Little League World Series Baseball
Encyclopedia
The Little League World Series Baseball video games are based on the Little League World Series
. So far, there have been currently three games in the series, and no Little League World Series Baseball video game was released in 2011.
and the Nintendo DS
by Activision
. It is the first game to be officially licensed by Little League baseball for the seventh generation of consoles
. Its design mirrors MLB Power Pros
and its sequel MLB Power Pros 2008
. The gameplay is also similar to the baseball game in Wii Sports
. The game is a part of Activision's Fun4All
-brand in Europe.
The game begins when a player is taken to a main menu. They there can choose several different options, including World Series
mode, exhibition mode and minigames. In World Series mode, a player chooses one of the 16 different regions, and tries to reach the Little League World Series by making it through pool play, then winning in the playoffs. In the Exhibition mode, a player can pit any two teams in the game against each other for a faster, less-complicated experience.
The game has an extensive array of minigames called "Skill Challenges", which range from the power-hitting home run tourney to the accuracy-important Tic-tac-toe
.
mode, exhibition mode and minigames. In addition, the game will feature online leaderboards, Trophies and Achievements.
In World Series mode, a player chooses one of the 16 different regions, and tries to reach the Little League World Series by making it through pool play, then winning in the playoffs. In the Exhibition mode, a player can pit any two teams in the game against each other for a faster, less-complicated experience.
Little League World Series Baseball 2010 was met with mixed results following its release. Gamespot's Brett Todd gave the game a 5.5 (mediocre) score, claiming "With more finesse and depth, Little League World Series Baseball 2010 could have been a contender." Popzara's Herman Exum was more forgiving in his review, citing the game's aesthetics and whimsical Japanese-style, stating "That the game's graphics look more like a Saturday morning cartoon than ESPN shouldn't be taken as a sign of cheap development, but a cultural one."
Little League World Series
The Little League Baseball World Series is a baseball tournament for children aged 11 to 13 years old. It was originally called the National Little League Tournament and was later renamed for the World Series in Major League Baseball. It was first held in 1947 and is held every August in South...
. So far, there have been currently three games in the series, and no Little League World Series Baseball video game was released in 2011.
Little League World Series Baseball 2008
Little League World Series Baseball 2008 is a video game released on August 5, 2008 for the WiiWii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
and the Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
by Activision
Activision
Activision is an American publisher, majority owned by French conglomerate Vivendi SA. Its current CEO is Robert Kotick. It was founded on October 1, 1979 and was the world's first independent developer and distributor of video games for gaming consoles...
. It is the first game to be officially licensed by Little League baseball for the seventh generation of consoles
History of video game consoles (seventh generation)
In the history of video games, the seventh generation of consoles is the current generation , and includes consoles released since late by Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony...
. Its design mirrors MLB Power Pros
MLB Power Pros
MLB Power Pros is a baseball video game developed by Konami for the Wii and PlayStation 2 video game consoles. It is part of the traditionally Japan-only Jikkyō Powerful Pro Yakyū series of video games, and is the first game in the series to be released outside of Japan. It was released on October...
and its sequel MLB Power Pros 2008
MLB Power Pros 2008
MLB Power Pros 2008 is the sequel to MLB Power Pros. It is a baseball video game developed by Konami for Nintendo's Wii and the Sony PlayStation 2 video game consoles, as well as the Nintendo DS handheld, and is part of the traditionally Japan-only Jikkyō Powerful Pro Yakyū series of video games....
. The gameplay is also similar to the baseball game in Wii Sports
Wii Sports
is a sports game developed and published by Nintendo as a launch title for the Wii video game console , and part of the Touch! Generations. The game was first released in North America along with the Wii on November 19, 2006, and was released in Japan, Australia, and Europe the following month...
. The game is a part of Activision's Fun4All
Fun4All
Fun4All is a brand made by Activision for their line of family-friendly video games for the Wii. The brand launched in Europe on February 13, 2009 and is currently exclusive to PAL territories. Activision planned to launch a similar brand in North America called "Wee 1st", but decided later to name...
-brand in Europe.
The game begins when a player is taken to a main menu. They there can choose several different options, including World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
mode, exhibition mode and minigames. In World Series mode, a player chooses one of the 16 different regions, and tries to reach the Little League World Series by making it through pool play, then winning in the playoffs. In the Exhibition mode, a player can pit any two teams in the game against each other for a faster, less-complicated experience.
The game has an extensive array of minigames called "Skill Challenges", which range from the power-hitting home run tourney to the accuracy-important Tic-tac-toe
Tic-tac-toe
Tic-tac-toe, also called wick wack woe and noughts and crosses , is a pencil-and-paper game for two players, X and O, who take turns marking the spaces in a 3×3 grid. The X player usually goes first...
.
- In Home Run Tourney, a player sets the number of pitches, then tries to hit as many home runHome runIn baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s as possible out of that number. Extra points are awarded when a player hits a hot-air balloon in the outfield, or when they hit consecutive home runs. - In Tic-Tac-ToeTic-tac-toeTic-tac-toe, also called wick wack woe and noughts and crosses , is a pencil-and-paper game for two players, X and O, who take turns marking the spaces in a 3×3 grid. The X player usually goes first...
, a Tic-Tac-Toe board is at the plate, and its separate squares change color. Depending on the color of the square, a player must throw a fastball(red), change-up(yellow), curveball(green), or slider(blue) as accurately as possible. If the pitch hits a same-colored square as its color, it will make a mark there. If a pitch hits the incorrect color, play will pass to the next player. - In Pitching bowling, a player is simply bowling from the pitchers mound. In ten frames, the player(s) must try to get as many pins as they can by pitching at them. Similar to Home Run Tourney, the point of the game is to hit the ball as far as you can.
- However, it is similar to the basketball game H-O-R-S-E- in the sense that a player must hit the ball to a target area of the field, or they get a letter of the word horse. They must get as many points as they can before they miss five times. They get bonus points for hitting the ball further, and are eliminated when they spell out the word horse.
Little League World Series Baseball 2009
Little League World Series Baseball 2009 is a video game developed by Japanese developer Now Production (NowPro). The game begins when a player is taken to a main menu. They there can choose several different options, including World Series mode, exhibition mode and minigames. In World Series mode, a player chooses one of the 16 different regions, and tries to reach the Little League World Series by making it through regionals, pool play, then winning in the playoffs. In the Exhibition mode, a player can pit any two teams in the game against each other for a faster, less-complicated experience.Little League World Series Baseball 2010
Little League World Series Baseball 2010 is a video game released in North America on July 20, 2010. The game begins when a player is taken to a main menu. They there can choose several different options, including World SeriesWorld Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
mode, exhibition mode and minigames. In addition, the game will feature online leaderboards, Trophies and Achievements.
In World Series mode, a player chooses one of the 16 different regions, and tries to reach the Little League World Series by making it through pool play, then winning in the playoffs. In the Exhibition mode, a player can pit any two teams in the game against each other for a faster, less-complicated experience.
Reception
Little League World Series 2008 Wii and DS games have received very separate reactions from critics. Some call the game "Simple, yet tough to master." While others say it's "...best for the younger players." One of the main criticisms of the game, especially from its online gamers, has been its lack of Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.Little League World Series Baseball 2010 was met with mixed results following its release. Gamespot's Brett Todd gave the game a 5.5 (mediocre) score, claiming "With more finesse and depth, Little League World Series Baseball 2010 could have been a contender." Popzara's Herman Exum was more forgiving in his review, citing the game's aesthetics and whimsical Japanese-style, stating "That the game's graphics look more like a Saturday morning cartoon than ESPN shouldn't be taken as a sign of cheap development, but a cultural one."
External links
- Official Little League World Series Baseball 2008 site at Activision