All-Star Baseball 2000 Nintendo 64

The second game in Acclaim's Nintendo 64 baseball series offers a number of new features designed to improve upon 1998's All-Star Baseball 99. Returning to the game are 30 ~Major League Baseball teams, authentic stadiums and 700 fully-licensed players with ratings based on the 1998 season. As in 1998's game, a cursor is used to make contact with the ball, while pitching involves manipulating a target around the strike zone after first selecting one of four pitches.

New features include updated high-resolution graphics (courtesy of Acclaim's ~Quagmire 3D engine, first seen in NFL Quarterback Club 99); four hundred animations to show moves like double play pivots, over-the-shoulder catches and throws from the knees; over 100 batter stances patterned after real-life hitting styles; and a 3D batting icon so players can manipulate each hit by using the analog stick. Batters can also try to guess the incoming pitch to improve their chances at making contact, and pitchers can track balls thrown to each hitter from a grid representing the strike zone.

Also new is an instant replay system, allowing players to review the last play by using a ~VCR-style interface. ~New York Yankees announcers John Sterling and Michael Kay return to lend their voices for the play-by-play and color commentary, respectively, and pitchers have been scouted by All-Star shortstop ~Derek Jeter, who also endorses the game. Players can embark on a Season (adjustable from 13 to 162 games), play an Exhibition game, challenge the computer or friend in a Home Run Derby, compete in the Playoffs, or make roster moves in the General Manager mode.

Management options let you trade (either one-for-one or multiple players for a single player), draft, sign free agents, adjust lineups and pitching rotations, create players, place players on the disabled list or even send them down to the team's farm system All-Star Baseball 99 supports the ~Rumble Pak for vibration feedback (it also rumbles whenever you pitch outside of the strike zone), the ~Expansion Pak for high-resolution graphics and the ~Controller Pak to save season statistics and up to 25 created players. In order to save and load game data, however, you must have 121 pages free. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide