«©NCSX»
The 2006 baseball season is still young in both
Japan and the USA and Konami makes sure that they
capture some of the fan mindshare with the latest
edition of their flagship baseball franchise. Boys
of summer from all 12 professional Japanese teams
battle each other over the course of nearly a year
in a pennant race. The best of the best win a ring,
a monetary bonus and adulation... and the cycle
begins anew in the spring.
Pro Yakyu Spirits 3 features updated 2006 team and player data as
well as the managers of each professional team. The
likenesses of the players and managers to their real
world counterparts is very good and it's clear that
Konami's developers invested a good amount of
resources into making the game look and feel like a
television broadcast. Quick camera shots, flashy
sequences, and commentator snippets all contribute
to the realistic presentation and gloss of the game.
Player modes include a standard 1-Player game,
2-Player versus, and a 2-Player versus COM
exhibition. In addition to playing a game where all
of the players are controlled directly, a management
simulation mode is also available where gamers
direct the players from the sidelines instead of
taking a hands-on approach.
NCS Game Notes
» In the title screen of the game, a lively and
animated crowd cheers in the background. They're
little specks that move around like ants.
» In the intro, the managers and players are shown
performing their duties. The likenesses of actual
players is fairly convincing and the motion of the
players as they perform hot dog moves is realistic.
From a distance, the motion and slow motion plays
look like a live action broadcast. The slow-motion
of great plays is also shown for dramatic effect.
» In the Proyakyu Spirits 3 Welcome Menu, the
viewable game modes are:
1) Let's Play Baseball Right Now!
2) Let's Challenge Strike Board! (Pitching
challenge)
3) Let's Challenge the Phase of 10!
4) Hit a Large Amount of Home Runs!
* There are 12 game modes in all.
» After selecting an exhibition game, five options
are presented which allow the following players to
engage:
1) 1P vs COM
2) 1P vs 2P
3) 1P & COM vs COM
4) 1P & 2P vs COM
5) COM vs COM
» All 12 professional Japanese teams are featured in
the game as follows:
Chiba Lott Marines
Soft Bank Hawks
Seibu Lions
Buffaloes
Nippon-Ham Fighters
Toho Golden Eagles
- PBL (All Pacific)
Hanshin Tigers
Dragons
Bay Stars
Yakult Swallows
Giants
Carps
- (Red circle with a V on the upper right (All
Central)
» In the Now Loading screen, bits of baseball trivia
are offered up for anxious players to read up on the
game.
» As the game starts, an announcer throws out the
team names and the roar of the crowd can be heard in
the background. Players take to the field and hurl a
few practice tosses. As a pitcher walks to the
mound, he casts three shadows from the overhead
lighting. It's possible to throw three practice
pitches to the catcher before the game starts. As
the pitching practice is conducted, the crowd lowers
its volume to a murmur but chanting and spotty
cheers can still be heard from the band along with
scattered voices in the crowd. If you're playing the
Hanshin Tigers or any other team at their home
stadium, the camera will show fans waving Tigers
banners before the show starts. For added detail,
the names of each player is printed on the back of
his jersey along with his number.
» Pitching involves moving a the L-Analog pad to
correspond to up to 6 possible pitches that a
pitcher has in his arsenal. After pitch selection,
choose the location by moving and holding the
L-Analog for low, high, outside, or inside. As the
pitch leaves the pitcher's arm, a little blue circle
appears on the catcher which can be moved to change
up the direction as the ball sails off.
» During a game, the commentators talk up a storm
when there's action afoot. After a hit, the camera
will home in on the manager to get his reaction.
When a player hits a home run, the sound of it is
enough to tell that it's gone. There's a solid sound
thwack that resonates as the ball is launched into
orbit and the crowd goes wild.
» When a ball is in play on the field, press the
four face buttons to throw the ball to the four
bases as follows:
Y-Button / First Base
B-Button / Second Base
X-Button / Third Base
A-Button / Home Base
» When batting, players manipulate a carrot-shaped
outline with a faint blue bat surrounding it with
the L-Analog and as the pitcher releases a pitch, a
ball icon will appear in front of the batter. To get
a hit, move and match the carrot with the ball icon
to connect and get a blast. There's a pitch area
that is safe which is designated with a 9-box grid
before each pitch is thrown. Curves will move and
the ball icon will move with the curve which makes
it realistic and tricky as the batter has to track
it continually as it sinks or trails away from the
plate. .
» The likenesses of the players is good but they
have this blank stare that's reminiscent of robots.
We saw a player blink a few times which made him
seem more human.
» A team can contain up to 70 players from player
trades and original players from the farm system.
»
Beginners who need a little practice may play at a
beginner's level to get a feel for the game before
heading for the major leagues...
» When a pitcher's pitch count crawls ever higher,
his stamina and performance level gradually
decreases. Pitches have less pop in them and hurl
off in slightly sluggish fashion.
|
