Nickelodeon Nicktoons MLB 3D for the Nintendo 3DS is engineered to take your video game baseball experience a bit beyond the ordinary. Sure, you have the full MLB roster, and all its teams. You have your batters, your pitchers, and your catchers, and presumably, the digital audience can access little digital hot dogs and cups of digital beer. But in Nicktoons MLB 3D, you also have baseball uniforms and caps that are specially tailored for a walking sponge, a boy genius, some alien invaders, an obese cat, and an irate Chihuahua.
Even though Nicktoons MLB 3D cross-breeds a fantasy baseball experience with the familiarity and tradition of the MLB, the final product is a pretty down-to-earth game, and far less whacky than you may expect. As a result, the game exists in an odd limbo: it might be too stuffy for very young fans (the audience that 2K Play is obviously going for with the inclusion of the Nicktoons characters), but baseball purists won’t be interested in playing America’s Favorite Pastime with a bunch of cartoons.
Developer: Black Lantern Studios
Publisher: 2K Play
Genre: Sports/Baseball
ESRB Rating: E
Compatible With: Nintendo 3DS
Even though Nicktoons MLB 3D cross-breeds a fantasy baseball experience with the familiarity and tradition of the MLB, the final product is a pretty down-to-earth game, and far less whacky than you may expect. As a result, the game exists in an odd limbo: it might be too stuffy for very young fans (the audience that 2K Play is obviously going for with the inclusion of the Nicktoons characters), but baseball purists won’t be interested in playing America’s Favorite Pastime with a bunch of cartoons.
Developer: Black Lantern Studios
Publisher: 2K Play
Genre: Sports/Baseball
ESRB Rating: E
Compatible With: Nintendo 3DS
THE BASICS: Buy Me Some Peanuts and Krabby Patties
In Nicktoons MLB 3D, you play America’s grand ol’ game with teams that are composed of members of the MLB and characters from popular Nickelodeon shows. Your teams are a mix of the MLB and Nicktoons characters of your choice, unless you pit your favorite MLB team against Nickelodeon in the game’s “Showdown” mode.
Nicktoons MLB 3D baseball has multiple gameplay modes outside of “Showdown.” There’s “Quick Play,” which sets up a quick game in a random stadium between random teams on both sides. A “Single Game” likewise lets you play a quick game, but you choose the players and stadiums. “Season” lets you play a whole season with a team composed by you, and “Tournament” acts like a playoffs season: you can set the winning conditions to be the best out of a 3, 5, or 7-game series.
“Mini games” is a mode that brings out the more playful side of Nicktoons MLB 3D. It lets you engage in a home run derby, hit baseballs into boulders, and (with the help of an AR card that comes packaged with the game) throw a ball at a stack of cups, carnival-style.
Otherwise, the gameplay at the core of Nicktoons MLB 3D is quite traditional. When you’re at bat, you can choose to bunt, go for a normal hit, or attempt a power-hit. When your team is on the field, you can throw the usual curveballs, speedballs, etc.
Nicktoons MLB 3D baseball has multiple gameplay modes outside of “Showdown.” There’s “Quick Play,” which sets up a quick game in a random stadium between random teams on both sides. A “Single Game” likewise lets you play a quick game, but you choose the players and stadiums. “Season” lets you play a whole season with a team composed by you, and “Tournament” acts like a playoffs season: you can set the winning conditions to be the best out of a 3, 5, or 7-game series.
“Mini games” is a mode that brings out the more playful side of Nicktoons MLB 3D. It lets you engage in a home run derby, hit baseballs into boulders, and (with the help of an AR card that comes packaged with the game) throw a ball at a stack of cups, carnival-style.
Otherwise, the gameplay at the core of Nicktoons MLB 3D is quite traditional. When you’re at bat, you can choose to bunt, go for a normal hit, or attempt a power-hit. When your team is on the field, you can throw the usual curveballs, speedballs, etc.
THE GOOD
It’s a cute idea -- Sports games that feature colorful, goofy mascots are not a new idea (hello, Mario sports series), but it’s always fun to see traditional sports played by a bunch of cartoony goofs. Seeing the likes of Spongebob playing next to real members of the Toronto Blue Jays is admittedly weird, though.
Lots of gameplay modes -- If you get tired of playing ball, you can take a break with some of the less traditional fare in Nicktoons MLB 3D. It’s never a bad time to hit baseballs at boulders, or knock over a stack of milk cups, right?
Lots of Nicktoons characters -- The range of Nicktoons characters in Nicktoons MLB 3D is pretty impressive. You’ll see lots of faces from the current era, like Aang from “Avatar,” Danny from “Danny Phantom,” Jimmy from “Jimmy Neutron,” and many of Bikini Bottom’s waterlogged denizens from “Spongebob Squarepants.” However, you’ll also see some ladies and gentlemen who haven’t been on the TV screen for quite some time, including Ren, Stimpy, and the cast of “Invader Zim.” In fact, Gir, the tiny and always-random robot from “Invader Zim,” helps with the game’s announcing.
Genuine MLB teams and players -- Of course, the MLB’s best and brightest are here (and the, er, less than best and brightest), though they do seem a little awkward next to their cartoon counterparts.
Lots of gameplay modes -- If you get tired of playing ball, you can take a break with some of the less traditional fare in Nicktoons MLB 3D. It’s never a bad time to hit baseballs at boulders, or knock over a stack of milk cups, right?
Lots of Nicktoons characters -- The range of Nicktoons characters in Nicktoons MLB 3D is pretty impressive. You’ll see lots of faces from the current era, like Aang from “Avatar,” Danny from “Danny Phantom,” Jimmy from “Jimmy Neutron,” and many of Bikini Bottom’s waterlogged denizens from “Spongebob Squarepants.” However, you’ll also see some ladies and gentlemen who haven’t been on the TV screen for quite some time, including Ren, Stimpy, and the cast of “Invader Zim.” In fact, Gir, the tiny and always-random robot from “Invader Zim,” helps with the game’s announcing.
Genuine MLB teams and players -- Of course, the MLB’s best and brightest are here (and the, er, less than best and brightest), though they do seem a little awkward next to their cartoon counterparts.
THE BAD
The traditional gameplay may turn off some younger players -- Nicktoons MLB 3D is a competent, solid baseball game that controls much like the baseball games of old. In other words, playing the game doesn’t feel intuitive: landing a successful hit is more about forethought and observing the pitcher rather than swinging on a reflex. While this is fine for a game meant for an older audience, kids who are into Nicktoons might be expecting something that’s easier for them to get into.
The character models for the MLB players all look similar -- The Nicktoons stand out, but their fleshy counterparts all blend into each other. They’re the same height, boast the same body type, and are eerily silent.
The graphics are dull -- In fact, most of the graphics in Nicktoons MLB 3D are comprised of flat, dull polygons. Again, the cartoon characters stand out, but they’re not very lively or personable. Maybe a cell-shaded style would have been a better choice. Also, the stadium graphics are uninteresting and jagged. The game is basically a port of Nicktoons MLB for the Nintendo DS, and it shows.
Repetitive voice clips -- Perch Perkins from “Spongebob Squarepants” is your announcer through most of Nicktoons MLB 3D, and Gir injects colorful commentary at intervals. Unfortunately, Perch runs through his store of material pretty quickly, and before too long you’ll be hearing the same exclamations twice.
The character models for the MLB players all look similar -- The Nicktoons stand out, but their fleshy counterparts all blend into each other. They’re the same height, boast the same body type, and are eerily silent.
The graphics are dull -- In fact, most of the graphics in Nicktoons MLB 3D are comprised of flat, dull polygons. Again, the cartoon characters stand out, but they’re not very lively or personable. Maybe a cell-shaded style would have been a better choice. Also, the stadium graphics are uninteresting and jagged. The game is basically a port of Nicktoons MLB for the Nintendo DS, and it shows.
Repetitive voice clips -- Perch Perkins from “Spongebob Squarepants” is your announcer through most of Nicktoons MLB 3D, and Gir injects colorful commentary at intervals. Unfortunately, Perch runs through his store of material pretty quickly, and before too long you’ll be hearing the same exclamations twice.
CONCLUSION: The Ol’ Ball Game is a Bit Too Old
Nickelodeon Nicktoons MLB 3D is built around a cute concept, but veteran fans of the baseball game genre won’t find the core gameplay very detailed or fulfilling (and they may be embarrassed to be seen playing with a bunch of cartoon). On the flipside, youngsters might find the game a bit too complicated, and they might also find the roles of their favorite Nickelodeon characters to be subdued and watered-down. Nicktoons MLB 3Dis in an awkward spot as far as its appeal goes, but if you’re absolutely dying for a Nintendo 3DS baseball experience, it’s definitely better than nothing.
