CRG Reviews: Nicktoons MLB

''Do you know how long it's been since I last did this? Ah,well... ANYWAY, on with the review!''
 * Name: Nicktoons MLB
 * Publisher: 2K Play
 * Developer: High Voltage Software (console version), Black Lantern Studios (handheld version)
 * Platform: Nintendo DS
 * Released: September 13, 2011
 * Genre: Sports
 * Players: 1-2
 * ESRB: E

Review
Nicktoons has been around for merely over thirty years, with kids being treated to such classics like Rugrats, SpongeBob Squarepants, and Invader ZIM. On the contrary, Major League Baseball has been around for over two hundred fucking years!!! So what do ya get when you cross these two properties. A game that has as much fun as either a Stars Wars flick or Street Fighter: The Movie (depending on your mood).

The game features 23 characters from the Nicktoons universe playing alongside real MLB legends such as Derek Jeter, Ryan Howard, and Josh Hutchinson. Also represented is every single MLB team featured as of the 2011 season along with some fun novelty original teams whose players have clever pun names (such as Homer Run).

As with 2K's other baseball franchise, The Bigs, it features a solid season and Playoff mode. However, it sometimes makes people feel they'd rather play The Bigs and watch SpongeBob afterward, since Nicktoons MLB doesn't always have The Bigs' flare and deep gameplay.

Also as intriguing are the stages. 2K has appealed to many MLB fans by including fields like Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, and Yankee Stadium. However, I feel as if it feels empty without the Phillies' home stadium, being a Phillies fan.

The mode I was most entranced by was the home run contest. I spent a hell of a lot of time in that mode just trying to get some of the achievements from that particular mode. Speaking of, there are a whole lot of achievements in Nicktoons MLB. However, I don't go for unlocking all of them since I get bored by most of the modes too easily if I play it for a long time.

The most entertaining thing of all is the commentary by Perch Perkins and (more notably) GIR!!!!!! Gir's outtakes are so funny I couldn't help but laugh, even if I had already heard it before.

Key components

 * Graphics- 7.8
 * Gameplay- 7.5
 * Controls- 8.7
 * Sound- 9.0
 * Entertainment- 6.9
 * Replay Value- 7.8

Final score and final words
And the results are............................

8.0 (Solid)

While not a true MLB experience, this can be a good purchase (or rental at the very least) if you're looking for an arcade style of playing.

-Joshua Garriga (a.k.a. ComicReadingGamer)