MLB Stickball
Encyclopedia
MLB Stickball is an MLB
-licensed stickball
video game published by 2K Sports
for the Xbox 360
via Xbox Live Arcade
. It was released on October 8, 2008.
“Big Head” Major League Baseball cards, which unlock players respectively. Each team has 4 different unlockable players, usually the bigger names. In the "Tour" mode, which has the player going around to different cities to play different teams, the player starts with one major league baseball player if the player is a first time user. Usually it is a player that easily represents the team, such as Prince Fielder for the Brewers or Derek Jeter for the Yankees. The Tour gets progressively harder as the player continues. Gameplay recreates the atmosphere of street stickball based in various cities such as Brooklyn
, San Francisco and Boston
.
The game makes use of the environment, as objects on the field represent benefits and hazards. For instance, striking a fire hydrant
with a batted ball will cause it to spray water onto the street for a bonus. Breaking a window turns a potential extra base hit into an out. Certain special items that are identified in the achievements are worth even extra, such as hitting the "wheel" or "basketball hoop". Hitting these are worth 20 gamer points, and require a good amount of luck rather than certain skill. These extra points can also be obtained by hitting cars, scooters, and cows (on the bounce). Later these points can be used to purchase more Topp's cards. A pack of three random cards costs 50 points.
Before each game the player can choose which four players he would like on his team. These players have to be a real part of the team. If the player has not unlocked all the characters on the team they have selected, they can use anonymous characters, skilled in specific areas.
When pitching the player can choose one of four pitches based on the 4 color buttons on the controller. These choices are a lob pitch, a fastball, a curveball, or a bouncing pitch. Each seems to have their own uses and are best when mixed and matched. After choosing a pitch and location a meter appears in which the player must hold the button down for a certain amount of time in order to help guarantee the perfection of the pitch. The higher "green" (towards the top) of the meter that the player gets, the more likely his pitch will do as he desired. Power pitchers and accuracy based pitchers are more likely to have the ball go in the spot that they desire, but players like the power hitters can strike the computer out in the lower levels of tour mode as long as they use the meter well. This is exceptionally important because there are few ways to get an out in the game, and the most helpful to the player is a strikeout due to the five points received for its completion.
When batting a player can only hit a ball that is located in the strike zone. The player can move his player back and forth in the batter's box if so desired. Simply press "A" with good timing to hit the pitch. If the player presses "B" instead the batter is more likely to hit a home run, but also more likely to pop out. The characters baserun themselves and take only the minimum amount of bases - for example if there is a man on first and the character hits a double, the man on first would have advanced to third. Home Runs are worth extra points, and a grand slam unlocks an achievement.
Before pitching the player also has the choice of moving his fielding players around with the use of the right bumper. Many times he or she can choose such things as left, right, deep, shallow, or normal. A lot of times this will be based on the stats shown in the bottom right of the opposing hitter - a hitter that is a pitcher will most likely have bad hitting stats - allowing the opponent to play shallow and get the out from the groundout more readily.
The player plays six innings per game in tour mode, though in exhibition the player can choose either 3, 6, or 9 inning games. If the player is winning going into the bottom of the 6th, or the bottom of the last inning, the last half of the inning is not played, similar to Major League Baseball. If a team wins, its characters celebrate around home plate - if they lose, they look discouraged around the pitcher's area. After a game the player is presented stats of the characters he used, including strikeouts, RBIs, hits, and ERA.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
-licensed stickball
Stickball
Stickball is a street game related to baseball, usually formed as a pick-up game, played in large cities in the Northeastern United States, especially New York City. The equipment consists of a broom handle and a rubber ball, typically a spaldeen, pensie pinkie, high bouncer or tennis ball. The...
video game 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...
for the Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
via Xbox Live Arcade
Xbox Live Arcade
Xbox Live Arcade is a type of video game download distribution available primarily in a section of the Xbox Live Marketplace, Microsoft's digital distribution network for the Xbox 360, that focuses on smaller downloadable games from both major publishers and independent game developers...
. It was released on October 8, 2008.
Gameplay
In the game, players buy and collect packs of ToppsTopps
The Topps Company, Inc., manufactures chewing gum, candy and collectibles. Based in New York, New York, Topps is best known as a leading producer of baseball cards, football cards, basketball cards, hockey cards and other sports and non-sports themed trading cards.-Company history:Topps itself was...
“Big Head” Major League Baseball cards, which unlock players respectively. Each team has 4 different unlockable players, usually the bigger names. In the "Tour" mode, which has the player going around to different cities to play different teams, the player starts with one major league baseball player if the player is a first time user. Usually it is a player that easily represents the team, such as Prince Fielder for the Brewers or Derek Jeter for the Yankees. The Tour gets progressively harder as the player continues. Gameplay recreates the atmosphere of street stickball based in various cities such as Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, San Francisco and Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
.
The game makes use of the environment, as objects on the field represent benefits and hazards. For instance, striking a fire hydrant
Fire hydrant
A fire hydrant , is an active fire protection measure, and a source of water provided in most urban, suburban and rural areas with municipal water service to enable firefighters to tap into the municipal water...
with a batted ball will cause it to spray water onto the street for a bonus. Breaking a window turns a potential extra base hit into an out. Certain special items that are identified in the achievements are worth even extra, such as hitting the "wheel" or "basketball hoop". Hitting these are worth 20 gamer points, and require a good amount of luck rather than certain skill. These extra points can also be obtained by hitting cars, scooters, and cows (on the bounce). Later these points can be used to purchase more Topp's cards. A pack of three random cards costs 50 points.
Before each game the player can choose which four players he would like on his team. These players have to be a real part of the team. If the player has not unlocked all the characters on the team they have selected, they can use anonymous characters, skilled in specific areas.
When pitching the player can choose one of four pitches based on the 4 color buttons on the controller. These choices are a lob pitch, a fastball, a curveball, or a bouncing pitch. Each seems to have their own uses and are best when mixed and matched. After choosing a pitch and location a meter appears in which the player must hold the button down for a certain amount of time in order to help guarantee the perfection of the pitch. The higher "green" (towards the top) of the meter that the player gets, the more likely his pitch will do as he desired. Power pitchers and accuracy based pitchers are more likely to have the ball go in the spot that they desire, but players like the power hitters can strike the computer out in the lower levels of tour mode as long as they use the meter well. This is exceptionally important because there are few ways to get an out in the game, and the most helpful to the player is a strikeout due to the five points received for its completion.
When batting a player can only hit a ball that is located in the strike zone. The player can move his player back and forth in the batter's box if so desired. Simply press "A" with good timing to hit the pitch. If the player presses "B" instead the batter is more likely to hit a home run, but also more likely to pop out. The characters baserun themselves and take only the minimum amount of bases - for example if there is a man on first and the character hits a double, the man on first would have advanced to third. Home Runs are worth extra points, and a grand slam unlocks an achievement.
Before pitching the player also has the choice of moving his fielding players around with the use of the right bumper. Many times he or she can choose such things as left, right, deep, shallow, or normal. A lot of times this will be based on the stats shown in the bottom right of the opposing hitter - a hitter that is a pitcher will most likely have bad hitting stats - allowing the opponent to play shallow and get the out from the groundout more readily.
The player plays six innings per game in tour mode, though in exhibition the player can choose either 3, 6, or 9 inning games. If the player is winning going into the bottom of the 6th, or the bottom of the last inning, the last half of the inning is not played, similar to Major League Baseball. If a team wins, its characters celebrate around home plate - if they lose, they look discouraged around the pitcher's area. After a game the player is presented stats of the characters he used, including strikeouts, RBIs, hits, and ERA.