MLB 2K9 and MLB 09: The Show Videogame Reviews
When springtime arrives, there’s no better place to be than sitting in the sun, hot dog in hand, cheering on your favorite baseball team. But if you’d rather be part of the action, MLB 2K9, and MLB The Show 09 will take you from your comfy plastic seat and drop you right in the middle of the game that you are so passionate about.
MLB 09: The Show™ (Sony)
Systems: PS3, PS2, PSP // Release Date: March 2009
Overview: In the battle for best baseball game of the year, The Show more than holds its own. Enhanced by online play in the PlayStation Network, The Show offers gamers a chance to play in multiple online leagues in a quest to make it to the Bigs. Other upgrades include interactions with coaches, different umpiring personalities and mascot participation.
New and Improved
Road to the Show 3.0: Go from preseason to the World Series—and make all the stops in between. Interactive training helps increase your players’ skills, while new coaching moves and a steal/lead-off system put you in complete control.
Franchise Mode 2.0: It’s like running a real MLB clubhouse. With the long-awaited 40-man roster, 2.0 allows you to monitor salary arbitration, waiver transactions and September call-ups.
Adaptive Pitching Intelligence (API): Step onto the mound and try to pick the perfect pitch. You can agree with your catcher, who will analyze batters’ tendencies, or you can shrug him off if you feel like bringing the heat against top hitters.
Major League Baseball ® 2K9 (2K Sports)
Systems: Xbox 360, PS3, PSP, PS2, Wii // Release Date: March 2009
Overview: 2K Sports has thrown down the challenge to other baseball video games coming out in 2009. The game features more than 300 new signature animations to mimic the individual style of each pro ball player. You’ll also experience real-time action between innings as players warm up by throwing around the horn; realistic crowd environments with vendors in the aisles; and fans jumping out of their seats after walk-off homers. Possibly the only way to get a better MLB experience is by buying a team and putting yourself in the lineup.
New and Improved
New Playoffs Mode If you don’t feel like playing a full 162-game season to reach the playoffs, jump right into October with the new playoff scenario, and reap the benefits of being World Series Champs without wasting your summer on the couch.
Better Pitching Catchers call for pitches according to the hitter’s weakness. Plus, a new style of pitching controls makes it easier for the pick-up-and-play user to throw some heat.
Enhanced Hitting With new controls, once you’re inside the batter’s box, you’ll be able to influence a fly ball for a sac fly, or try to lay down a bunt to move runners into scoring position. Gamers can call their shots with the new zone-hitting feature and improved hit distribution.
Reel Maker™ For both Xbox 360 and PS3 systems, gamers can save their sickest MLB 2K9 plays and splice them together to create their own ultimate highlight reel to post online and be rated by others through Xbox Live™ and PlayStation®Network.
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MLB 2K9 and MLB 09: The Show Videogame Reviews
When springtime arrives, there’s no better place to be than sitting in the sun, hot dog in hand, cheering on your favorite baseball team. But if you’d rather be part of the action, MLB 2K9, and MLB The Show 09 will take you from your comfy plastic seat and drop you right in the middle of the game that you are so passionate about.
MLB 09: The Show™ (Sony)
Systems: PS3, PS2, PSP // Release Date: March 2009
Overview: In the battle for best baseball game of the year, The Show more than holds its own. Enhanced by online play in the PlayStation Network, The Show offers gamers a chance to play in multiple online leagues in a quest to make it to the Bigs. Other upgrades include interactions with coaches, different umpiring personalities and mascot participation.
New and Improved
Road to the Show 3.0: Go from preseason to the World Series—and make all the stops in between. Interactive training helps increase your players’ skills, while new coaching moves and a steal/lead-off system put you in complete control.
Franchise Mode 2.0: It’s like running a real MLB clubhouse. With the long-awaited 40-man roster, 2.0 allows you to monitor salary arbitration, waiver transactions and September call-ups.
Adaptive Pitching Intelligence (API): Step onto the mound and try to pick the perfect pitch. You can agree with your catcher, who will analyze batters’ tendencies, or you can shrug him off if you feel like bringing the heat against top hitters.
Major League Baseball ® 2K9 (2K Sports)
Systems: Xbox 360, PS3, PSP, PS2, Wii // Release Date: March 2009
Overview: 2K Sports has thrown down the challenge to other baseball video games coming out in 2009. The game features more than 300 new signature animations to mimic the individual style of each pro ball player. You’ll also experience real-time action between innings as players warm up by throwing around the horn; realistic crowd environments with vendors in the aisles; and fans jumping out of their seats after walk-off homers. Possibly the only way to get a better MLB experience is by buying a team and putting yourself in the lineup.
New and Improved
New Playoffs Mode If you don’t feel like playing a full 162-game season to reach the playoffs, jump right into October with the new playoff scenario, and reap the benefits of being World Series Champs without wasting your summer on the couch.
Better Pitching Catchers call for pitches according to the hitter’s weakness. Plus, a new style of pitching controls makes it easier for the pick-up-and-play user to throw some heat.
Enhanced Hitting With new controls, once you’re inside the batter’s box, you’ll be able to influence a fly ball for a sac fly, or try to lay down a bunt to move runners into scoring position. Gamers can call their shots with the new zone-hitting feature and improved hit distribution.
Reel Maker™ For both Xbox 360 and PS3 systems, gamers can save their sickest MLB 2K9 plays and splice them together to create their own ultimate highlight reel to post online and be rated by others through Xbox Live™ and PlayStation®Network.