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When you think of sports games the Game Boy Color probably isn't the first machine that comes to mind. Particularly team sports because looking at a bunch of microscopic pixelated players running around doesn't really incite excitement.

However Acclaim's offering works surprisingly well. The animation for the batting and the bowling - sorry, make that pitching - is depicted from behind the plate with large detailed characters allowing you to really get the feel for the game.

If you're pitching you need to choose the height and direction for the ball and then select the type of shot. If you've chosen well, you get to watch the ball whizz past the batter and into the catcher's glove, if you're not so lucky the batter connects with the ball and the view changes to an overhead perspective of the field and you then need to get your team to chase the ball and get it back to the appropriate base.

When you're batting everything is equally simple. You have to move the batter around and swing at the right time to connect with the shot.

As this game has the official Major League Baseball licence you get to pick from all the real teams and can take part in exhibition matches or whole seasons complete with playoffs. The control system is very easy to use and actually hitting the ball is much easier in this version that it is in many baseball games on other formats - like All Star Baseball on the N64 for example.

If you're a Baseball an then you can't go ar wrong with this game and it should even appeal to people who don't know much about the sport because it's so easy to play!

The concept of playing Baseball may well be as familiar in this country as a Dodo, but that doesn't mean that this game will suffer because of it. Game Boy owners who love sports games should seriously consider All Star Baseball 2000 as their next purchase.

It's fun, has got some great gameplaying depth, and is so easy to pick up and get to grips with. We may call it Rounders over here, but playing this title on the Game Boy really conjures up an authentic American Baseball atmosphere - you can almost smell the hot dogs!

Graphics 40%
Green and brown - yuck!

Sound 60%
Nothing out of the ordinary.

Playability 80%
Baseball, perfectly captured.

Lastability 80%
Sports fans will see it through.

Overall 86%
The best baseball game there is!