All-Star Baseball 2001

Go figure. On the system everyone counted out when it came to sports, Acclaim released the best console baseball title ever - All Star Baseball. Regardless of the lack of competition among N64 baseball titles, ASB proved that cartridge gaming did not preclude quality sports games. Not content to rest on their laurels, Acclaim and High Voltage are back this year with All Star Baseball 2001, and once again, it's not on the PlayStation or the Dreamcast but on the Nintendo 64.

Overall, ASB 2001 is still the standard when it comes to baseball on the N64. It's quite an accomplishment for Acclaim to have warded off EA Sports, Konami and even Nintendo itself in the baseball genre this year. High Voltage could've easily gotten away with rolling out the same game as last year but the effort they've put into ASB 2001 shows and it's worth it.

This is the best baseball game on Nintendo 64 and PlayStation that I've played so far. If you even have a remote interest in baseball is to pick up this game. If you like playing baseball but don't like watching this could still be up your alley. I didn't start watching baseball till just recently which inspired me to pick up this game and I'm glad I did. It's one of the most graphically impressive games on Nintendo 64, and while the audio could use a little work, the excellent gameplay, massive amounts of features, and decent replay more than make up for that.

If you're a fan of video baseball games, then you're aware of the accolades that Acclaim's All-Star Baseball series has received. Filled with scrumptious visuals, perfect gameplay, and tons of value, the N64 releases have redefined how we think of video game hardball. Though Acclaim's Game Boy efforts haven't lived up to their N64 counterparts, the All-Star Baseball series still epitomizes quality handheld hardball. As sure as baseball season is upon us once again, Acclaim is back with its third All-Star Baseball release, All-Star Baseball 2001.

All Star's pace is slow, and games take too long to play. The commentator constantly refers to home plate as "the dish", which is about the most annoying expression I've ever heard. All Star Baseball 2001 is clearly a case of Acclaim "mailing it in", making this a highly questionable "upgrade" for owners of All Star Baseball 2000.