Mario Super Sluggers offers up several control methods to try and bridge the gap between hardcore and casual players. Options include: using just the remote, the nunchuk and remote combo, or the remote held sideways like the old NES pads. The simplest way to play is holding the remote sideways, but that gives the player the least amount of control over his or her team and doesn't use the remote to pitch or swing the bat. The other two methods of play will no doubt be more popular since they allow players to throw the ball and swing the remote like a bat (or simply flick the remote forward if sitting down and playing, which is what is more likely). Unlike Wii Sports, this game doesn't showcase the Wii's motion controls as it doesn't seem to notice how hard you hit or throw the ball. No matter which control option is used players can quickly waggle the remote to make their players run faster, a somewhat tacky control method to be sure.

There are several modes of play for single player or multiplayer experiences. For gamers playing solo the majority of the time will no doubt be spent in Challenge Mode. Here is where the story unfolds and players will recruit many of the over 40 different characters from the Mario universe. Specific missions will have to be completed to move the game along, but unlike Mario Tennis on GBA, this “RPG-Mode” is exceptionally short-lived and seems tacked on, which is truly a shame. Indeed, single players wanting to play Mario Super Sluggers will find very little in terms of long-term fun. Sure, there are a host of mini-games (what Wii game doesn't have them) and modes of play, but they are all fairly shallow and end rather quickly.

The fun doesn't really begin unless you've got friends to join in, and since Mario Super Sluggers doesn't feature online play (a feature sorely missed since Mario Kart and Mario Strikers Charged had it) you'll have to invite people over the old fashioned way to fully enjoy the game. Up to four players can take part and the game can become quite chaotic with all of the insane power-ups for the pitches and batting. Players have the option of turning on items, ala Mario Kart, which really livens up the game play. Upon successfully hitting the ball, the batter can unleash a random item (like a turtle shell or a bob-omb) at just the right time to screw up the outfielders. Some of the characters have chemistry, so if you pick your team right they will have additional benefits. For example, in the game I was playing recently my opponent hit the ball and it was for sure going to be a homerun. My two outfielders were matched up and I hit the A button at just the right moment, which allowed my character to jump on top of the other and catch the ball, robbing her of the homerun. Zany antics like these keep the game fresh and fun in multiplayer mode.

Mario Super Sluggers really doesn't innovate the baseball experience. It's more of an extension of the GameCube version, with slightly improved visuals (16x9 support) and decent audio. The game is perfectly suited for the younger audience, but lacks the magic in a bottle of a game like Mario Kart. Solo players will no doubt be bored after a few hours, but the game offers up some good times when friends are around to play a few innings. MLB Power Pros is the better of the two baseball games by offering more robust options and an actual season mode. With so few first party games available this fall for the Wii, I really wanted this one to knock it out of the park. I hate to say it, but you may want to strike this one off your wish list.