Mobile Game Review of "Big City Stickball"

Big City Stickball is basically a baseball sim with just the pitching and batting. There's this backstory about how the gangs have taken over the various turfs and you need to reunite the neighborhoods, but it's mostly an excuse for you to play against the various gang "leaders".

This stickball sim is extensively modeled. There are multiple locations, and different locations have different rules, such as bonus items. Hitting that building is 3 runs, that dumpster is 2 runs, and that billboard up high is 4 runs. Some other location can be something else.

As the visiting team, you bat first, and your goal is to score as many runs as possible before being "struck out". You don't actually run the bases. Your hitting will be judged for runs scored. After you struck out, you then pitch against the pitcher you just batted against. You need to strike him out before he beats your score.

The game is nicely modelled. You can move your batter a bit, swing when ready, and there's even a "power bar" that you charge up by making hits. The power bar can make the difference between fly ball and home run, so don't discount it. For the pitchers, there's the aim meter (right down center for fastball, or a bit out for curves?) and they have a powermeter as well for super-fast balls.

If you make a good hit, you get a replay of the balls trajectory, from the moment it left pitcher's hand, all the way to where it finally came to rest, including every bounce and hop. It's definitely interesting. Too bad the back story isn't quite up there for the twists and turns.

Rating: 7 out of 10
Pros: Stickball is fresh, and easy enough to play
Cons: Hard to master the advanced moves, gang story not fun