Game Boy Color

Ken Griffey Jr.'s Slugfest

Advertising Blurbs

While Mark McGwire spent his off-season on a beach in Australia, the code jockeys at Angel Studios were hard at work buffing up Griffey baseball for the N64. So many new features and capabilities have been added that vets of last year's Griffey will scarcely recognize the new game.

A moment's side-by-side comparison reveals that this year's graphics are far clearer and sharper than last year's, even in medium resolution. Selecting hi-res graphics -- they're supported by the Expansion Pak -- makes Slugfest even more gorgeous.

An impressive list of free agents greatly expands your ability to fine-tune a roster in the heat of a pennant race. Darryl Strawberry, Hal Morris, Roger Pavlik and other notables are sorted by position and hitting or pitching stats. Like last year's Griffey, the CPU turns down one-sided trades. This time, though, you can override rejected deals.

The other modes -- Exhibition, Season, World Series and Home Run Derby -- are back. Twelve to 30 teams can participate in a season, which can last a full season, a half season or the September-October pennant race. A World Series can now be played by teams in the same league. You can simulate any Season or World Series game or, if you like to watch, an Exhibition game.

Recognizing that a full-blown create-a-player feature is practically mandatory in sports games these days, Angel has given you the opportunity to engineer 20 players. Name, position, number, height, weight, appearance, and batting stance are configureable for each player, as are throwing with the left or right hand and lefty, righty or switch hitting. Most intriguingly, you can customize your stud's temperament as patient, normal, aggressive or wild.

Subtle enhancements that will bring home that genuine ballpark feel include more batting stances, new uniforms and new stadiums, including Griffey's new home yard, Safeco Field. Player abilities are based on comprehensive STATS Inc. stats. In a welcome concession to realism, Angel has considerably toned down players' emoting.

Arcade and cursor-less Classic batting styles are back, as well as CPU-assisted running and automatic or manual fielding.

The soundtrack includes Mariners' play-by-play announcer Dave Niehaus, an umpire calling balls and strikes, a leather-lunged PA announcer and Griffey's very own color commentary. Rounding out the rich audio are you-are-there crowd hollers and a throbbing hip-hop score, all recorded in broadcast-quality Dolby sound.


Contributed by Evil Ryu (31332) on Aug 15, 2005.

The GBC design specs say the system can display 52 colors simultaneously, but the coding wizards at aptly named Software Creations have figured out a way to put hundreds of colors on screen at once. You'll best notice this technical breakthrough in the mottled grass and subtle shading on players' uniforms.

Like its N64 brother, Slugfest plays with a juiced-up ball for rat-a-tat-tat arcade action. Because slow-paced action is as much a bummer in a Game Pak as in the big leagues, Slugfest comes with drastically simplified pitch selection. You choose one of four pitches (fastball, change, curve left or curve right) with the Control Pad, then jab the B Button to pitch or the A Button to try a pick-off.

Don't be fooled by its streamlined controls, though: Slugfest features subtle touches we haven't seen in other hand-held baseball Paks. By pressing the Control Pad, batters can direct the ball into the air, onto the ground or to left or right. The lickety-split action even extends to strikes, as batters are much more likely to hammer spectacular fouls than to miss a pitch altogether. Fielders can leap, dive or even climb the outfield wall.

Ken Griffey Jr.'s Slugfest carries full MLB and MLBPA licenses, so you'll see all your favorite teams and players, plus All-Star teams for each league. By waiting until the very last moment to update the rosters, Software Creations managed to fit Rocket Roger into Yankee pinstripes and have 1998 Padre hero Greg Vaughn patrolling left field for the Reds.

Ballplayers' performances are based on plenty of real-life stats. For example, go-get-'em outfielders like Griffey and Jim Edmonds have greater range and are far less likely to make an error than their ham-handed counterparts. Software Creations has even built in multiple batting stances.

You can play and save a season of 26, 78 or 162 games, simulating games as you go. Turn on the Manage Only option and the CPU will pitch, bat, field and run for both teams, although you'll still be able to make player moves. Of course you can revamp your lineup and starting rotation at any time. You can also turn off the designated hitter option.

Games can last 1, 5, 7 or 9 innings. You can also play an exhibition, go straight to the World Series with any American League and National League teams you choose or square off against three friends in a home-run derby.

Slugfest's excellent soundtrack boasts a jazzy score and even the "Crack!" of bat meeting ball. In order to display all those colors, Ken Griffey Jr.'s Slugfest is a Game Boy Color-only title. It is not backward compatible with Game Boy pocket and original Game Boy.

True to its name, Slugfest doesn't deliver many 1-0 pitching duels. Considering the way grand slams are flying out of big-league ballparks this year, though, Slugfest could be a lot more realistic than you might think!


Contributed by Evil Ryu (31332) on Jun 02, 2005.

Ken Griffey, Jr.’s Slugfest Drives Home More Fun, Greater Realism New Nintendo Sports Title Looks Right, Feels Right, Plays Right

LOS ANGELES, May 12, 1999 – Striding to the plate wielding a powerfully enhanced Nintendo 64, Ken Griffey, Jr. is set to rewrite the record book for interactive baseball entertainment with the all-new Ken Griffey, Jr.’s Slugfest. Available May 10 for a suggested retail price of $59.95, the game supports N64’s proprietary Rumble Pak and N64 Expansion Pak’ capabilities. Players can imagine the feel of the crack of the bat and even see dirt kicked onto home plate.

‘Junior’ himself modeled for extensive motion capture sessions which resulted in ultra-realistic animation. Game players can pilot three-dimensional ‘fly-throughs’ at all thirty Major League’ parks—including the new Seattle Mariners’ SafeCo Field, set to open in mid-season. The addition of the Nintendo 64 Expansion Pak further boosts realism by offering beautiful, high-resolution graphics. A Game Boy Color version of Ken Griffey, Jr.’s Slugfest will also be available on June 1 for a suggested retail price of $29.95.

"This level of detail and realism coupled with the game’s fast, easy-to-learn arcade action makes Ken Griffey, Jr.’s Slugfest the most fully entertaining baseball game on the market," says Peter Main, Nintendo’s executive vice president, sales and marketing. "Both casual fans and baseball nuts will love it."

Slugfest’s all new create-a-player option allows anyone to custom build a one-of-a-kind Major Leaguer, complete with height, weight and performance characteristics -- even facial hair. Improved artificial intelligence allows for more realistic baseball excitement: watch as the center fielder dives for a line drive or the first base umpire ducks to evade a foul ball. Players can choose to compete in any of four different game modes including Exhibition, Season, World Series’ and Home Run Derby’. All results can be saved directly to the 128-megabit cartridge.

Commentary by Seattle Mariners play-by-play announcer Dave Niehaus keeps gamers informed on all the action in full Dolby Surround Sound®. The game’s soundtrack also features umpire-called balls and strikes and PA announcements for over 750 actual Big Leaguers. Innovative use of the Rumble Pak allows hitters to feel contact with the ball, or pitchers to sense when base runners are getting ready to steal.

The Game Boy Color version of Ken Griffey, Jr.’s Slugfest will also feature all the Major League’ teams and stadiums for the ultimate in hand-held baseball. Take the action on the road with top-notch arcade action and beautiful 56 color graphics.

Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, is the acknowledged worldwide leader in the creation of interactive entertainment. To date, Nintendo has sold more than one billion video games worldwide, created such industry icons as Mario and Donkey Kong, and launched franchises like The Legend of Zelda and Pokémon. Nintendo manufactures and markets hardware and software for its popular home video game systems, including the Nintendo 64 and Game Boy – the world’s best-selling video game system. As a wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo's operations in North America.

For more information about Ken Griffey, Jr.’s Slugfest or any other Nintendo product visit the company's web site, www.nintendo.com.

Major League Baseball trademarks and copyrights are used with permission of Major League Baseball Properties, Inc.

© MLBPA. Official Licensee-Major League Baseball Players Association.


Contributed by skl (1163) on Feb 17, 2004.