Sports Gaming Guide

MVP 06: NCAA Baseball

EA Sports

PlayStation2

$19.99

MVP 06 merits some local attention by featuring UT's own David Maroul on the cover. Aside from the occasional lag, the smart gameplay and player animations deftly capture the minutiae of the game. When using the Classic batting mode, hitting the ball for power is next to impossible, but the new Load and Fire system allows for some serious slugging, although it requires some practice to master. The Dynasty mode offers the full recruiting experience. A noticeable difference between the professional and college level of play is the use of aluminum bats in collegiate ball. The crack of the bat – ball meeting wood – is one of the many sensory delights of the game, and the metal pinging of the aluminum bat can be grating to many baseball purists. Fortunately, MVP 06 gives the option of using wooden or aluminum bats and control over most other rules of play.

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