#63 - Bases Loaded

Constipation Jones steps up to pitch!

All the players have a feminine swagger, but according to the Jaleco press release for the game, they're "all man!"




Baseball is a relatively simple sport: throw the ball, hit the ball, catch the ball, run fast, and that's about it. Somehow, the good people at Jaleco managed to make four entries into the Bases Loaded series on the NES, before continuing with three more entries on the SNES. This makes for a total of at least SEVEN Bases Loaded games. Now, as I've only played the first one, I can't judge Jaleco prematurely for their decision to rob baseball fans blind (games still cost forty to sixty dollars in the NES days)... but why were three sequels necessary? It's not like a series like Mega Man where Capcom makes entirely new bosses, levels, weapons, and music, but keeps the same basic gameplay. Unless you add cartoonish elements, baseball remains the SAME FREAKIN' GAME.

But I digress. For its day, Bases Loaded isn't that bad. There are some features, for better or for worse, that make it stand out against the rest of the NES baseball pack.

Better Features

1. Graphics and animation - When the camera is zoomed in on the pitcher and the hitter, the players actually resemble real people instead of outcast midgets from the land of Oz (see Baseball). The pitching and swinging animations are also top-notch. It's a shame, then, when the camera zooms out to the entire field and, once again, every player turns into a pixelated hobbit.

Neutral Features

2. The umpire/sound quality - To my surprise, the umpire's voice is not nearly as annoying as it should be. He always calls the plays with the power of the NES sound chip, so it's a good thing his robotic voice doesn't grate. The only time he sounds like a squelchy 8-bit fart is when he calls a "foul," but the rest of the time, he's tolerable.

3. Lack of options - Personally, I just want to play baseball. I don't have a desire to create a team, or play through a million games a season. Thankfully, that's what Bases Loaded provides, along with your typical versus mode. Sim fans looking for options should move on to Baseball Simulator 1,000 or the first Baseball Stars.

Weird/Poorly Done Features

4. Camera behind the pitcher instead of the batter - Why mess with success? Every NES baseball game places the camera behind the batter. It makes sense. If you're batting, you want to be able to see and adjust your batter properly, in time with the pitch. Obviously, when you're pitching, this camera angle is less of a problem, but batting quickly becomes a pain.

5. The infielder/outfielder difference - I know in real baseball, it takes longer for outfielders to throw to the base. But for crying out loud, it's not like the ball is gently rolling through the air, carried along by a soft summer breeze. The outfielders throws suck in this game, and it doesn't matter if they're in center, left, or right field. The infielders, on the other hand, have mitts of fire. If they throw a ball, it zooms to the proper base in record time. Had Jaleco found a happy medium, Bases Loaded would have my favorite field play so far. The camera is super smooth and follows the ball perfectly.

So far, Bases Loaded seems like a decent series, but I doubt Jaleco can sustain my already limited interest over three more games.

B-