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Video Game Review: Mario Super Sluggers

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DOUG BUEL

Tribune correspondent

Published: September 5, 2008

System: Nintendo Wii

Publisher: Nintendo

Reviewer's rating: ***

ESRB rating: Everyone

Game type: Baseball

Kind of like: "Mario Superstar Baseball"

Best feature: It's fun hitting and pitching the ball with the Wiimote.

Worst feature: The game is extremely similar to "Mario Superstar Baseball," the Nintendo GameCube game.

The bottom line: If there's a sport, it seems that Mario and his friends play it.

Nintendo has been to the baseball park before. "Mario Super Sluggers" is essentially a Nintendo Wii version of "Mario Superstar Baseball."

Since we're using the Wiimote, though, the controls have become more fun.

To pitch the ball, you raise the Wiimote back and then sling it forward. You can tilt the Wiimote left or right to curve the ball inside or outside. By holding down the A button while you pitch, you can throw a changeup.

When you wind up for the pitch, an aura will appear around your pitcher that will build in intensity and quickly recede. If you swing the Wiimote forward at just the right moment, the ball will be supercharged.

The same goes for batting - bring the Wiimote back and then sling it forward at the right time to hit the ball.

Holding the Wiimote back for just the right amount of time gives your swing the maximum power. This is challenging, because you have to antipate the pitcher's release of the ball.

Since it's a Mario game, the characters have all sorts of special tricks. Mario, for example, can throw a fiery pitch. These special moves are pretty much lifted from the "Superstar Baseball" game on the GameCube.

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