Major League Baseball Featuring Ken Griffey Jr.

Major League Baseball Featuring Ken Griffey Jr. is a baseball video game produced by Nintendo and developed by Angel Studios for the Nintendo 64 platform. The game is follow-up to Nintendo's previous title featuring Griffey, Ken Griffey Jr.'s Winning Run. It was released in 1998, and allows players to choose any contemporary Major League Baseball franchise and play through an exhibition, a complete season, or a World Series. Players can also select up to four individuals from any team to compete in a Home Run Derby. The game also features all 30 MLB teams' stadiums.[2] The game was seen as a faster, more arcade-like baseball game compared to its rivaling product, the more realistic baseball simulation All-Star Baseball '99. Nintendo released a sequel the following year, called Ken Griffey Jr.'s Slugfest.

Major League Baseball Featuring Ken Griffey Jr.
North American Nintendo 64 cover art
Developer(s)Angel Studios
Publisher(s)Nintendo
Platform(s)Nintendo 64
Release
Genre(s)Sports
Mode(s)Single-player 

Gameplay

Batters and fielders abilities are measured with five different statistics: Batting, Power, Speed, Defense, and Arm. Pitchers abilities are measured with three different statistics: Speed, Stamina, and Control. Statistics are measured by a number 1-10, with 1 being the weakest and 10 being the best.

Every pitcher in the game has four pitches. The first pitch, which is used by pressing the A button, is always a fastball. The second pitch, a breaking ball, is thrown by pressing the B button. Pitches thrown with the B button include curveballs, sliders, and screwballs. The third pitch is the changeup, and is used by pressing the Z button and the A button simultaneously. The fourth and final pitch is the "special." Special pitches include the super fastball, super changeup, splitter, cut fastball, and knuckleball. The special pitch is used by pressing the Z and B buttons at the same time.

Batters use the analog stick to move a batting circle to where the pitch is shown to go before it reaches the plate. The batter then presses A to swing. If the batting circle is placed where the ball is thrown, and the swing is on time to when the pitch goes over the plate, the ball will be hit. This feature can be turned off by changing the batting style to classic in the Options menu.

Baserunning on offense and throwing to bases on defense is controlled by the C buttons. The button pressed corresponds to the base (Ex. The right C button is pressed to go to 1st base, up to go to 2nd base, etc.).

The game accounts for injuries and real time fatigue, seen most clearly through pitchers. This is especially true if the pitcher uses their "special" pitch too often.

Development

The game was originally due for release in the third quarter of 1997, but was pushed back to 1998.[3]

The music was composed by Steve Adorno of the groups GQ, Devoshun, Seguida ny Latin Rock. On it he played drums, keys, guitar, and funk bass.

Reception

The game received favorable reviews according to the review aggregation website GameRankings.[4]

See also

References
  1. IGN staff (May 19, 1998). "Major League Baseball Featuring Ken Griffey Jr (Preview)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved October 18, 2020.
  2. Air Hendrix (September 1997). "Major League Baseball Featuring Ken Griffey Jr. (Preview)". GamePro. No. 108. IDG. p. 112.
  3. Air Hendrix (June 1997). "Scouting Report". GamePro. No. 105. IDG. p. 88.
  4. "Major League Baseball Featuring Ken Griffey, Jr. for Nintendo 64". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 4, 2019. Retrieved October 18, 2020.
  5. McCall, Scott. "Major League Baseball Featuring Ken Griffey Jr. - Review". AllGame. All Media Network. Archived from the original on November 14, 2014. Retrieved October 18, 2020.
  6. EGM staff (August 1998). "MBL Featuring Ken Griffey, Jr". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 109. Ziff Davis. p. 133. Retrieved October 18, 2020.
  7. Storm, Jon; Anderson, Paul; Reiner, Andrew (June 1998). "Major League Baseball Featuring Ken Griffey Jr". Game Informer. No. 62. FuncoLand. Archived from the original on September 9, 1999. Retrieved October 18, 2020.
  8. Higgins, Geoff "El Nino"; Mylonas, Eric "ECM" (May 1998). "Ken Griffey Jr. Baseball [sic]". GameFan. Vol. 6 no. 5. Metropolis Media. p. 54. Retrieved October 18, 2020.
  9. Air Hendrix (July 1998). "Griffey's Game Not at All-Star Level". GamePro. No. 118. IDG. p. 74. Archived from the original on November 1, 2004. Retrieved October 18, 2020.
  10. Bumblebee Man (July 1998). "Major League Baseball: Featuring Ken Griffey Jr. Review". GameRevolution. CraveOnline. Archived from the original on February 20, 2004. Retrieved October 18, 2020.
  11. MacDonald, Ryan (June 11, 1998). "Major League Baseball Featuring Ken Griffey, Jr. Review [date mislabeled as "April 28, 2000"]". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on January 4, 2005. Retrieved October 18, 2020.
  12. Casamassina, Matt (June 2, 1998). "Major League Baseball Featuring Ken Griffey Jr". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved October 18, 2020.
  13. Kitts, Martin (August 1998). "Major League Baseball Featuring Ken Griffey Jr". N64 Magazine. No. 18. Future Publishing. p. 82. Retrieved October 18, 2020.
  14. "MLB Featuring Ken Griffey Jr". Nintendo Power. Vol. 108. Nintendo of America. May 1998. p. 94. Retrieved October 18, 2020.
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