9 Innings: Pro Baseball 2011 Review: The Best Yet, But Room to Improve

App Name:	9 Innings: Pro Baseball 2011
Platforms:	iPhone
Publisher(s):	Com2us USA, Inc.
Version Reviewed:	1.0.3
Genre(s):	sports
Release Date:	August 6, 2010 (updated)
Price:	$0.99, 80% OFF! (Was $4.99)
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I label myself a casual baseball fan, and as such, I don’t really understand those people who sit in the bleachers with their rosters, scribbling notes and checking boxes after each piece of action. What are they writing? Is it a secret? If so, it must be a boring one, cause let’s face it, baseball has its slow points . . . No, I think I’m fairly typical when I say that when it comes to baseball, a homerun derby is often enough to get my fix.

So when I downloaded 9 Innings: Pro Baseball 2011, I was hoping for a game that captured all the energy and tension of a tight game in the bottom of the ninth, while cutting out all the dead time in between. Needless to say, other features—like an incredibly in-depth team management/coaching system—were welcome as well. Developer Com2us delivers on about 80 percent of our hopes and dreams for the perfect big league game, and this puts them safely ahead of the pack as the go-to app for baseball fans.

Most people playing 9 Innings probably make an important choice at first launch of the game, and that’s whether to play it for its interactive gameplay or for its team management features. Luckily, it satisfies on both levels. But whereas it’s merely an enjoyable interactive game, 9 Innings offers superb coaching and management features that flesh out the experience well.

So, whether or not you get your own team underway right off the bat (I never realized how much I use that line until it became a terrible pun), you can always jump right into the action with exhibition mode to see what this game is all about. Choose from all 30 MLB teams and then head to the field . . . It only takes a minute to get used to the control scheme. Help screens and linked tutorial videos are at hand, and while they may be useful for figuring out how to manage your team, they’re not necessary before jumping into the gameplay.

On defense, the touch controls are used to select the pitch, then tap and drag to select location, and release to let it fly. The fielders move themselves to the ball (errors occur in relation to their stats), and then you select where to throw it. When at bat, you have the option of bunting down either baseline or taking a full swing, which can be done by tapping the icon at just the right moment to connect with the pitch.

If it sounds minimal, that’s because it is. In a way, once the pitch is thrown and the ball is hit, the die has been cast. There’s not a lot that can be done to alter the course of things, but 9 Innings doesn’t quite slip into the realm of feeling out of your control. There is just enough interactivity with the gameplay to keep us engaged while not getting bogged down in complex controls. However, we’re still waiting for that big, ground breaking baseball game that will break the mold and change the way we think about baseball games on iOS. There’s nothing that out of the ordinary here, even though it’s well done.

But the reason most are likely to appreciate 9 Innings is the player cards, leveling up, and season mode. One can go so far as to spend real money on upgrading their team, and there seems to be endless options for boosting your team’s attributes and stats. It’s the kind of baseball that I’ve never been able to get excited about, but just a few minutes exploring 9 Innings and it’s clear that the developers wasted no effort in pleasing those attracted to the team management side of the game. The visuals are the main improvement over prior versions, and even when in coaching mode 9 Innings is pleasing to look at.

What’s the moral of the story? Well, it’s been hot out here in the Midwest, and some of us may be looking for an alternative to sitting in the bleachers under the sun. Pro Baseball 2011 from Com2us offers a deep experience (as deep as you want to go, that is) as well as some quick-paced entertainment. It satisfies different kinds of enthusiasts, and should find a home in the “sports” folder of many app libraries.

Our Score:  4/5

About the Author

Devin Wieland

 

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