Cal Ripken Jr. Baseball

If no one will take you out to the ball game, this game may suffice until you get a ride. Cal Ripken Jr. Baseball by Mindscape gives you the look and feel of baseball, but falls a little short of Major League competition.

Super Cal Is Fabulous and Everyone Just Knows It

When you step up to the plate, you'll discover the Rip-meister has some way-cool options. First off, you can play two players on the same team against the computer and pick your own stadium. You can also view a team roster before you begin. Included with each team roster are scouting reports, which highlight the strengths and weaknesses of your team. Cal also gives each pitcher a Skill, Fatigue, and Curve rating, which helps you to manage your team.

Cal's also got all the basic ingredients of a good baseball game, including base stealing, one- or two-player modes, season and exhibition games, and pitching control. In addition, the game moves with Major League speed, which is a nice change from early slo-mo baseball games.

Low Cal Dressing

Unfortunately, Cal's nifty options are marred by some less than spectacular graphics and game play. The players are animated with sprites smaller than a view from the bleachers of a Little League game. The game uses speed to try to make up for the lack of detail but falls short of a Homer. When the perspective changes to an "above-the-diamond" view, tracking a pop fly is as tough as negotiating a big league player's contract.

Keep Your Eye on the Ball

Control-wise, Cal Ripkin bunts the ball. It takes Major League patience and practice to get a hit, due to staggered timing between the ball and bat. When you swing the bat, motion lines appear, and it's hard to tell if the bat or the motion lines connect with the ball.

Ripken's Average

All in all, Cal's good points are its speed and its special options. Too bad the rest of the game fails to take advantage of the power of the SNES. More graphic realism and better control over players could've loaded the bases for Cal Ripkin Jr. For the most fun, stick with the two-player mode. Other than that, it's pretty much just another day at the ball park: no hits, no runs, and some errors.

Future Hall of Famer Cal Ripkin Jr. has officially endorsed this upcoming baseball game! You can select from 16 teams including an MVP and an All Star Team. This game is not licensed by MLBPA so all the players are fictional, except for Cal.

Choose your starting lineup and field formation and head out to play ball. Standard fare batting and catching is offset by spectacular cinemas that show the close call action up close. These cinemas include the run for first base, the outfield catches, the slide for home, and many others!

Play for the fun of it or compete in a World Series Championship and win the pennant race with Cal Ripkin Jr. Baseball!

This is a game about the baseball called by Cal Ripken. The game represents a very easy baseball, without any distinctions. The novices of this sport will find the game cognitive, but the connoisseurs of the game will get bored from playing.