Mario Super Sluggers Hands-On

The first time we had a chance to check out Mario Super Sluggers for Nintendo Wii, we were none too impressed. As a sequel to GameCube's 2005 Mario Superstar Baseball – also developed by Namco – we knew what to expect from the simple "charge and release" gameplay the Mario Sports franchises have been using for years previously. Unfortunately, the first live demo Nintendo showed off wasn't making too strong of a case for the game, showing off some pretty admirable visuals, but a whole lot of waggle and Wii-mote only control. Pull back and then forward to pitch or bat, and watch as your team auto-fields and base-runs on the fly, with only a bit of waggle to encourage them to move faster. It was none too impressive.

The game has since released in Japan, along with some new info on the title along the way. Nunchuk and Wii-mote control is supported in the final build, as is the ability to turn the remote on its side and play Sluggers like a classic NES game. In fact, now that we've gone hands-on with the other modes and options in the game, we've got more faith in the product than we openly expressed originally. There's more depth, some entertaining gameplay quirks that the Mario sports series is known for, and a pretty robust experience for both single and multiplayer gamers. It's not amazing by any standard, but it's an easy recommendation for younger baseball fans, and we're only a few hours in.


Sluggers is set up like the previous GameCube title, so anyone returning for a second trip around the bases should already know the score pretty well. Whether you're pitching or hitting, the game uses the same "charge and release" system as before, so the better you time your swing or pitch, the better you'll execute. Holding A on the Wii remote allows you to pitch a lob ball, which will still act as a strike if missed, and holding a direction on the analog stick while flicking will throw to any base on the diamond. Of course in Wii-mote only mode, a flick in any direction will automatically throw to the right base, and it's a bit too simple; very much a "baby mode" to say the least.

The charge and release mechanic works well, and pitchers still have a chance to add a little after-touch to throws, curving it out of the strike zone with either the analog stick, or Wii-mote tilt (in Wii-mote only mode). Super pitches and hits make a return, executed by holding A and B together while either swinging or throwing, and while you can still hit off of them (or defend them, should you be on defense), it's a nice way to swing the favor in a specific team's direction in as little as an inning of play. It never got too cheap or imbalanced, which is nice, but it added a much-needed level of strategy into the otherwise simple design.

We still have a few gripes though, and are trying to figure out just how to move past them since the game is finished and out the door in Japan. The mini-map in the upper right of the screen, for example, doesn't show fielders, so a ball can be flying, and you've got no idea which player you're currently selected on, or where the final destination of the ball is until your player comes into view on-screen. Depending on the type of hit, you'll have some time to navigate an arrow that points to your defender off-screen, but it really isn't precise enough, and we're hoping there's a hidden option among the Japanese text that lets us cut the camera from the ball mid-flight, over to the defender we're trying to position.

Along those same lines, there's also some annoying issues with player auto-switch while trying to field balls. The game will often switch your defender on the fly, so while you're moving towards the ball with one player, you may find yourself running away from it with another in a matter of seconds. Again, maybe there's a hidden option we're not seeing yet, but if nothing else players will need to learn to work with the game, anticipating when and where your player will switch mid-play.


As far as the interface and options go, Sluggers is pretty slick overall. The game supports a fast, intuitive IR pointer (one of the best on Wii, as far as we're concerned) for menus, and there's a lot to see and do within the game. As always the experience opens with a quick two minute CG trailer to get players into the mood, and then offers three save slots with the last time and date played to identify it. Miis are included in-game as well, but they pale in comparison to the amount of total Mario mascots that make an appearance. There are 12 captains to chose from, including DK, Diddy, Wario, Birdo, Daisy, Luigi, Mario, Peach, Yoshi, Waluigi, Bowser Jr., and Bowser. Each captain has different skill levels for pitching, hitting, fielding, and speed, as well as three other specific stats centered around both sides of the ball.

Also included are 40 supporting characters, including everyone from Toad and Shyguy to Koopas, Hammer Bros, multiple types of Goombas, Monty Mole, and the baby versions of Mario and Luigi. As an added bonus (and maybe our favorite aspect of the roster, actually), certain "non-specific" characters such as Shyguy, Toad, or Koopas have alternate colors, and each one comes with their own different stats. That means if you want an army of Koopa Troopa, Toad, or Goombas at your disposal, you could have up to five variations depending on the character, each with a different color and stat set. That really ups the roster.

As a few other odds and ends, we'll briefly mention that the game includes Toy Baseball this year, which is a party mode based on the classic "darts" inspired baseball arcade games. Hitting to different spots awards more points. There are also a few mini-games included in a party mode, but they're pretty generic and hit or miss for the most part. The stadiums we've played thus far include Mario Stadium, Peach Rink (ice based), Yoshi Park (theme park inspired, with trains and other moving obstacles), Wario City (urban, with streets that send ground balls randomly about), and DK Jungle, complete with stun flowers. The classic control mode, which is Wii-mote only, held on its side, plays like the nunchuk control scheme, but with the 2 button as your charge/swing/pitch control. Oh, and the music is a great little blend of classic Mario tracks, now with level themes worked into the audio presentation.

[Courtesy of IGN]