The Pro Yakyuu: Pennant Race (Sega Master System review)

Developer: Whiteboard
Publisher: Sega Enterprises, Ltd.
Released: 1987

The Pro Yakyuu: Pennant Race is a sports game and a revised edition of Great Baseball (1987, Sega Master System).

+ Has some entertaining new modes such as the All-Star Game and the ability to watch two CPU teams battle.

+ Offense is much more forgiving than the original game, with base hits and home runs being less of a premium.

+ Tons of personality, as there's music when runners reach scoring position and even some wild bench clearing brawls!

+ Improved A.I. base running, awesome ball scaling effect in mid-air and the expressive voice clips are superb quality.

- Playing defense is a chore, as your fielders wade through treacle while the ball flies off the bat at ridiculous speed.

- Teams are reduced from 26 to 12, and the angled pitching view makes it tough to accurately judge the strike zone.

- Secondary overhead view looks flatter and more graphically basic compared to Great Baseball's 45° aerial angle.