MLB Power Pros 2008
Encyclopedia
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 game was released on July 29, 2008, and published by 2K Sports
. The game retains the same look, feel, and gameplay as its predecessor, but features updated rosters, new modes (such as MLB Life), new features (in-game bullpen control), among others.
During a game instead of pitching and batting the whole game, users will bat and run the bases as the individual player, and control other players on the bases. (This requires the user to enable the option of manual base running.) When the user plays as a pitcher, he or she will pitch only when the player is on the mound; fielding is computer-controlled.
When controlling a player, users will have a day planner every day. Most days there will be a period of time were users can choose what to do, called Free Time. Some would be hobbies like golf, driving, darts and reading. Another option is to rest, where players gain vitality and (in some cases) lower fatigue. There is also practice alone. That is when users will work on skills. Finally, there is Chat option, where players can talk to fellow baseball players, agents, managers, ladies, and others.
After 20 years or if players are showing age and have put up the significant statistics, the player's time to retire will come. After notifying the manager, a retirement date will be set. Once the player has played that day, their number may be retired. At that point, the player will have finished MLB life on MLB Power Pros 2008.
, Magglio Ordóñez
, Jimmy Rollins
, Prince Fielder
, Derrek Lee
, Francisco Rodríguez, Takashi Saito
, and Josh Beckett
.
praised it as a sequel, stating that while it was "nearly identical" to the first MLB Power Pros, the new features it did add worked well to the overall improvement of the series. GameSpot's Chris Watters noted the genuine complexities underneath cartoonish presentation, though also made a point of its similarities to the preceding release.
However, the PlayStation 2 version did not garner as high of scores, displaying a score of 67 on Metacritic, 12 points lower than its Wii counterpart. Ben Dutka of PSXExtreme called elements of the game "passable," but then highlighted its overwhelming depth (an aspect of the game some critics lauded) and simplistic graphics as hindrances of the total experience.
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...
. It is a baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
video game developed by Konami
Konami
is a Japanese leading developer and publisher of numerous popular and strong-selling toys, trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, slot machines, arcade cabinets and video games...
for Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
's Wii
Wii
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 Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
video game consoles, as well as 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...
handheld, and is part of the traditionally Japan-only Jikkyō Powerful Pro Yakyū series of video games. The game was released on July 29, 2008, and published by 2K Sports
2K Sports
2K Sports is a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. It comprises a single development studio, Visual Concepts, which was purchased from Sega in the year 2005. 2K Sports mainly develops and publishes American sports video games such as NBA 2K series...
. The game retains the same look, feel, and gameplay as its predecessor, but features updated rosters, new modes (such as MLB Life), new features (in-game bullpen control), among others.
MLB Life
The new mode on MLB Power Pro 2008 is about carrying on a career as a professional player (for the purposes of this section, "users" are those playing the video game, whereas "players" are the in-game characters); this player can be one of three things. First, the player may already be in the majors or triple A. Second, users can create a player and customize his skills. Third, users can use a created player from success mode; this player has made it to the major league level.During a game instead of pitching and batting the whole game, users will bat and run the bases as the individual player, and control other players on the bases. (This requires the user to enable the option of manual base running.) When the user plays as a pitcher, he or she will pitch only when the player is on the mound; fielding is computer-controlled.
When controlling a player, users will have a day planner every day. Most days there will be a period of time were users can choose what to do, called Free Time. Some would be hobbies like golf, driving, darts and reading. Another option is to rest, where players gain vitality and (in some cases) lower fatigue. There is also practice alone. That is when users will work on skills. Finally, there is Chat option, where players can talk to fellow baseball players, agents, managers, ladies, and others.
After 20 years or if players are showing age and have put up the significant statistics, the player's time to retire will come. After notifying the manager, a retirement date will be set. Once the player has played that day, their number may be retired. At that point, the player will have finished MLB life on MLB Power Pros 2008.
Cover
The cover features 8 then-MLB stars: Chien-Ming WangChien-Ming Wang
Chien-Ming Wang is a Taiwanese Major League Baseball pitcher. He was initially signed as an amateur free agent by the New York Yankees for the 2000 season, and played for the Staten Island Yankees...
, Magglio Ordóñez
Magglio Ordóñez
Magglio José Ordóñez Delgado is a Venezuelan Major League Baseball right fielder. He has played for the Chicago White Sox and Detroit Tigers . Ordóñez is six feet, one inch tall and weighs .-Professional career:...
, Jimmy Rollins
Jimmy Rollins
James Calvin "Jimmy" Rollins , nicknamed "J-Roll", is an All-Star and former MVP shortstop, who most recently played for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball's National League....
, Prince Fielder
Prince Fielder
Prince Semien Fielder is a Major League Baseball free agent who plays first base. He is currently listed at 5' 11" and . He was selected by the Brewers in the first round of the 2002 Major League Baseball Draft out of Eau Gallie High School in Melbourne, Florida.He is the son of former Detroit...
, Derrek Lee
Derrek Lee
Derrek Leon Lee , or "D-Lee", is a Major League Baseball first baseman. Lee has played with the San Diego Padres , the Florida Marlins , Chicago Cubs , Atlanta Braves , Baltimore Orioles and Pittsburgh Pirates . He bats and throws right-handed.Lee was a World Series Champion with Florida in 2003,...
, Francisco Rodríguez, Takashi Saito
Takashi Saito
is a Japanese professional baseball player.Saito previously pitched for the Yokohama BayStars in the Japanese Central League, compiling a record of 87–80 over 13 seasons...
, and Josh Beckett
Josh Beckett
Joshua Patrick Beckett is an American professional baseball pitcher with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball. During his career in the playoffs, he won the 2003 World Series MVP Award with the Florida Marlins, and received the 2007 ALCS MVP award with the Red Sox.-Florida Marlins :A...
.
Reception
Reviews for the Wii version game were mostly positive, earning it a 79 out of a possible 100 on Metacritic. Bozon of IGNIGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
praised it as a sequel, stating that while it was "nearly identical" to the first MLB Power Pros, the new features it did add worked well to the overall improvement of the series. GameSpot's Chris Watters noted the genuine complexities underneath cartoonish presentation, though also made a point of its similarities to the preceding release.
However, the PlayStation 2 version did not garner as high of scores, displaying a score of 67 on Metacritic, 12 points lower than its Wii counterpart. Ben Dutka of PSXExtreme called elements of the game "passable," but then highlighted its overwhelming depth (an aspect of the game some critics lauded) and simplistic graphics as hindrances of the total experience.