Dynamite Slugger review by substance J

With the empty feeling left by Baseball Stars, I was glad to see ADK get into the baseball market on NGPC. ADK's first portable baseball release was Neo Poke Pro Baseball, which became highly recommended by the 2 people (at last count) in America who were able to actually find a copy. Now a year later, ADK has stepped up to the plate again with Dynamite Slugger, offering much wider distribution thankfully.

Graphics
If you compare Dynamite Slugger and Baseball Stars side by side, the leap in quality is remarkable. Dynamite Slugger's sprites even show notable improvement over Pro Baseball's visuals. The colorful players sport a ton of detail and are drawn in a more serious style, which reminds me of the MVS Baseball Stars games. There are a bunch of different body types and stances to keep things interesting, so that's very cool. The field view is about what you'd expect on a portable, with simple SD players and such. But even then there's quite a bit of detail in the stands, and you can even see the stitches on the ball as it's popped up. The only disappointment for me is the lack of a more exciting home run celebration. Baseball Stars had the nifty crowd graphics, and Pro Baseball had at least some fireworks and a lineup of celebrating players (AND stuffed animals that would be thrown into the crowd, if you wanna get technical. Cool scaling effect too). Seeing "Home Run!" spelled out is a little weak. Animated coach portraits during time outs are a nice addition though...

Sound
Music and SFX are handled pretty well in Dynamite Slugger. From the US national anthem at the title screen (in a Japanese game?) to the various gameplay tunes, everything has a real baseball sound to it. Of course, that means its total cheese, but it fits well enough that it doesn't matter. SFX are relatively nondescript, though there are a few notable effects like an infuriated player breaking a bat over his knee.

Gameplay
Typical play modes await you at the menu screen, like exhibition, tournament and pennant race (oh, and a team editor as well. Guinea residents, this is your chance to shine!). Pretty standard stuff, though the gameplay depth surprised me once things got underway. Each pitcher has a related ERA and stamina rating, and even distinctive pitches to separate them from the rest. Certain pitchers excel in particular types of throws, so it really can make a difference in who you pick. Fielding is relatively deep, with diving and jumping catches, the ability to quickly cover unmanned bases (helpful if a baseman should get hit in the head by a swift drive. Really, that happens more often than you'd think...), random errors, etc. Base running also presents a good amount of features, even the ability to cause collisions instead of sliding. With all the action that can take place at one time, the controls remain simple and responsive. Woo hoo!

Even with its relatively deep features, Dynamite Slugger is a decidedly arcade-like experience. The pace is fast, with special power-ups for pinch hitters and pitchers (similar to Baseball Stars) and final scores that commonly break 25 points. This is all cool with me, but unless you're a total ditz, winning is pretty much guaranteed. There are instances of the CPU fighting a hard scoring battle the entire game, but that's quite rare. It's possible far too often to draw runners off base for easy outs, or immediately follow up a missed pitch before the batter can start another swing animation. The CPU also has a tendency to make reckless managing decisions, like bringing in a 7.49 ERA pitcher during crucial final innings, or failing to bring in a powerful pinch hitter with the bases loaded. There are no difficulty settings either, so you'll just have to select solid teams and hope for some sort of a fight.

Overall
ADK certainly knows how to make a fun and addictive baseball game. With just enough flash and style, Dynamite Slugger is arguably the best baseball game on NGPC. Definitely my favorite of the bunch. With such a solid engine, it's just a shame the AI can be so easily outsmarted. A bit more challenge would have made it a real sports classic (think Neo Geo Cup '98). But still, it offers an enjoyable arcade feel that's perfect for some instant gaming satisfaction, and perhaps that's ideal for a handheld system anyhow. If you're looking for a portable baseball title, Dynamite Slugger gets my recommendation. Indeed, as the package so proudly exclaims, "It's White Hotter Than Ever!"