gave up in '96. Ken Griffey Jr's games have always been popular due to the fact that they're usually fun to play. Which is the most important part of a game. Slugfest can be fun. With a few alterations to the control, there is some fun to be had. But with the Nintendo 64's baseball line growing every year there are more and more choices out there. This year alone All-Star Baseball 2000 and Triple Play 2000 out perform Griffey. So why settle for third best? Ken Griffey Jr's Slugfest is just another ego trip for Griffey and another let down for us.
PUBLISHER: NINTENDO
GRAPHICS: 6 SOUND & MUSIC: 4 CONTROL: 4
SECRETS: 8 ORIGINALITY: 3 FUN & REPLAY: 7
OVERALL: 5
(thanks to ign for the screen shots)
