Microsoft Baseball 2000

We haven't checked, but our guess is that World Cup Cricket and International Cricket Manager 2aren't among the top selling games in the US of A. Similarly, baseball is no big deal over here. The difference is, we've made our throwaball-hititwithastick-runlikehell game stuffy, prim and tedious. The yanks, on the other hand, have made theirs cool, fast and spectacular. Compare Ian Botham to Joe DiMaggio. Can you imagine Ian Botham marrying Marilyn Monroe? Exactly.

Microsoft Baseball 2000 continues the giant company's expansion into the sports games territory normally dominated by EA. And while it doesn't quite surpass EA's Triple Play Baseball 2000 it doesn't completely throw away the high standard set by NBA Inside Drive and International Football 2000.

Instead of swinging your bat blindly and hoping it hits that damn leather sphere, there is a box in the strike area where you have to quickly match your cursor with the position of the ball. The more accurate the match, the more accurate the batting. The same thing happens when you're pitching, ensuring that you always feel in control of the action. On the other hand, because of the almost turn-based nature of the gameplay, there isn't that much action to be in control of. For enthusiasts only.