I haven\'t really been a fan of baseball games since the days of Sports Talk Baseball for the Sega Genesis. (Sega Megadrive) Luckily, the people at Midway decided to lighten things up a bit by adding some of over-the-top action and comedy.

Gameplay

Things are pretty simple here. Like other games, commands appear at the bottom corners of the screen when batting and pitching. These show which buttons perform which kinds of pitches, swings, etc. Pushing the left control stick will also help throw the ball in the general direction you want it to go. There?s no box for aiming your pitches and swings. Now, for the good part? Remember the rules of baseball? Forget them. You are free to punch, kick, and tackle other players, in order to steal bases, or just for fun. Like in Midway?s other arcade sports games, you have a turbo meter, and can catch fire, increasing your stats.

Graphics

Smooth animations and pretty good face scans. Everything looks pretty good. Even the red or blue glow that comes out of the ball looks kind of cool.

Sound

Here?s one of my favorite parts of the game. The announcers are so bizarre and funny. They make legitimate comments about the game, but often they will say random and hilarious things. They could?ve used some more lines though, as you tend to hear some of the same ones every game. After many months, I still can?t help laughing at times. My favorite line is, ?That?s gotta hurt, because I heard he had armpit surgery during the off-season.? There?s typical music you?d hear at a baseball game, and occasionally a bit of grunting and screaming.

Appropriateness

There is violence, but it?s all in good fun - nothing graphic. It?s all supposed to be funny. You might say that it promotes violence, but I don?t think so. My grandma, who is a big baseball fan, got angry with me for it though. Also like Midway?s other arcade sports games, pictures of women in skimpy uniforms are shown before and after the games start, for no good reason. Lastly, some may be offended by the way the players often scratch themselves, just like in real baseball.

Overall

MLB Slugfest 20-03 is a very fun baseball game that?s not too complicated. It will probably get old if you play it all the time, but nevertheless, it makes for some very enjoyable times. It would be a good addition to your game library if you have even the slightest interest in baseball.