Title: Extra Innings (NA), Hakunetsu Pro Yakyuu Ganba League (JP)
Release Date: 08/09/91
Developer: Sting Entertainment
Publisher: Sony Imagesoft
I really phoned this one in the first time. Hopefully I can do a little better, but to my credit, this is the fourth baseball game (and definitely not the last) in the first thirty games. Sadly, this is not the best baseball game available for the SNES.
History of Game
Its developed by Sting Entertainment which, interestingly enough, became a development house that made a bunch of cult favorite JRPG and strategy games like Knights in Knightmare and Dokapon Kingdom. It seems to be another low-rung developer looking to make some quick money with the popularity of baseball in Japan. This game doubles down on that potential money by using a very Japanese "chibi" art style popular in manga and anime in the late 80s and early 90s.
Gameplay
The game is a very straightforward game of baseball. The thing that sets it apart is the character models; the character models are a cute chibi style. Now this isn't novel and new, as we saw this in Nolan Ryan's Baseball. I will say that I actually like the models here better than Nolan Ryan. Also your guy seems to be a hit with those sweet baseball cheerleader honeys (you know, the sport known for cheerleaders?). I don't remember if there were cheerleaders at the baseball game I went to in Japan? The cutscenes are really very delightful though.
Gameplay wise, this game actually allows for a more faithful representation of the game of baseball. Unlike the previous baseball games of the area, where the player controls all the fielders or people on base at once (mainly due to technical limitations of the SNES), this game actually allowed you to have individual control of players. It takes a bit of finagling, but you can tell an individual runner to move a base, or make an individual fielder go for a catch. You can even perform diving catches, or have your runners slide into a base. Apparently, because of this, this game has a pretty well known exploit; by having a runner on 1st and 3rd, you can send both of your runners to 2nd base and home at the same time, and just go between retreating and advancing until the computer can't keep up with you. A very easy way to get a point!
Now interestingly enough, there are no sponsor players or teams for this game, meaning that everyone is a nameless player, and each team is a fictitious name. Some of the gems this time include: the Triplets, the Petros, the Valiants, and the Surfers (wow they really got as close as they could without actually naming them after the teams).
Oh! Your players also break the bat over their knee when they strike out, which is awesome.
Now I would recommend, if you play this game, to use it purely as a multiplayer game, because the computer takes no prisoners. It is almost unfair, to the point where that exploit mentioned earlier is one of the only guaranteed ways that you can succeed. The added control means that there is a steep learning curve to this game. Fielding takes a lot of practice, and the ball will usually hit the ground before you figure out how to move the controls to the individual players. The pitchers, too, have much more varied pitching. They can put spin and sinks into their pitches, and the strike zone almost feels a little wonky. Not a fun time. I got schooled each game I played with the computer.
Multiplayer, though, it isn't so bad. I played with my buddy (sitting at appropriate social distance), and the experience was actually pretty fun. I mean, it is as much fun as playing any baseball game, because the rules and expectations don't need to be explained.
The game is a very straightforward game of baseball. The thing that sets it apart is the character models; the character models are a cute chibi style. Now this isn't novel and new, as we saw this in Nolan Ryan's Baseball. I will say that I actually like the models here better than Nolan Ryan. Also your guy seems to be a hit with those sweet baseball cheerleader honeys (you know, the sport known for cheerleaders?). I don't remember if there were cheerleaders at the baseball game I went to in Japan? The cutscenes are really very delightful though.
Gameplay wise, this game actually allows for a more faithful representation of the game of baseball. Unlike the previous baseball games of the area, where the player controls all the fielders or people on base at once (mainly due to technical limitations of the SNES), this game actually allowed you to have individual control of players. It takes a bit of finagling, but you can tell an individual runner to move a base, or make an individual fielder go for a catch. You can even perform diving catches, or have your runners slide into a base. Apparently, because of this, this game has a pretty well known exploit; by having a runner on 1st and 3rd, you can send both of your runners to 2nd base and home at the same time, and just go between retreating and advancing until the computer can't keep up with you. A very easy way to get a point!
Now interestingly enough, there are no sponsor players or teams for this game, meaning that everyone is a nameless player, and each team is a fictitious name. Some of the gems this time include: the Triplets, the Petros, the Valiants, and the Surfers (wow they really got as close as they could without actually naming them after the teams).
Oh! Your players also break the bat over their knee when they strike out, which is awesome.
Now I would recommend, if you play this game, to use it purely as a multiplayer game, because the computer takes no prisoners. It is almost unfair, to the point where that exploit mentioned earlier is one of the only guaranteed ways that you can succeed. The added control means that there is a steep learning curve to this game. Fielding takes a lot of practice, and the ball will usually hit the ground before you figure out how to move the controls to the individual players. The pitchers, too, have much more varied pitching. They can put spin and sinks into their pitches, and the strike zone almost feels a little wonky. Not a fun time. I got schooled each game I played with the computer.
Multiplayer, though, it isn't so bad. I played with my buddy (sitting at appropriate social distance), and the experience was actually pretty fun. I mean, it is as much fun as playing any baseball game, because the rules and expectations don't need to be explained.
Music
Ads and Commercials
Only could find this :(
Worth Playing?
Okay this is much better than I gave it credit for the first time, and the whole-hearted jump into the chibi aesthetic really sets this game apart. It is actually pretty darn cute. I would recommend it overall, but since it is just another baseball game don't feel bad about skipping it. It is pretty cheap to find if you want to though.
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