Baseball Advance

Sega swings for the fences with its first baseball effort on the Game Boy Advance. Is it a home run or a strike out?

It seems destined that the national pastime and handheld gaming should go hand in hand so beautifully. The lazy pace of Baseball Advance coupled with the intense concentration required to play make it the perfect time killer on a bus or while waiting around for your friends.

Baseball Advance tries to be that buddy that lights up your Game Boy Advance like a nighttime game at Wrigley field, and it certainly comes close. The first thing that pops out at you are the larger-than-life visuals. A big, well-animated batter crowds the screen, but without obscuring any important screen real estate. The fielders also move fluidly and control with the type of zippy precision needed to turn tight double plays or run down a two-out bunt. Unfortunately, the graphics eat up a lot of the space on this cartridge, leaving little room for sounds effects, and only four major league ball parks made the cut.

The batting/pitching interface is challenging and requires practice, but it?s ultimately a lot of fun?as long as you play alone. Two-player affairs expose weaknesses in the pitching portion of the matchup, but it?s forgivable since the majority of Game Boy Advance owners will likely go at it alone, unlike home consoles sports players. Baseball Advance could use a bit more finesse and deeper features, but it certainly warrants a spot on your GBA roster.

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