Play ball! Reviews of baseball video games

It’s going to be an exciting year for real-life baseball and an exciting one for video-game baseball, too.

There are improvements galore in games for every system. Gameplay and soundtracks are better than ever. But if the little things annoy you — such as long load times and occasional mistakes by announcers — you’ll be sad to know not much has been done about them.

MLB 08 THE SHOW

MLB 08 THE SHOW Sony for PS2, PS3, PSP (Tested on PS3 and PSP) Graphics: 9.0 (PS3) / 8.0 (PSP) Sound: 8.5 (PS3) / 7.5 (PSP) Gameplay: 8.5 (PS3) / 7.5 (PSP) Replay Value: 9.0 (PS3) / 8.0 (PSP) Overall Score: 8.5 / 7.5 Pros: Beautiful baseball simulation with many options, including saving the game at any point; real-time sports news when connected online. Cons: No control stick batting and pitching option; base running can be sketchy.

PS3 Version: Sony has put a lot of effort into improvements, and it shows in everything from pitching to hitting to graphics. Even the crowd looks better (although too many clones are repeated throughout the stands).

You can carefully pitch the hardball so it curves or sinks when and where you want it to. That’s more control than some major league pitchers have. You can do more thinking before you pitch by checking out how the batter usually hits. Whether he likes fastballs high or low, for instance, can be revealed to you.

Same thing goes for batting. Check the pitching history of, say, Seattle knuckleballer R.A. Dickey before you hit a ball. And there are 17 distinct pitcher movements you can see from the plate. If you get to know them, you’ll see what pitch is coming before the pitcher releases the ball.

You can save the game after any pitch or hit. Go deeper to a role-playing kind of mode and create a player: Add everything from his eye color to type of shoe. Then you can take him from being chosen by a club for spring training all the way to the World Series (if you’re lucky).

While graphics don’t make a game, the players and stadiums look so vivid in high definition, you’ll almost feel like you’re there. The attention to detail is enormous. As you bat, you’ll see cranes building the new stadium at Shea for the Mets, which opens next year. MLB 08 The Show is the one to buy this year.

PSP Version: Even before the game begins, you get a look at last year’s highlights, such as pitcher Tom Glavine’s 300th win, complete with great video. Yes, load times are long after that, but it’s mostly worth the wait. Why? First, if you don’t like the soundtrack, which includes some of your dad’s rock ‘n’ roll, add your own songs via the Memory Stick. And you can save your game after any pitch or hit.

You can carefully pitch the hardball so it curves or sinks when and where you want it to. That’s more control than some major league pitchers have.

For defense, use the Rob Home Run indicator to jump up and catch the ball at the wall— just be sure you time your leap correctly.

I found it hard to accurately pitch with the PSP’s analog controller. But hitting is simply done by pressing the X button. It’s a joy when you hit one out of the park because the graphics are crisp on the wide screen.

If you have WiFi online capabilities, you can play against your bud. Plus, you can download the latest rosters, get news updates of your favorite team or view a not-so-hot baseball diamond graphic to see how your team is doing as they play — as you play your game.

Be the leader if you want and play coach. There’s also a mini game called King of the Diamond in which you play four-minute innings and get various powerups. It’s fun, but it really hasn’t been updated much since last year.

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL 2K8

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL 2K8 2K Sports for PS2, PS3, Wii, Xbox 360, PSP (Tested on Xbox 360 and Wii) Graphics: 7.5 (Xbox 360) / 6.0 (Wii) Sound: 8.5 (360) / 7.5 (Wii) Gameplay: 8.0 (360) / 6.5 (Wii) Replay Value: 8.0 (360) / 8.0 (Wii) Overall Score: 8.0 / 6.5 Pros: Solid baseball simulation with many features, including trading card powerups and minor league teams; real-time sports news when connected online. Cons: Graphics could be better; Wii version has far fewer options than 360 version.

Xbox 360 Version: It will take you a game or two to get used to the new way to pitch with the right control stick. That’s because you’ll be making circles and semi circles with the stick to mimic curves and sliders. I guess that’s the reason for the exhibition season option — to work out the kinks. If you don’t like this stick method, choose the old school play, which lets you hit and pitch by pressing buttons on the controller.

Despite the cool new additions, the game has some kinks. When I accidentally hit a player in the head with a pitch, he just fell, got up and casually walked to first base. And sometimes, the frame rate will drop so you’ll see jittery player movement. But these are rare moments.

One of the bigger problems from last year has been fixed. There are no more superheroic leaping catches by mediocre outfielders that prevent you from hitting a home run. That’s not to say you’ll have an easy time hitting homers. You just won’t be robbed when you hit one that just makes it over the wall. Online play is really well done and there’s very little lag time.

You can play all the major and minor league teams, in all the major league stadiums and in 18 minor. The game also has a deep trading card system, which is 2K8’s version of powerups. Unlock different cards for hall-of-fame players, and trade cards online.

And when you buy the game, you’ll get a certificate for a Jose Reyes bobblehead that’s shipped to you for free.

Wii Version: The most enjoyable part of this version is hitting. While it’s not as natural as Wii Sports, it’s still a lot of fun. Hold the Wiimote straight up, then swing at a pitch. The main difference from Wii Sports Baseball is that you use the nunchuck to direct the ball.

The most enjoyable part of the Wii version is hitting.

Pitching is even easier. Just aim the Wiimote at the screen and click the B button once you’ve found the right area in the catcher’s mitt. Then flick your wrist to pitch. Remember not to bat or pitch with too much force.

Now for the bad news: There’s no online ability with the Wii version. That means no online multiplayer to play with your friends, no roster updates and no real-time news like with the Xbox 360 and PS3 games. And the graphics are PS2 quality at best. Also, get ready to be robbed of a lot of homers by those leaping catches by mediocre outfielders.

Major League Baseball 2K8 for the Wii is decent, but it’s not great. Rent the game first to see if you like it.