MLB Power Pros for Wii

[Alloutwar]

Okay - at first glance, this game looks really silly; little anime-ish, big-headed versions of real-life baseball players...it made me think of those Backyard Sports games or something.

However, after playing a game or two of it, it was really impressive! The game mechanics for aiming pitches and hitting were really pretty good - much better than 'The Bigs', which was my first Wii game purchases (waste of $35). You can maneuver your bat to hit the ball with your swing - either with a 'contact' hit, or the 'big swing' option. I hit a few homers as my Red Sox, and Big Papi even has animation; the little anime-version of him does the hand-kiss to the sky! That was Hilarious!

Lots of players have their batting stances and some particulars loaded into the game - Ichiro's oddball stance, Youkillis' stance....Jeff Weaver's trailer-park, Kid-Rockish bad hair...this is like an updated version of RBI Baseball if you play just an exhibition game...but you can play entire seasons, create players, trade and draft...and it all seems very in-depth.

there's even an RPG version where you can create a player, bring him up through college ball, and choose to train on certain things, make life choices, attract the eyes of the scouts, etc. It's a little silly, with the big anime animation style...but the underlying gameplay is impressive. And the ability to actually throw the pitches and swing the bat...a little more of what us old-school baseball veterans are looking for, more than PBP Player mode. Yet, it doesn't get so intense and impossible like the controls for 'The Bigs'.

Has anyone else played this game yet? I've only messed around a little bit, but this could really become my new baseball game...if I can create an all-fictional universe of players. And, assuming BM'09 doesn't bring me back into the fold...

[Coach Owens]

Okay - at first glance, this game looks really silly; little anime-ish, big-headed versions of real-life baseball players...it made me think of those Backyard Sports games or something.

However, after playing a game or two of it, it was really impressive! The game mechanics for aiming pitches and hitting were really pretty good - much better than 'The Bigs', which was my first Wii game purchases (waste of $35). You can maneuver your bat to hit the ball with your swing - either with a 'contact' hit, or the 'big swing' option. I hit a few homers as my Red Sox, and Big Papi even has animation; the little anime-version of him does the hand-kiss to the sky! That was Hilarious!

Lots of players have their batting stances and some particulars loaded into the game - Ichiro's oddball stance, Youkillis' stance....Jeff Weaver's trailer-park, Kid-Rockish bad hair...this is like an updated version of RBI Baseball if you play just an exhibition game...but you can play entire seasons, create players, trade and draft...and it all seems very in-depth.

there's even an RPG version where you can create a player, bring him up through college ball, and choose to train on certain things, make life choices, attract the eyes of the scouts, etc. It's a little silly, with the big anime animation style...but the underlying gameplay is impressive. And the ability to actually throw the pitches and swing the bat...a little more of what us old-school baseball veterans are looking for, more than PBP Player mode. Yet, it doesn't get so intense and impossible like the controls for 'The Bigs'.

Has anyone else played this game yet? I've only messed around a little bit, but this could really become my new baseball game...if I can create an all-fictional universe of players. And, assuming BM'09 doesn't bring me back into the fold...

The Bigs wasn't that hard. At least not for the 360.

[Alloutwar]

Ah - well, the Wii controls, with the Wii-mote and nunchuck together...it makes fielding and pitching very tough. Its not a combination of buttons, its proper wrist motions, just like throwing the pitches. Interesting and innovative, but god, it is too tough. For instance, to dive for a ball, you control the player with the nunchuck in your left hand, point the joystick in the direction you want to dive/leap with your left thumb, and then flick the wii-mote with your right hand in the direction of the dive/leap. It's just too much.

I'm starting to think the Wii is great as like an arcade system...excellent for when friends are over, or getting girlfriend and kids/relatives to play together...but for the serious guy-gamer, its not ideal. Glad I still have the PC for those ultra-nerdy games.

[Alloutwar]

Out of curiousity - why do people quote an entire post, when it is right above what they are posting anyway? I know you can copy parts of a post, to answer something specific...but a lot of people copy and quote the whole thing, which really just takes up space...right?

Not to be snide...I am just actually curious.

[ohms_law]

I always felt that doing that was rather annoying as well. I've never actually been bothered enough by it to complain, but still...

[Alloutwar]

By the way - I just finished the 'Success' mode of MLB Power Pros; they give you three years of college ball to develop your talent, get playing time, and prove yourself to ex-players, managers, and scouts. The whole thing is reminiscent of older games, like River City Ransom, with the silly interactions, working a side job, and attempting to get (or keep) a steady girlfriend.

After 3 years (that speed by, since you really get one turn a month, or maybe one a week during the season) , my character hadn't improved enough to catch anyone's attention or get drafted...so I actually lost. This makes me want to try again - and also makes me appreciate the games that you can actually lose in, rather than most RPGs today that you always are OK no matter what. Good stuff.

I have to bring it back to LackLuster Video tonight, so I probably won't be playing this again till Xmas.

[Red Sox Fan 734]

Awesome game! Best game i have for my Wii. The success mode is insane and the franchise mode is really in depth

[Alloutwar]

Really? HELP! How do you beat the success mode?? I lost! My career was over!!

[Red Sox Fan 734]

Havent beat it yet. But you have to win the tournament at the end of your 3rd year to win.

[Alloutwar]

I didn't even get to play in my first year - I only played like 2 games my third year. I got two hits, but we still lost 2-1 in the final game and didnt get to the tournament.

How did you do it?!? Just happened to win the games? Did you pump your players stats in some weird way? That Hyper-Recovery thing?

HOW!!! TELL ME HOW!

[Red Sox Fan 734]

I just beat it today!!!!! Like an hour ago. I don't know, im a pitcher so i control most of the game.

[Alloutwar]

Maybe thats it. I played a CF, and only got the few at-bats. ****.

I dont want to be a pitcher! I want to hit grand slams!!

[high_pitch]

MLB Power Pros is a new addition to the Nintendo' Wii library of games. I love sports games for the Wii because of the innovation used in the controller of the Wii.

[Alloutwar]

I did NOT get this for christmas! Darn, this was the one I really wanted! Instead I got Zelda, Rayman Raving Rabbids, and MarioKart, all of which I already had! Thank goodness Amazon lets you return it all...

Anyway, if someone can recommend where to get this game, please let me know; I would like to get a cheap used copy, istead of the $40 retail. thx

[ohms_law]

...If you're returning three games to Amazon, isn't that enough credit for one copy of MLB Power Pros (and then some left over?)

[Alloutwar]

...well sure, I mean, it's $145 or so of Amazon credit, with two CDs I am returning as well...I am just really cheap. :D I already have about 5 Wii games - and some Gamecube ones - so I feel better about purchasing more games if I get them cheap. :)

[Alloutwar]

I BOUGHT THE GAME! $28 of Amazon Credit well spent!!!

I waited and waited...didn't want to buy it at $35, that just didn't feel right...so I bought it at $25, $28 with shipping. Woohoo! Time to develop a team and take em through a season!

[bballfan12]

I bet this is fun on the Wii

[Alloutwar]

FYI - the second release of this game comes out today, on Wii/PS2. I am picking mine up...well....sometime in the next 5 months. Probably when it drops to like $25.

The first version blew my mind - all the stats and management/trading options from the BBM series, only
a) more realistic (less trades offered, you can trade once every 5 days, max of 3 players, etc)
b) actual roster rules (sending a player to DL or AAA means they can't instantly come back)
c) negotiations, free agents, etc

All this and the ability to actually play the games - throw the pitch, swing the bat with your own timing, a-la the RBI Baseball games of yore. Combining a hardcore baseball sim, with 80's-style game overview, and all the rules of the official league really makes for an enthralling experience (and has taken about 80% of by BBM playing time).

[dannymac910]

I wanna sell my 360 and get a Wii and a PS3 just for Power Pros and The Show.

[Alloutwar]

FYI - MLB Power Pros 2008 did come out in august, and did offer some updated rosters, slight enhancements, and a new My Life mode, which is pretty much like OOTP's Inside The Park baseball weaved into the game. It has some pretty good depth - make your 25 man roster out of any combination of players, assign roles to your bullpen/starters (any number of them), has 40-man expansion in September, and allows you to craete/import up to 200 players. I have a group of folks creating the free agents that should be in the game but aren't - Bartolo Colon, Freddy Garcia, Clemens/Lofton/Bernie Williams, etc.

There are some drawbacks; you can only GM a team for 10 years, simming is slow (comparatively to BM), and the success/my life modes still feel kiddy and cartoonish, to the point where I'm almost embarassed to play them in front of my girlfriend. :) Fielding AI is good, but a bit weak on soft liners; and for manual fielder control, the ability to switch fielders is still horrendous/lacking. But the game offers more difficulty, more chances to walk than last year's. And no more moving into the path of an incoming pitch to get hit! And the bat is finally see-through, so you can see the pitcher's delivery even with a Youk-ish stance.

Anyway, good game. Good community developing. If you want the GM feel with more realistic rules (25-man roster, waiting period for demotions/call ups, injury/DL, etc), AND the ability to truly swing the bat and throw the pitch, this game does it well - but still keeps it as simple as RBI baseball was for NES all those years ago.

[rogue9]

is the game difficult or can you rip the ai off like in most other baseball games

[AndrewOsborn]

The Bigs was so hard when I rented it for wii that I returned after playing for 20 minutes. MLB Powerpros ties with COD5 for the only games I like on my wii. It has amazing gameplay. You can play on easy for a 50-0 massacre or on "powerful" for a very challenging game. Very fun. a must have.

[Alloutwar]

You can rip off the AI in trades on easy or normal - send them Gil Meche for Tim Lincecum, for instance. But the trades have a 5-star rating system, letting you know the likelihood of success. It probably makes it a bit tougher to rip off than the BM logic (from 07), but still possible with the right combinations.

And again, teams have no concept of what they need - will trade their only closer for a 3B, when they already have A-rod there...etc. Seems unavoidable today.

[rogue9]

I can't decide if I should get power pros or mlb 2k9. I know everyone dogs 2k9 and loves power pros, but I am kinda iffy on the anime characters, and I don't dig doing that virtual life crap for created players in power pro. I think if i could create a player in power pro and not have to have a virtual gf, virtual home work, etc, i would probably go with that one.

[Alloutwar]

Yah, the anime part bites. Sorry.

But despite the big headed no-arms, no-legs characters, the gameplay is good. MLB2k9 will bite and is nigh-unplayable, from what I've seen; this is at least playable. And it will only be $25 or so on Amazon!

[Alloutwar]

Update: no 2009 version of this game came out in the US.

So, the 2008 is the most recent (fine by me, I save the $40 on a new game).

However, this means that the 2008 game doesn't include a whole host of MLB-debut players from late 08 and all of 2009. There is another forum (www.mlbppworld.com) dedicated to the game; if anyone is a fan and wants to create the prospects from their team, in the game, using the Success mode, I would appreciate the help.

Thanks.