Update: March 26, 2004 «©NCSX» The new baseball season starts in a few weeks and it's only proper that Namco whet appetites with the latest Netsu Chu! Boasting a bounty of game options including Preseason mode, Pennant Mode, Player Creation, Team Edit, and even a Highlights Reel, Netsu Chu 2004 serves up a full plate of baseball love. Updated 2004 team and player data give stats freaks a solid foundation upon which to begin the new season. When batters walk to the plate, they'll swagger, stretch their arms and point their bats while pitchers dig into the mound with their feet, stretch and scratch. It all looks very impressive but then one realizes that most of the pitchers perform the same mannerisms time after time. Batters are afforded a little more variety in their tics and movements. When talking to the catcher, a pitcher will cover his mouth with his glove, like the pros do in real life so as to foil lip readers sitting in the opposing bench. It's a nice detail if only for show. A targeting cursor appears onscreen for both pitchers and batters to spot themselves and a well defined strike zone leaves little doubt as to whether or not a pitch was outside or in. There are two little rubik's cube things located above the player stat boxes and these 3x3 graphs show pitcher/batter zones and also records pitch or hit positions with a shining square. For example, if the pitcher throws an inside slider, the lower-left square blinks. View the back cover and screenshots. Jan Code: 4907892015562 This document is ©NCSX 2004. All rights reserved. No reproduction in whole or in part of this document may be made without express written consent of National Console Support, Inc.
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