Nintendo's series of “Mario” sports games have always given players the essence of the sport without worrying about the nuances of a proper simulation.

The series' most recent success, “Mario Strikers Charged,” resembles real soccer about as closely as “Super Smash Brothers” resembles real fighting. But the basic appeal of bouncing the ball up and down a shortened field with Koopa shells and Bob-ombs a-flying gave “Strikers” an enduring life span.

“Mario Super Sluggers” is both an addition to the “Mario” sports series and an attempt at providing a strong baseball game for the Wii. It mildly succeeds at both. Like “Strikers” and other “Mario” sports games, the plumber's unruly supporting cast shines through with their cartoonish personalities. Key “Mario” figures like Donkey Kong and Princess Peach get jungle and ice garden home stadiums to diversify the playing field, and lesser-known characters like Birdo and Shy Guy round out the rosters.

As in “Strikers” and “Mario Kart,” random items are once again a key strategic point. A player chemistry system allows hitters to launch Koopa shells and other obstacles at fielders at select points in the game. This system also lets outfielders alley-oop each other from the warning track to catch potential home runs.

As a baseball game, “Sluggers” gives players control over both base-running and fielding - two dimensions of the diamond left to will of the computer in previous Wii baseball titles with motion control. (These controls are only available in “Sluggers” if the player uses the nunchuk attachment).

Both hitting and pitching in “Mario Super Sluggers” are about as deep as “Wii Sports” and other motion-sensitive baseball games like “Little League World Series 2008.” Each control incorporates a charge system that's contingent on well-timed gestures to use, and star power meters give every occasional pitch and hit an added punch unique to the character in use.

The Wiimote flicks required to trigger these actions are as bare minimum as ever, though there's a little less room for misinterpreted movements in “Sluggers.” There are also less pitch styles to throw and less angles to take at the plate.

“Sluggers” manages to overcome some of these faults through game play as purely addictive as that of other “Mario” sports games. But where “Sluggers” suffers most is its bare bones array of play modes. A few minigames here and a couple hours' worth of single-player there join local multiplayer, but no online match-up opportunities are offered. It all adds up to a baseball experience that doesn't significantly 1Up its predecessors.

David Wilcox

253-5311 ext. 245

david.wilcox@lee.net

If you play

Game: “Mario Super Sluggers”

Score: B-

Parental rating: E for everyone

Publisher: Nintendo

Developer: Namco Bandai

Platform: Wii

Price: $49.99

Features: 1 player, multiplayer

The final boss: Despite packing the dugouts with the zany Mario crew, “Sluggers” doesn't hit it out of the park due to unspectacular controls and a bare minimum of play modes.