Derek Jeter Real Baseball is a baseball simulation game from Gameloft that is fun to play, but lacks several refinements that keep it from being a top title. The graphics, sound and gameplay are all done well, but the controls are what hold it back.
The first thing to take note of with this game is the lack of an MLB license. You won’t find the Yankees or Red Sox here, but instead, silly made up names and players. The only real player name you will find is, of course, Derek Jeter. You have several options for gameplay, including season, playoffs and homerun contest. You can also just start a quick game. You can set the number of innings to play, stadium and difficulty level. You can also change the lineup and pitcher before the game starts. Everything you’d want to see in a baseball game is present in this app.
Pitching is accomplished in several parts. First, you must tap on one of four pitch selections. Then, you have three seconds to use the accelerometer to line up the ball in the strike zone. Next, you’ll be presented with a moving dial and must tap the screen to stop the dial at the correct speed. Finally, you’ll need to tap the screen to stop another moving dial for the pitch accuracy. It might sound like too many steps, but it really does go by quickly. If a ball is hit, your players will catch it automatically. Your only job is to tap on a base to throw the ball to that player.
Batting actually has two methods of execution. You can simply tap on the screen when the pitch is thrown, or you can use a vertical slider to swing the bat. Either way, it’s all about timing. There is no way to move the bat to align with the ball. If you tap at the right time, you’ll get a hit. I found tapping to be easier than the slider, but also not as fun. Using the slider makes you feel like you are actually swinging the bat. You have to pull the slider down to get into your batting stance, and then push it upward to swing. It’s much more fun than just tapping, but it also gets a little annoying. The slider will switch sides of the screen depending on if you have a right or left-handed batter. If the slider is on the left side of the screen, and you are right handed, you need to either use your weak thumb, or you have to block a large portion of the screen while you use your right index finger. It would be much nicer if the user could set which side of the screen the slider will stay on all the time. The mechanics behind batting is a major flaw in this game. You never really feel like you are hitting the ball the way you want to. It seems like there is a huge time gap you can swing in and the ball will be hit the same way each time. The batting animation is not done well either. When you swing, it seems like the ball just magically gets launched into the outfield. You never see that full swing and solid contact with the ball.
The game includes some really well done graphics and sound. It’s a quality Gameloft title with regards to looks. However, the animations do appear simple and choppy at times. A nice feature is the ability to play your own music in the background. There is a small music button on screen that brings up a mini player to play, pause and skip tracks.
Derek Jeter Real Baseball is definitely a fun baseball simulation. It has absolutely earned a spot on my iPhone. However, many hardcore sports gamers will be disappointed by the lack of an MLB license. Also, the controls for batting are a major problem that needs to be refined in an update if this game has any chance of succeeding in the app store. Regardless, I recommend checking it out. It’s a fun title that would be a great addition to any gamer’s library.
