With only three weeks left until the release of All-Star Baseball 2004,
Acclaim Entertainment is giving gamers an in-depth scouting report on a few
of the 80 new features that Acclaim Studios Austin have been working on in the
off-season. Stay tuned – each week we’ll provide you with even more stats that
illustrate why All-Star Baseball 2004 will once again be voted the #1 baseball
video game among consumers.

All-Star Baseball 2004 doesn’t limit itself to the typical nine-inning game.
This year, Acclaim Studios Austin has added some new modes that expand upon
the depth of an already great baseball experience. . .

With the inclusion of Scenario mode, gamers will be able
to take a swing at altering the outcome of 21 of last year’s great moments on
the field. A prime example of this is the infamous all-star game of 2002, where
after 11 innings the umpires declared the game a tie. In All-Star Baseball 2004,
nobody ties – win the game with the American League,
starting in the top of the 12th inning. If gamers complete the objectives, they
will be awarded a video interview with baseball greats that include Derek
Jeter, Cal Ripken Jr. and Buck O’Neil.

If the pressure of these intense big league moments is too much for you, then
get back to your roots and head to the schoolyard with Pick-Up mode,
where 18 randomly selected players who will join you in a pick-up game. Two
captains will have the task of choosing sides (odds or evens for who picks
first), then players will face-off head-to-head on the playground. This
is one game where even all-star caliber players will know the embarrassment
of being picked last.

For those gamers who are typically picked last, All-Star Baseball 2004 is here
to help. Acclaim Studios Austin has signed up both Tommy Lasorda and
Derek Jeter as in-game coaches this year. By enabling Rookie
mode, players will receive an assortment of tips from Tommy and Derek
on how to be a better player. Whether it’s hitting the cut-off man or running
a squeeze play, this new feature will help you get that much closer to winning
your own World Series ring.

So there’s a little taste of some of the new modes of play that have been added
to All-Star Baseball 2004.

Next week: A more in-depth look at video game baseball’s deepest
franchise mode and the inclusion of online downloadable rosters for both PS2
and Xbox.

Filed under: Games

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