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C O M P L E T E C H A R A C T E R S C O U T I N G R E P O R T
Version 1.30
Copyright (c)2006-2007 Kristopher Pflipsen
==============================================================================
T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S
==============================================================================
Introduction ---------------------------------------------- 0100
Stars and Abilities --------------------------------------- 0200
Star Swings ------------------------------------------- 0210
Star Pitches ------------------------------------------ 0220
Character Abilities ----------------------------------- 0230
Team Chemistry -------------------------------------------- 0300
Character Compatibility ------------------------------- 0310
Character Incompatibility ----------------------------- 0320
Balanced Characters --------------------------------------- 0400
Mario ------------------------------------------------- 0410
Luigi ------------------------------------------------- 0420
Daisy ------------------------------------------------- 0430
Birdo ------------------------------------------------- 0440
Toad -------------------------------------------------- 0450
Shy Guy ----------------------------------------------- 0460
Goomba ------------------------------------------------ 0470
Koopa Troopa ------------------------------------------ 0480
Technique Characters -------------------------------------- 0500
Peach ------------------------------------------------- 0510
Waluigi ----------------------------------------------- 0520
Dixie Kong -------------------------------------------- 0530
Boo --------------------------------------------------- 0540
Toadsworth -------------------------------------------- 0550
Koopa Paratroopa -------------------------------------- 0560
Magikoopa --------------------------------------------- 0570
Dry Bones --------------------------------------------- 0580
Speed Characters ------------------------------------------ 0600
Yoshi ------------------------------------------------- 0610
Diddy Kong -------------------------------------------- 0620
Baby Mario -------------------------------------------- 0630
Baby Luigi -------------------------------------------- 0640
Toadette ---------------------------------------------- 0650
Monty Mole -------------------------------------------- 0660
Paragoomba -------------------------------------------- 0670
Noki -------------------------------------------------- 0680
Power Characters ------------------------------------------ 0700
Donkey Kong ------------------------------------------- 0710
Bowser ------------------------------------------------ 0720
King Boo ---------------------------------------------- 0730
Wario ------------------------------------------------- 0740
Bowser Jr --------------------------------------------- 0750
Pianta ------------------------------------------------ 0760
Petey Piranha ----------------------------------------- 0770
Hammer Bro -------------------------------------------- 0780
Version History ------------------------------------------- 0800
Credits / Special Thanks ---------------------------------- 0900
Contact --------------------------------------------------- 1000
Legal Mumbo-Jumbo ----------------------------------------- 1100
==============================================================================
I N T R O D U C T I O N 0100
==============================================================================
This FAQ is intended for players who are already familiar with the basics of
Mario Superstar Baseball. It is designed to both help you utilize the
strengths and take advantage of the weaknesses of every single character in
the game. Not only will I state their pros and cons, but I will also suggest
strategy for using and abusing each character's attributes. Basically, this
FAQ is here to give you the edge in crucial game situations, much like a real
scouting report.
First, I'll give you some basic knowledge of the different abilities and star
uses you'll find in the game as well as the concept of chemestry and how it
effects your team. That way, you'll have a basic understanding of what each
player can and cannot do. After that, I'll go over the specific characters.
I'll examine their strengths and weaknesses. Finally, I will go into
strategy, both for building a team and playing the game.
+--+ S U P E R S T A R D I S C L A I M E R +--+
The opinions on and observations of the characters that I have in this FAQ are
stated under the assumption that the characters are not active as Superstars.
When a character is a Superstar, he/she runs faster, makes contact better,
hits the ball harder, throws harder, and pitches better (more velocity and
more pitch movement). Automatically, the character's strengths are larger,
and his/her weaknesses are smaller. Because of this, a Superstar is far more
versatile. Keep this in mind when reading this FAQ.
==============================================================================
S T A R S A N D A B I L I T I E S 0200
==============================================================================
We'll start by going over the various Star Swings, Star Pitches, and Character
Abilities in the game. Every character has at least one of each. So it's
best to know what they are and how they're used.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STAR SWINGS 0210
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Everyone knows about the special batted balls that each captain has (Mario's
Fireball, Yoshi's Egg, etc.), but the other players' star swings can also
greatly impact a game's outcome if used properly.
The main strategy to remember is to use the charge up with the star if you are
batting with a captain character (Luigi, Bowser, Diddy Kong, etc.), and use
the star without charging up if you are using a non-captain (Shy Guy, Boo,
Painta, etc.). This eliminates the possibility of a non-captain spending your
star on a worthless pop out. Another key note is that a star swing, no matter
who you're using it with, will always make contact better than a normal swing,
helping you avoid striking out.
The amount of stars used for a star swing depends on who you're using. Your
team captain will always use ONE STAR for a star swing, despite having a
special ability. All other captain characters on your team will use TWO STARS
for a star swing if they make contact, and ONE STAR if they do not. This
can deplete your star bank very quickly! So you should only use it if
necessary. Finally, all non-captain characters always use ONE STAR on a star
swing.
+--+ C H A R G E + S T A R S W I N G S +--+
If done properly, a charge swing used with a star can be an instant home run.
This is extremely difficult to pull off. I myself have only succeeded a few
times during a game. It also can only be employed when you have five stars;
the instant home run will spend ALL FIVE STARS in your bank. Because of how
difficult it is to connect and how many stars it uses, you might as well
forget about trying to use the instant home run.
The thing you need to realize is that if you don't hit it perfect (95-99% of
the time), you still want a decent result. Captain characters (Wario, Daisy,
etc.) will default to their star ability (Wario's Weird Ball, Daisy's Flower
Ball, etc.). All the non-captain characters will simply hit a lazy pop-fly to
the shallow outfield for an almost certain out. This wastes a perfectly good
star, so you should only charge up a star swing if you are using a captain.
+--+ S T A N D A R D S T A R S W I N G S +--+
Captain characters will automatically use their special ability if they
connect on a standard star swing. That's obvious, so I won't waste any more
time on them. All the non-captain characters will hit the ball in one of
three predictable fashions. It's either going to be a HARD GROUND BALL, LINE
DRIVE, or a DEEP FLY BALL (depending on the character). Use them correctly.
The GROUND BALL is good to hit-and-run with because it almost ensures you'll
advance the runner(s). Plus, sometimes it will go for a hit and advance your
runner(s) two bases. At any rate, the hit-and-run helps keep you out of a
double play. A lot of speed players will hit the GROUND BALL and can beat
out an infield hit with the star swing.
The LINE DRIVE can also be good to hit-and-run with, but it's used more to
drive in runs. If it finds a gap, it can quickly get past the outfielders and
go all the way to the wall for at least a double. This star swing is the most
useful because there is never a bad time to employ it. Unfortunately, it's
also the rarest.
The FLY BALL is best used when you need at least a sure sacrifice fly. If
there's a runner on third and less than two outs, this is almost always a run
on the board. You'll almost always have time for the runner to tag and score
before the outfielder can throw home. Sometimes, the FLY BALL will find a gap
and go for a double. Rarely, it will even leave the ball park for a home run.
This star swing is most commonly used by the power hitters.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STAR PITCHES 0220
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Star pitches work a lot like star swings, but there are some differences. The
star usage is a lot simpler with the pitches. Your team's captain will always
use ONE STAR for a star pitch, and activate their unique pitch. The other
captain characters (Mario, Bowser Jr, Daisy, Birdo, etc.) on your team will
spend TWO STARS to throw a star pitch (not very economical). Finally, all the
non-captain characters on your team (Hammer Bro, Toadette, Magikoopa, etc.)
will spend only ONE STAR whenever they throw a star pitch. Unlike the star
swings, any star pitch can be thrown weather or not you charge up the pitch
without effecting the result.
Every captain character has a unique pitch only they can throw. The other,
non-captain characters all have one of three star pitches at their disposal.
They are the SUPER FASTBALL, the SUPER CHANGE-UP, and the SUPER BREAKING-BALL.
Using them correctly can be the difference between winning and losing.
The SUPER FASTBALL is just as it sounds: really fast. It is lightning quick
to the plate, but it's very straight with almost no movement. It's best
thrown without charging up the pitch so that it can surprise the batter with
it's speed.
The SUPER CHANGE-UP comes out of the pitcher's hand like a hard fastball, but
it then slows down dramatically. By the time it gets to the plate, it just
slowly floats over. It's best thrown when you charge up the pitch. That way
the batter will expect a fastball and swing way too early because of how hard
the SUPER CHANGE-UP starts out. However, like the SUPER FASTBALL, it is
nearly straight.
The SUPER BREAKING-BALL, unlike the other two standard star pitches, doesn't
rely on the element of surprise to be effective. It is basically a slow,
floating pitch with a ton of movement. So it is best used against a hitter
who doesn't have great plate coverage. I usually like to let it come in
straight until it gets close to the plate, and then sharply curve it inside or
outside at the last second.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHARACTER ABILITIES 0230
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In addition to a star swing and a star pitch, every character in Mario
Superstar Baseball also has at least one ability at their disposal. These
vary greatly in usefulness and vary greatly from player to player. However,
like the star swings and pitches, the character abilities can greatly effect
a game and be the difference between winning and losing.
+--+ B A L L D A S H +--+
Used by: Goomba, Monty Mole
The Ball Dash ability is rare, but useful. Simply put, it allows the
character to run extremely fast when holding the ball. This is mostly useful
in the infield (especially first base or second base), where you can chase
down runners. It's basically a replacement for a good throwing arm.
+--+ B O D Y C H E C K +--+
Used By: Birdo, Toad, Bowser, Wario, Bowser Jr, Petey Piranha, Hammer Bro
Body Check is a very common ability, used mostly by Power Characters. It can
make up for a base runner being slow by knocking the ball out of the hands of
someone trying to tag the runner out at a base. It also allows you to run
more aggressively with a character who has it. You have the chance to be
safe even when you're getting thrown out. Unfortunately, it activates
randomly. It also sometimes fails to jar the ball out of the hands of the
fielder, so you can't depend on it. Size matters in that a smaller runner
like Toad will have a much harder time succeeding with a Body Check against a
larger fielder like Donkey Kong. The opposide is also true. A large runner
such as Petey Piranha or Bowser will knock the ball away from a smaller
fielder like Noki far more often. It still succeeds only a percentage of the
time, and it only activates (randomly) at a base. You can't use it when you
are being chased down on foot.
+--+ C L A M B E R +--+
Used by: Dixie Kong, Yoshi, Diddy Kong, Donkey Kong
Clamber is a somewhat rare ability. That's a good thing because it's the
least useful ability in the game. Clamber allows a character to climb an
outfield wall to try and catch a ball hit over the character's head.
Unfortunately, it's only useful in Peach Garden and Bowser Castle (because of
the tall walls), and it's only useful if the character with it is playing the
outfield. Jump into the wall to climb it.
+--+ L A S E R B E A M +--+
Used By: Waluigi, Donkey Kong, Bowser, Pianta
The Laser Beam ability is somewhat rare, but it's quite useful. It allows a
character to make a lightning quick throw to home plate when a base runner is
at or past third base. This means it's extremely difficult to score on a
throw from a character with Laser Beam. So it can eliminate sacrifice fly
opportunities if used by an outfielder, and it can make an infielder a great
relay person to home plate.
+--+ M A G I C A L C A T C H +--+
Used by: Magikoopa
Magical Catch is a unique ability used only by Magikoopa. It's the most
useful ability in the game. Like Yoshi's Tongue Catch and Birdo's Suction,
the Magical Catch ability allows Magikoopa to field a ball well out of his
reach. In fact, it has the longest range of the three. This is extremely
useful and will take sure base hits away from frustrated batters. However,
this doesn't work well on ground balls and line drives, so you can't rely on
it very much in the infield. It's wonderful in the outfield, but Magikoopa's
terrible throwing arm might keep you from putting him out there. The Magical
Catch ability also has the Super Catch ability built in, so Magikoopa won't
boot a ball hit hard right at him, and he won't be dragged along the ground
when he catches a hard line drive.
+--+ Q U I C K T H R O W +--+
Used By: Daisy, Peach
Quick Throw is a rare ability that is very useful. It allows the character to
throw the ball very quickly after fielding it. This makes the character great
at turning the double play and great at relaying a throw. You can take
advantage of this ability the most in the middle infield (second base and
shortstop).
+--+ S L I D I N G C A T C H +--+
Used By: Mario, Daisy, Shy Guy, Koopa Troopa, Dry Bones, Toadette, Noki,
Wario
The Sliding Catch ability is the most common ability in the game, and it's
somewhat useful. It allows you're character to slide (dive) at a ball much
better then other characters. You'll boot the ball less often than others
while sliding, and you'll make more Big Plays. This ability is useful all
over the field.
+--+ S U C T I O N +--+
Used By: Birdo
Suction is a very useful ability unique to Birdo. It allows Birdo to field
balls that would otherwise be out of reach by sucking them in. It has less
range then Magikoopa's Magical Catch, but more range then Yoshi's Tongue
Catch. This makes Birdo a great outfielder, but it's not much help in the
infield against ground balls and line drives.
+--+ S U P E R C A T C H +--+
Used by: Peach, Toadsworth, Diddy Kong
The Super Catch ability is somewhat rare, but it's really useful. To put it
simply, Super Catch is an anti-error ability. It makes a character nearly
incapable of booting the ball. This is useful for catching hard hit balls,
and making Big Plays. It also prevents the defender from being driven back
(sliding back) when fielding a hard line drive. This is especially useful
when fielding Bowser's Killer Ball or Bowser Jr's Killer Jr Ball. The Super
Catch ability is all the Sliding Catch ability is and more.
+--+ S U P E R J U M P +--+
Used By: Luigi, Waluigi, Boo, Koopa Paratroopa, Paragoomba, King Boo
The Super Jump ability is common ability which is pretty useful. It allows a
character to jump much higher then normal to try and catch the ball. It's
most useful for infielders to snare line drives over their heads, but it can
be used to rob a home run on a rare occasion.
+--+ T O N G U E C A T C H +--+
Used By: Yoshi
Tongue Catch is an ability unique to Yoshi, but it's really useful. Like
Birdo's Suction and Magikoopa's Magical Catch, it allows him to haul in a
batted ball that would otherwise be out of reach. Unfortunately, the Tongue
Catch doesn't have as much range as the other two. It also boots the ball
occasionally, which makes it lose it's usefulness in the infield. Line drives
and ground balls will bounce away often, so it's most useful in the outfield.
+--+ W A L L J U M P +--+
Used By: Mario, Luigi, Baby Mario, Baby Luigi, Toadette, Bowser Jr
Wall Jump is a common ability, but its not too useful. It's only purpose is
to help you rob home runs (or doubles high off the wall). In front of the
wall, it allows a character to jump extremely high to try to catch a ball
(even higher then the Super Jump ability). Unfortunately, this rarely comes
into play, and it's only useful for outfielders.
==============================================================================
T E A M C H E M I S T R Y 0300
==============================================================================
Chemistry can effect your team in a number of ways. You'll notice that in
Mario Superstar Baseball, some characters are compatible "friends" with each
other. Less noticeable is how some characters are incompatible "enemies".
There are even more subtle chemistry variations beyond that which aren't very
apparent, so I'll just stick to what's measurable.
Your team's chemistry effects the number of stars your team starts out with at
the beginning of the game. This is determined by how compatible the balance
of your team is with your team's captain. If your team is largely compatible
with its captain, you will start with a lot of stars. Conversely, if you have
a number of players on your team that are incompatible with your captain, you
will begin each game with fewer stars.
Aside from the number of stars your team will start with, chemistry can effect
the game play itself. To explain how, I'll explain both the positive and
negative effects of it.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHARACTER COMPATIBILITY 0310
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When two characters are friends in the game, they will exhibit improved
abilities when they work together. This effects both your hitting and
fielding. Every character in Mario Superstar Baseball has at least one
compatible friend character.
The symbol for friendship in Mario Superstar Baseball is represented by a
music note symbol. You'll see it when filling out your line-up, when hitting
with a friend on base, and when throwing a ball to a friend. When you see the
music note symbol appear, you'll know that those two (or more) characters are
compatible.
+--+ B A T T I N G +--+
Friendship effects your offense only when there is a runner on base who is
compatible with your hitter. When batting with a friend on base, the hitter
will exhibit an improved ability to hit. You'll be able to make contact a
little easier, and you'll hit the ball a bit harder.
To take advantage of this, you should stack your lineup so that compatible
friends bat in a row, one after another. That way if one gets on base, it can
help lead to a big rally. For example: I like to have the top three hitters
in my lineup be Yoshi, Luigi, and Mario. Because Yoshi and Luigi are both
friends with Mario, he'll be an even better hitter if one of them gets on base
ahead of him. It becomes more likely that you'll be able to score, so keep
that in mind when you are setting up your lineup.
+--+ F R I E N D T H R O W S +--+
Friendship impacts your fielding as well. More specifically, it effects your
throwing. When a character throws a ball to a compatible friend, the throw is
faster and right on target. This is called a "Friend Throw".
Friend Throws do have a limitation, however. The throw must be to a character
waiting at a base in order to activate. This means that throwing to an
unoccupied base will never result in a Friend Throw, even if a compatible
character is running to the base. For example: Let's say Peach is pitching
and Daisy is playing first base. The ball is hit to Daisy and she flips to
Peach covering first. If the ball is thrown before Peach reaches the base
(when it is unoccupied), then the throw wouldn't be a Friend Throw. If Daisy
waits until Peach reaches the base, then the Friend Throw will activate. This
game play quirk rarely comes up, however.
Another, more common, instance of a Friend Throw not activating is if the ball
is thrown to a cut-off man from the outfield. Because the cut-off man isn't
at a base, it won't count as a Friend Throw. You can use a base to relay the
throw to get around this. For example: Let's say that Magikoopa is in right
field with Bowser Jr at shortstop and Boo at second base. The ball is hit to
Magikoopa in right, and he needs to throw to third base as fast as possible to
keep a runner from advancing. Both Bowser Jr and Boo are friends with
Magikoopa. If Magikoopa throws to the cut-off man (Boo), it would not be a
Friend Throw because Boo is not at a base. Magikoopa should throw directly to
second base to relay the throw because Bowser Jr is also a friend would be
covering that base.
It's complicated, but the main thing is to know who is at what base and what
Friend Throws are available to you at any time.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHARACTER INCOMPATIBILITY 0320
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aside from effecting the amount of stars your team will start each game with,
incompatible characters really only effects your game in one way. Also, not
every character in the game is incompatible with someone. Several characters
have no one that they are enemies with. On the other hand, a few characters
have a lot of incompatible enemies.
+--+ E N E M Y T H R O W S +--+
I call them "Enemy Throws". Incompatible characters can really mess up your
defense. Sometimes a character will throw the ball slower and off-target when
he is attempting to get the ball to an incompatible character. This can pull
a defender off the base allowing a runner to reach safely or break up what
would otherwise be a double play. It can even cause the ball to get past it's
intended target wildly (though this is rare). You can recognize an Enemy
Throw by the purple whirlwind icon that appears above the characters involved
when it activates. The characters also will grunt or scream or growl when an
Enemy Throw takes place as well.
Enemy Throws operate a lot like Friend Throws. The main difference is that
while Friend Throws activate all the time, Enemy Throws activate at random.
So you don't have to worry about it breaking up every play. As far as I can
tell, it activates 10-25% of the time depending on the pairing of incompatible
characters involved in the throw. Yes, it does differ between enemy pairs. I
am a lot unwilling and a little unable to test every single combination a
hundred or so times to find each percentage. Just keep it in mind when
setting up your defense.
The stipulation on Friend Throws also applies to Enemy Throws. If you throw
to a cut-off man or an unoccupied base, an Enemy Throw will never activate.
==============================================================================
B A L A N C E D C H A R A C T E R S 0400
==============================================================================
Balanced Characters are exactly what you'd expect: balanced. They don't
excel in any specific facet of the game, but they aren't horrible at anything
either. Balanced Characters are useful because their versatility. The good
ones allow you to move them around if necessary, allowing you to make
adjustments during a game (such as shifting your defense to change pitchers).
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MARIO 0410
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Compatible with: Luigi, Peach, Yoshi |
| Incompatible with: Bowser, Wario |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
MARIO'S STATS
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| BATTING | 6 |============ | TRAJECTORY | Middle / Middle |
| PITCHING | 6 |============ | STAR SWING | Fireball |
| FIELDING | 6 |============ | STAR PITCH | Fireball |
| RUNNING | 5 |========== | ABILITIES | Wall Jump, Sliding Catch |
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
Mario may very well be the best player in the game. He is good at everything,
but great at nothing. Versatility is his game, and versatility is priceless.
+--+ H I T T I N G +--+
Mario is good-to-very-good at the plate. He makes contact very well. Mario
has decent power and can hit home runs occasionally. I suggest batting him
second or third in the order. Fifth or sixth would work too, but I personally
like to ensure he comes up in the first inning.
Mario's star swing is a double waiting to happen. The Fireball is a hard line
drive that will temporarily stun and set aflame any player that tries to field
it when it's still burning. This will also cause the fielder to boot the
ball, sending it flying in a somewhat random direction. Occasionally, it is
caught in the air after it is booted, but 90% of the time it's a hit.
Mario has pretty good plate coverage. He punishes inside pitches, but he can
be somewhat vulnerable to the ball off the plate away. So, you'll want to
take a pitch if you know it will be outside. Mario also has a late swing, so
it's difficult to blow a fastball by him.
Because of Mario's trouble with the outside corner, you might stand him
towards the front of the batter's box to cut off any breaking balls that try
to clip the corner. The late swing can help keep fastballs from getting by
him when he is up there. A good strategy to use is to guard the outside
corner by crowding the plate and adjust to any inside pitches. Also, if
you're pitching to Mario, you'll want to get him to chase the ball away for
the strikeout. Mario's late swing can means you can have success setting him
up for change-up, especially if he's standing at the rear of the box.
+--+ F I E L D I N G +--+
Mario has good range, a good glove, and a good arm. His range is complimented
nicely by his Sliding Catch ability. He also has the Wall Jump ability that
can bring back homeruns.
I usually have Mario in the middle infield because the Sliding Catch ability
can cut off a ball in the hole and turn it into an out, but you may want to
put him in the outfield to make use of his Wall Jump ability that can rob
homeruns. If you put him out there, he fits best in left field. He doesn't
really have the range to be an ideal center fielder, but you can also put him
there because of his Sliding Catch ability. He doesn't quite have the cannon
arm you want in right field, though. It doesn't really matter because Mario
is good enough that you could put him at any position, and he won't be a
liability.
+--+ P I T C H I N G +--+
Mario is a decent pitcher. He has a good fastball. He has decent movement.
That said, there are better hurlers in the game.
His Fireball is useful as long as you don't use it too much. It is extremely
fast, and it can really get past a player that isn't used to it's speed. The
only problem is that it has next to no movement, so if a good player can
anticipate and time it, it's hittable.
I wouldn't rely on Mario to be your starter, but he is definitely a good
second or third pitcher.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LUIGI 0420
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Compatible with: Mario, Daisy, Peach |
| Incompatible with: Waluigi, Boo, King Boo |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
LUIGI'S STATS
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| BATTING | 5 |========== | TRAJECTORY | Middle / Middle |
| PITCHING | 6 |============ | STAR SWING | Fireball |
| FIELDING | 6 |============ | STAR PITCH | Fireball |
| RUNNING | 6 |============ | ABILITIES | Wall Jump, Super Jump |
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
Another one of the best players out there, Luigi is very similar to Mario.
While he is slightly faster, Luigi has a little less power than Mario. He's
every bit as versatile.
+--+ H I T T I N G +--+
Luigi is a solid hitter that makes contact very well, but he lacks the power
to be a true middle of the order hitter. Luigi sometimes hits home runs, but
a little less often then Mario. He can bat at the top of the order and do
very well there because of his speed. It's not blazing, however, so I think
he's best suited to hit second.
Luigi's star swing is similar to Mario's. It's another Fireball, but the
difference is that it's a ground ball instead of a line drive. It will still
stun and set aflame any player that tries to field it while it still burns,
causing them to boot it. However, because it is a grounder, it won't be an
automatic out if it is caught off the boot. This makes it almost risk free to
hit-and-run with. Occasionally the Fireball will be booted directly to
another player, or it will extinguish before being fielded and become an out.
This is rare, though. It's still an infield hit most of the time. This is
helpful for Luigi if you have him near the top of the order as I suggest; it
will often put him on base for the power hitters.
Luigi has great plate coverage. He can get the barrel of his bat on both
inside and outside pitches. Luigi has an early swing, however, so he can be
susceptible to a good, hard fastball.
Because of the early swing and good plate coverage, you should always stand at
the back of the batter's box with him and swing away. Just stay in the middle
of the box and adjust to the pitch on either side. Pitch Luigi in and out
(both sides of the plate), and go to the fastball when you need the K.
+--+ F I E L D I N G +--+
Luigi is a slightly better fielder then Mario. He essentially has the same
good glove and throwing arm that Mario has, but his added speed makes for
added range. His Wall Jump ability can take away homers, and his Super Jump
ability can snag balls going over his head.
I usually play Luigi at shortstop, but second base is also a very good
position. In the infield, you can use his Super Jump to get to line drives
that would normally sail over him. You could also put him in the outfield to
utilize the Wall Jump; I'd recommend left field or even in center with his
good range. However, just like with Mario, you can put him anywhere without
worries.
+--+ P I T C H I N G +--+
Luigi, like Mario, is decent on the mound. His fastball is slightly slower
than Mario's, but he has a little more movement on his pitches.
The Fireball star pitch is almost exactly like Mario's: a blazingly fast
pitch that is good in moderation, but use it too much and any good human
player will hit it. The difference with Luigi's Fireball is that is slightly
slower then Mario's. It also has a little more movement. Still, both can
catch an opponent unprepared and get you a key strikeout.
Luigi shouldn't be a starter, but he is a good choice as your second or third
pitcher into the game.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DAISY 0430
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Compatible with: Luigi, Peach |
| Incompatible with: Waluigi, Bowser, Petey Piranha |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
DAISY'S STATS
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| BATTING | 6 |============ | TRAJECTORY | Middle / Middle |
| PITCHING | 7 |============== | STAR SWING | Flower Ball |
| FIELDING | 5 |========== | STAR PITCH | Flower Ball |
| RUNNING | 4 |======== | ABILITIES | Sliding Catch, Quick Throw |
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
I love having Daisy on my team. She's a top-five pitcher that can actually
hit. She also has decent speed and a decent glove. The end result is a
player that might not be one of the best in the game, but she's very close.
+--+ H I T T I N G +--+
Daisy is a solid hitter. She has a somewhat difficult time making contact, so
she can be strikeout prone. However, she makes up for it with more power than
you might think; she has the ability to occasionally hit a home run. I'd
suggest hitting her around the six hole, but she can also bat third if you
feel comfortable using her.
Her Flower Ball is a useful star swing, often falling for a double. Off the
bat, it disappears into a swirl of flower petals and doesn't reappear until it
is in the deep outfield, right before it hits the ground. Occasionally, an
opponent can judge it's trajectory well and get under it for the catch. It's
more useful against the computer then a human opponent because of this, but
it's still a good option regardless.
Daisy has pretty good plate coverage. She likes the ball out over the plate,
hitting the outside corner well and the inside corner fair. Her late swing
means that fastballs don't bother her much. In fact, fastballs are her bread
and butter.
If you're batting with her, make sure you can cover the inside corner by
standing way off the plate and don't chase the ball inside. You can adjust to
the ball away. Also, you'll probably want to stand to the front of the
batter's box to cut off the angles on breaking pitches. The best way to pitch
Daisy is with breaking balls every which way, going inside for the out.
+--+ F I E L D I N G +--+
Daisy is a good fielder. She has fair range with a fair glove, and a good
throwing arm. She also has the Sliding Catch ability to add to her range and
the Quick Throw ability to help her arm.
I like Daisy at second base or maybe third base the most. Her Sliding Catch
ability can cut off ground balls that would otherwise be hits. Her Quick
Throw ability makes her great at turning a slick double play or relaying a
throw as the cut-off man. She doesn't really have the good glove to play at
shortstop, but she's good in the infield. You could also play Daisy at a
corner outfield position, in left or right. Left field is best, but her Quick
Throw ability can make her serviceable in right as long as you hit the cut-off
man. I wouldn't put her in center because she doesn't have enough range. Of
course, you could always just start her at pitcher.
+--+ P I T C H I N G +--+
As I stated above, Daisy is probably the third, fourth, or fifth best pitcher
in the game. It's her or DK if you want a starting pitcher who can hit.
She has a good, hard fastball with good movement.
Her Flower Ball is a very good star pitch; you can rely on it heavily. The
ball vanishes into a swirl of flower petals out of her hand and doesn't
reappear until right before it crosses the plate. It does reappear slightly
sooner then Peach's Heart Ball. However, and opponent will still basically
have to guess at its location correctly to hit it, so it's rarely hit hard.
Being a very solid pitcher, Daisy is a good starter or a fantastic second
pitcher.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BIRDO 0440
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Compatible with: Shy Guy, Yoshi, Petey Piranha |
| Incompatible with: *NONE* |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
BIRDO'S STATS
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| BATTING | 6 |============ | TRAJECTORY | Middle / Middle |
| PITCHING | 4 |======== | STAR SWING | Pink Egg |
| FIELDING | 4 |======== | STAR PITCH | Pink Egg |
| RUNNING | 4 |======== | ABILITIES | Suction, Body Check |
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
Birdo might not be in the top-tier of the players, but she's definitely above
average. She's "statistically underrated". Her Suction ability can be a real
pain for opposing batters; it's where fly balls go to die. She can also hit
well.
+--+ H I T T I N G +--+
Birdo is another solid hitter. She has more power than you might expect, and
she's a good contact-hitter. She will hit a lot of home runs for a Balanced
Character, a little more then Mario. Despite her middle/middle trajectory,
she seems to pull the ball down the line a lot for me, getting a high number
of doubles. Her slowness keeps her from being a top-of-the-order hitter, but
she can hold up the sixth spot nicely.
Her Pink Egg can be a devastating star swing if it gets away from the
fielders, but it can also be a simple pop out. Off the bat, the ball turns
into an egg, pops in the air, and lands just into the outfield. If it hits
the ground without being caught, it will bounce twice in random directions,
helping it get away from the fielders. Unfortunately, it is often caught out
of the air before it bounces for a quick out. Just don't use it with runners
on base, or you're inviting a double play. It's a crap shoot, but it pays off
more than it backfires as long as the bases are empty. Birdo's Body Check
ability can also really help save you from running into outs, so you be
aggressive on the bases with her despite sub-par speed.
On the down side, Birdo's plate coverage is bad. So you have to be a
disciplined hitter with her, or you'll strike out a lot. You may want to skip
her if you like to swing at everything. Birdo also has an early swing, so
good fastballs can eat her up.
Birdo's vulnerability to fastballs might make you want to stand her at the
back of the box, but this would hurt her already poor plate coverage. You may
want to start in the rear, and rush to the front of the batter's box if the
pitcher doesn't charge up the pitch. This will help you adjust to cut down
the angle. Either way, with Birdo you'll have to be very disciplined and have
a quick swing ready incase of a hard one. Throw her hard fastballs off the
plate on both sides for the out.
+--+ F I E L D I N G +--+
In the field, Birdo is an enigma. With below average speed and a below
average glove, her stats would indicate that she can be a liability. However,
it really depends on where you play her. Her very strong throwing arm and her
Suction ability (which allows her to suck in fly balls that would otherwise be
out of reach) make up for a lot at some positions.
Birdo is the most natural right fielder in the game. She could also play
left. Third base is another option, and she could even play catcher (with her
throwing arm). Avoid putting her in the middle infield. The Suction ability
does not work well on ground balls and line drives, and she is a slow runner.
+--+ P I T C H I N G +--+
Birdo's not a very good pitcher. She has decent movement to her pitches, but
not much velocity. She's not going to blow anyone away with her fastball.
Her Pink Egg as a star pitch can be tough to even make contact with, however.
The ball changes into an egg, bounces, and changes direction a couple of times
before crossing the plate. This makes it nearly impossible to predict the
pitch location.
Even with the good star pitch, I would only use Birdo as a fourth pitcher, or
to get one batter out situationally with her Pink Egg.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOAD 0450
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Compatible with: Peach, Toadsworth, Toadette |
| Incompatible with: Waluigi, Bowser, Wario |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
TOAD'S STATS (RED)
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| BATTING | 5 |========== | TRAJECTORY | Middle / Middle |
| PITCHING | 3 |====== | STAR SWING | Fly Ball |
| FIELDING | 3 |====== | STAR PITCH | Super Fastball |
| RUNNING | 6 |============ | ABILITIES | Body Check |
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
BLUE TOAD'S STATS
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| BATTING | 4 |======== | TRAJECTORY | Middle / Middle |
| PITCHING | 3 |====== | STAR SWING | Ground Ball |
| FIELDING | 3 |====== | STAR PITCH | Super Change-Up |
| RUNNING | 7 |============== | ABILITIES | Body Check |
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
YELLOW TOAD'S STATS
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| BATTING | 4 |======== | TRAJECTORY | Middle / Middle |
| PITCHING | 4 |======== | STAR SWING | Ground Ball |
| FIELDING | 3 |====== | STAR PITCH | Super Breaking-Ball |
| RUNNING | 6 |============ | ABILITIES | Body Check |
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
GREEN TOAD'S STATS
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| BATTING | 5 |========== | TRAJECTORY | Middle / Middle |
| PITCHING | 3 |====== | STAR SWING | Ground Ball |
| FIELDING | 3 |====== | STAR PITCH | Super Change-Up |
| RUNNING | 6 |============ | ABILITIES | Body Check |
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
PURPLE TOAD'S STATS
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| BATTING | 5 |========== | TRAJECTORY | Middle / Middle |
| PITCHING | 3 |====== | STAR SWING | Fly Ball |
| FIELDING | 4 |======== | STAR PITCH | Super Fastball |
| RUNNING | 5 |========== | ABILITIES | Body Check |
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
I'm not really a fan of Toad. He is a decent hitter, but his defense is far
too suspect in my opinion. He can be a role player for you if you prefer
hitting over fielding.
+--+ H I T T I N G +--+
Toad is a better hitter then his stats indicate. He has surprising power.
Depending on which one you use, he can hit a decent amount of home runs. He
will also get you some extra base hits and makes contact well, but he can
still strike out a lot because of his bad plate coverage. You could utilize
the bunt if you have Blue Toad because of the good speed, but make sure it's
over the plate. Blue Toad could lead off necessary because of his speed, but
all other Toads should be batting seventh.
Different colored Toads have different star swings. Toad (Red) and Purple
Toad have the Fly Ball for a star swing. It's best used for a sacrifice fly,
to get a runner in from third base with less then two outs, but it can also
find a gap for a double. Blue Toad, Yellow Toad, and Green Toad all have the
Ground Ball for a star swing, which is only very useful for hit-and-running.
This is all dependant on not charging-up the star swing. If you do that,
of course, you'll just hit a Pop Up. All the Toads also have the Body Check
ability that can save them from being thrown out by jarring the ball loose.
The Toads have horrible plate coverage. They absolutely cannot hit the
outside pitch. They can't reach it. Every Toad other then the red one also
has a difficult time hitting an inside pitch, so you have to be a disciplined
hitter to use Toad. Also, every Toad other than the red one does have a late
swing, so they can handle a hard fastball better.
You'll likely want to stand towards the front of the batter's box with any
Toad to help that poor plate coverage and cut down the angles on breaking
pitches. Just be ready with a quick swing if you get a fastball. Toad (Red)
should also crowd the plate to help cover that outside corner. Pitch Toad on
the corners, in and out. Get the ball away, off the plate for a strikeout.
+--+ F I E L D I N G +--+
Ugh... Toad has a bad glove (unless you're using Purple Toad), and only
slightly above average range (unless you're using Blue Toad). Toad also has
only an average throwing arm.
If you have to find a place for a Toad, I'd put him in left field or second
base. Toad has enough range for both positions, and neither needs a very
strong throwing arm. If you put him anywhere else, he could be a liability.
+--+ P I T C H I N G +--+
Toad is another pitcher that I wouldn't rely on. He has little to no velocity
on his pitches, and only moderately good movement (except for Yellow Toad who
has decent movement).
As with the star swings, different colored Toads have different star pitches.
Toad (Red) and Purple Toad both have the Super Fastball as a star pitch. It
is best thrown without charging up the pitch to surprise the hitter. Blue
Toad and Green Toad have the Super Change-Up. It slows as it approaches the
plate, so it is best when thrown from the wind-up. Yellow Toad's star pitch
is the Super Breaking-Ball, which is a very slow, floating pitch that has a
ton of movement.
You could consider using Yellow Toad as your fourth pitcher if you don't have
a better option. Any other Toad should be used situationally, only to make
use of a star pitch.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SHY GUY 0460
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Compatible with: Birdo, Monty Mole |
| Incompatible with: Baby Mario, Baby Luigi |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
SHY GUY'S STATS (RED)
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| BATTING | 5 |========== | TRAJECTORY | Middle / Middle |
| PITCHING | 3 |====== | STAR SWING | Fly Ball |
| FIELDING | 5 |========== | STAR PITCH | Super Change-Up |
| RUNNING | 4 |======== | ABILITIES | Sliding Catch |
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
BLUE SHY GUY'S STATS
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| BATTING | 4 |======== | TRAJECTORY | Middle / Middle |
| PITCHING | 3 |====== | STAR SWING | Ground Ball |
| FIELDING | 5 |========== | STAR PITCH | Super Change-Up |
| RUNNING | 5 |========== | ABILITIES | Sliding Catch |
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
YELLOW SHY GUY'S STATS
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| BATTING | 4 |======== | TRAJECTORY | Middle / Middle |
| PITCHING | 4 |======== | STAR SWING | Ground Ball |
| FIELDING | 5 |========== | STAR PITCH | Super Breaking-Ball |
| RUNNING | 4 |======== | ABILITIES | Sliding Catch |
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
GREEN SHY GUY'S STATS
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| BATTING | 4 |======== | TRAJECTORY | Middle / Middle |
| PITCHING | 4 |======== | STAR SWING | Ground Ball |
| FIELDING | 5 |========== | STAR PITCH | Super Change-Up |
| RUNNING | 4 |======== | ABILITIES | Sliding Catch |
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
BLACK SHY GUY'S STATS
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| BATTING | 4 |======== | TRAJECTORY | Middle / Middle |
| PITCHING | 4 |======== | STAR SWING | Fly Ball |
| FIELDING | 6 |============ | STAR PITCH | Super Fastball |
| RUNNING | 4 |======== | ABILITIES | Sliding Catch |
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
Shy Guy is actually a lot like Toad, but that's not a good thing. He doesn't
hit quite as well as Toad, and he's a little less useful in the field. So
he's a role player who is actually slightly worse than Toad.
+--+ H I T T I N G +--+
Shy Guy has average power (the red one has the most). He'll get some doubles
and an occasional home run. He is only average at making contact, and his
slowness means that bunting isn't really a good idea with him either. This
keeps him from being competent at the top of a batting order, so he should be
hitting seventh or maybe eighth.
Shy Guy's star swing depends on his color. Shy Guy (Red) and Black Shy Guy
both have the Fly Ball, good for hitting a sacrifice fly. Blue Shy Guy,
Yellow Shy Guy, and Green Shy Guy all hit a Ground Ball when you spend a star,
which is only useful when you want to hit-and-run. Just don't charge up the
swing with any of them or you'll hit a simple pop fly for an easy out.
Shy Guy has decent plate coverage. He likes the ball away and can hit it
well, but he struggles mightily with the pitch in on his hands.
You need to guard against it with him by standing way off the plate and adjust
to the ball away. You might want to stand towards the front of the batter's
box if you struggle with the inside pitch. Otherwise, you could probably
stand in the middle. Pitch him hard inside for the easy out. You'll either
jam him or get the K.
+--+ F I E L D I N G +--+
Shy Guy is a downright bad fielder. He has an average glove (Black Shy Guy
has an above average glove) and below average range. The Sliding Catch
ability can help out his range, but Shy guy also has a weak throwing arm.
As with the Toad, Shy Guy can be a defensive weakness. Use him in left field
or at second base; otherwise that weakness might be glaring.
+--+ P I T C H I N G +--+
Shy Guy is a pitcher you should not rely on. Yellow Shy Guy, Green Shy Guy,
and Black Shy Guy have a decent fastball, but Shy Guy (Red) and Blue Shy Guy
don't. All of them have poor movement.
The type of star pitch depends on the color of the Shy Guy you're using. Shy
Guy (Red), Blue Shy Guy, and Green Shy Guy all have the Super Change-Up at
their disposal. It slows as it approaches the plate, making it most useful
when you charge up the pitch. Yellow Shy Guy has the Super Breaking-Ball
(a slow floater with extreme movement) and Black Shy Guy has the Super
Fastball (best when thrown without charging up for the element of surprise).
Yellow Shy Guy, Green Shy Guy, and Black Shy Guy could all be a fourth pitcher
if you really need one. However, Shy Guy (Red) and Blue Shy Guy should only
be used as situational pitchers or to get one batter with a star pitch.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GOOMBA 0470
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Compatible with: Diddy kong, Monty Mole, Paragoomba |
| Incompatible with: *NONE* |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
GOOMBA'S STATS
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| BATTING | 4 |======== | TRAJECTORY | Middle / Middle |
| PITCHING | 3 |====== | STAR SWING | Ground Ball |
| FIELDING | 4 |======== | STAR PITCH | Super Fastball |
| RUNNING | 5 |========== | ABILITIES | Ball Dash |
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
Getting worse still, there's Goomba. He's a bottom-tier player, probably one
of the worst players in the game.
+--+ H I T T I N G +--+
Goomba is a frustrating hitter. He has little power; you won't be hitting
many home runs with him. Goomba also has a hard time making contact, so he'll
strike out more then most. His speed is also only average, so bunting is a
not a good option. The bottom line is that he belongs towards at the bottom
of your lineup, batting eighth.
Goomba's star swing is the Ground Ball (unless you make the mistake of
charging up the swing for the Pop Up. It's not very useful because he's not
very fast. Hit-and-run with it if you need to advance a runner.
Goomba also has really bad plate coverage. He struggles with pitches off the
plate on either side. If you are a free swinger, you'll hate him.
You'll need to be real patient to have success. I'd suggest moving him up to
the front of the box to cut down the angles on breaking-balls. If you do
that, however, you'll need to have quick reflexes on fastballs. Get him to
chase either way for the out.
+--+ F I E L D I N G +--+
Goomba is a liability in the field. Same song as Shy Guy, only worse.
Average range. Below average glove. Terrible arm. His Ball Dash ability can
be a substitute for a throwing arm, however, allowing him to run lightning
fast while holding the ball.
Put Goomba at second base and utilize the Ball Dash ability. Anywhere else
will probably expose his horrible throwing arm.
+--+ P I T C H I N G +--+
Goomba is a bad pitcher. His has sub-par velocity and sub-par movement.
The only reason to use him is his star pitch. It's the Super Fastball. Throw
it without charging up the pitch to maximize it usefulness by surprising the
batter.
Goomba should only be used as a situational pitcher if at all.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
KOOPA TROOPA 0480
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Compatible with: Koopa Paratroopa, Dry Bones, Bowser |
| Incompatible with: *NONE* |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
KOOPA TROOPA'S STATS (GREEN)
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| BATTING | 5 |========== | TRAJECTORY | Middle / Middle |
| PITCHING | 4 |======== | STAR SWING | Ground Ball |
| FIELDING | 5 |========== | STAR PITCH | Super Breaking-Ball |
| RUNNING | 4 |======== | ABILITIES | Sliding Catch |
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
RED KOOPA TROOPA'S STATS
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| BATTING | 6 |============ | TRAJECTORY | Middle / Middle |
| PITCHING | 4 |======== | STAR SWING | Fly Ball |
| FIELDING | 5 |========== | STAR PITCH | Super Fastball |
| RUNNING | 4 |======== | ABILITIES | Sliding Catch |
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
Koopa Troopa is one of those role players in the game that you choose to keep
from having a glaring weakness somewhere, but his defense is more suspect then
most. Put him on your team if you favor hitting over fielding.
+--+ H I T T I N G +--+
Koopa has more power than his stats indicate, but it's gap-power. He hits
doubles often and home runs rarely (Red Koopa Troopa more often). The
downside is that he can be somewhat difficult to make contact with. If you
are a disciplined hitter, Koopa can hit sixth or seventh in your lineup.
Koopa's star swing depends on which one you choose. Koopa Troopa (Green) has
only the Ground Ball which is useful mainly to hit-and-run with. Red Koopa
Troopa, on the other hand, has the Fly Ball. Use it to hit a sacrifice fly
or when you're desperate for a possible double.
The Troopa's plate coverage is pretty bad. He struggles hitting the ball off
either side of the plate, but inside more so. That inside pitch eats him up.
Koopa has a late swing, though; he hits fastballs well.
This means that Koopa Troopa should stand at the front of the batter's box.
It will help his plate coverage, and he should still be able to handle a hard
fastball if you're on your toes. You'll need to guard against the inside
pitch by standing away from the plate a bit, adjust to the ball away, and be
disciplined. Get him to chase breaking-balls off the plate (especially
inside) for the out.
+--+ F I E L D I N G +--+
Koopa Troopa has an average glove, below average range, and a fair throwing
arm. His sliding Catch ability can help with that range, however.
Troopa is below average on defense, but not as bad as Goomba. I'd use him
mostly in left field, second base, or maybe third base. Still, his defense
can sometimes be a liability.
+--+ P I T C H I N G +--+
Troopa is a below average pitcher, but he can be serviceable. He has a below
average fastball, and below average movement.
The star pitch, like Koopa Troopa's star swing, depends on which one you have.
Koopa Troopa (Green) has the Super Breaking-Ball. It is a slow, floating
pitch that has more movement then any other pitch. Red Koopa Troopa has the
Super Fastball for a star pitch. Throw it without charging up your pitch to
take full advantage of it's surprising speed.
Even with each star pitch, Koopa Troopa is a fourth pitcher at best.
==============================================================================
T E C H N I Q U E C H A R A C T E R S 0500
==============================================================================
Technique Characters are sort of the opposite of Balanced Characters. They
usually have one or two things they do extremely well ond one or two major
weaknesses. For example, several Technique Characters are good pitchers and
poor hitters. Their usefulness is in their specialties. The good ones will
fill a specific need very well.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PEACH 0510
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Compatible with: Mario, Luigi, Daisy, Toad, Toadsworth, Toadette |
| Incompatible with: Bowser, Petey Piranha |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
PEACH'S STATS
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| BATTING | 4 |======== | TRAJECTORY | Opposite Field / Low |
| PITCHING | 8 |================ | STAR SWING | Heart Ball |
| FIELDING | 7 |============== | STAR PITCH | Heart Ball |
| RUNNING | 5 |========== | ABILITIES | Quick Throw, Super Catch |
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
Peach is the sort of player that has the skills to be a real top-tier player
in this game. She is right near the top when it comes to pitching and
defense. However, she's not a real good hitter. Even without a big bat,
Peach is still one of the best players in the game.
+--+ H I T T I N G +--+
If Peach was just a little better at the plate, she be unstoppable. As it is,
she's below average. She doesn't have much power; don't expect her to hit
many home runs. She also has a hard time making contact. This makes her
best suited to bat towards the bottom of your lineup, seventh or eighth.
Her Heart Ball is only a somewhat useful star swing. Off the bat, the ball
turns into a flutter of hearts that quickly scatter. The ball reappears in
the outfield when the hearts converge again. Unfortunately, it hangs in the
air long enough after reappearing to be caught a lot of the time. Still, it
will be at least a sacrifice fly, sometimes falling for a double.
Peach has uneven plate coverage. Her bread and butter is an inside, off-speed
pitch. She can't reach the pitch on the outside corner well, and she has an
early swing which is susceptible to a hard fastball.
The fastball weakness may keep you from moving her to the front of the box.
Guard the outside corner with her by standing as close to the plate as
possible, and have a quick swing ready incase of a hard pitch. You can adjust
to an inside pitch when necessary. An overpowering fastball away will be the
easiest way to get her out.
+--+ F I E L D I N G +--+
Like a lot of Technique Characters, Peach can be good if used correctly. She
has below average range, but a fantastic glove. Her arm is also strong. Her
Quick Throw ability can make her slick at turning the double play and relaying
throws from the outfield. He Super Catch ability also makes her nearly
errorless when fielding.
Peach shouldn't play center field, but third base or even shortstop would be
a good fit. That is unless you have better offensive players that you need at
third. Another great position would be second base. All three positions
would make use of her abilities. All this is somewhat pointless, however.
You'll probably have her pitching.
+--+ P I T C H I N G +--+
I love pitching with Peach. She has a good hard fastball, but it's her great
pitch movement that really makes her shine. She probably has the best pitch
control in the game. This allows you to pitch from the center of the rubber
at all times; she can shave either corner with her best fastball. This is
invaluable against a human opponent.
Like Daisy's Flower ball, Peach's Heart Ball is a great star pitch. Out of
her hand, the ball vanishes into a flutter of hearts. It only reappears right
before it crosses the plate, so predicting it's location guesswork. This
means it is rarely hit very well.
All around, Peach is a great choice as your starting pitcher.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WALUIGI 0520
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Compatible with: Magikoopa, Wario |
| Incompatible with: Luigi, Daisy, Toad, Baby Luigi, Toadette |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
WALUIGI'S STATS
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| BATTING | 4 |======== | TRAJECTORY | Opposite Field / Low |
| PITCHING | 9 |==================| STAR SWING | Liar Ball |
| FIELDING | 4 |======== | STAR PITCH | Liar Ball |
| RUNNING | 4 |======== | ABILITIES | Laser Beam, Super Jump |
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
Say hello to the best pitcher in the game. Unfortunately, pitching is the
only thing he does very well. This keeps him from being a top player, but he
sure can shut down a lineup.
+--+ H I T T I N G +--+
Waluigi is a black hole in your lineup; he's probably "statistically
overrated" in this category. He has virtually no power, and will likely never
hit a home run. On top of that he's only average at making contact. He's
slow, so he can't even bunt for a base hit. Waluigi should be batting eighth
or probably ninth unless you happen to have someone worse.
The Liar Ball is also not very useful as a star swing. At best it's a single,
but it's often a simple pop out. Off the bat, it flies into the air and then
splits into two separate Liar Balls, one real and one illusion. Both are
shallow pop flies in the infield, so I would recommending never using the Liar
Ball if you have anyone on base because you might be hitting into a double
play. The false ball will temporarily stun any fielder that tries to catch
it, but there's almost always another defender near by to retrieve the ball
quickly.
Waluigi's plate coverage is also one-sided. His long arms give him great
reach, so he has no problem getting to the outside pitch. This also means
that he is easily jammed by an inside pitch. His early swing also means that
he has a hard time getting his bat around to meet a strong fastball.
You need to guard the inside corner with Waluigi (stand way off the plate) and
adjust to the ball away. His vulnerability to fastballs also means that you
should stand at the back of the batter's box despite his trouble with inside
pitches. Pitch him hard inside for the easy out.
+--+ F I E L D I N G +--+
Another weakness for Waluigi is fielding. He has below average range, a below
average glove, and a bad throwing arm. His Laser Beam ability can make him a
good cut-off man, accelerating his throws to home plate to gun down runners.
His Super Jump ability can also help you snag balls hit over his head.
Because of his abilities, you could try putting Waluigi at second base or
third base, but there are likely better players to put there. You might try
left field to give him a chance to use the Laser Beam ability to throw out
runners trying to score from the outfield. The problem is that even with his
abilities, he can still be a liability just about anywhere on the field. This
doesn't really matter, however, because you should always have him starting at
pitcher.
+--+ P I T C H I N G +--+
Fear the Waluigi. He has good movement, but not as good as Peach's. However,
he more than makes up for this with a dominating fastball. He can blow people
away with it. It's so good that you can get away with throwing little to no
breaking balls. He can keep hitters off balance all game with fastballs and
change-ups.
Waluigi's Liar Ball is also a good star pitch option in moderation. It's not
devastating, but it adds to an already devastating pitcher. Out of his hand,
the ball splits into two separate Liar Balls, keeping the actual location of
the pitch unpredictable. One of the Liars disappears and the location of the
true pitch is revealed shortly before it crosses the plate. The effect is not
quite as good as Peach's or Daisy's Heart or Flower Ball, but it's still good
enough to not be hit hard very often.
Again, Waluigi is the best pitcher in the game. He should definitely be your
starting pitcher at all times unless you happen to have a player you
specifically feel more comfortable with.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DIXIE KONG 0530
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Compatible with: Diddy Kong, Donkey Kong |
| Incompatible with: *NONE* |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
DIXIE KONG'S STATS
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| BATTING | 2 |==== | TRAJECTORY | Opposite Field / Low |
| PITCHING | 5 |========== | STAR SWING | Ground Ball |
| FIELDING | 6 |============ | STAR PITCH | Super Breaking-Ball |
| RUNNING | 6 |============ | ABILITIES | Clamber |
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
Dixie is another "statistically underrated" player. She is a poor hitter, but
not as bad as her stats indicate. She can field extremely well, and she can
pitch if you need her to. She's sort of a super utility player.
+--+ H I T T I N G +--+
Dixie Kong is not a good hitter. She has very little power, but she's a
decent contact hitter. She won't hit many home runs and rarely gets extra
bases. Her speed does allow for some bunting, so she can make a serviceable
leadoff hitter. If you have someone better batting first, she's going to be
an eighth or a ninth place hitter.
Her star swing isn't much help. It's just a Ground Ball. So you can use it
to hit-and-run or when you really need to make contact, but there are better
uses for a star. Just like every other non-captain character, if you charge
up the star swing, it'll be a Pop Up.
Dixie's plate coverage is also pretty bad. She struggles to hit the outside
pitch, but she's decent at hitting an inside pitch. You'll have to be a
disciplined hitter with her. She also has the earliest swing in the game, so
she's very vulnerable to a hard fastball.
The key to having success with Dixie is knowing how to use her. Despite her
bad plate coverage, you can't really move her to the front of the batter's box
because of the extremely early swing. You should stand at the middle or rear
of the box. Crowd the plate to guard the outside corner, adjust to the inside
pitch, and don't swing at anything outside the strike zone. Pitch Dixie hard
away for the strikeout.
+--+ F I E L D I N G +--+
Dixie is a top-tier defender. One of the very best in the game. She has very
good range and a very good glove. She also has an absolute cannon for a
throwing arm. He Clamber ability also gives her the ability to climb the wall
in the outfield to go get a ball.
The female Kong could play the toughest defensive positions and still shine.
You'll want to stick her in center field or shortstop, but she can really play
anywhere and be fantastic. If you're playing in a park with high walls like
Peach Garden or Bowser Castle, Dixie can use her Clamber ability to climb the
fences and go get a ball that would otherwise be high off the wall. It's
not all that useful, but even without it, Dixie can still play any defensive
position and excel.
+--+ P I T C H I N G +--+
Dixie isn't the best on the mound, but she is a good reliever. Her fastball
is just plain slow, but she has killer movement. Her movement is so good that
she can pitch from the center of the rubber and still shave both corners of
the plate with a fastball.
Her star pitch is the Super Breaking-Ball. It's a slow floater that has an
insane amount of movement.
Dixie would be a little more useful if her star pitch was the Super Fastball,
but she's still a solid choice as your third pitcher.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BOO 0540
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Compatible with: Magikoopa, King Boo, Wario |
| Incompatible with: Luigi, Baby Mario, Baby Luigo |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
BOO'S STATS
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| BATTING | 3 |====== | TRAJECTORY | Middle / Middle |
| PITCHING | 8 |================ | STAR SWING | Ground Ball |
| FIELDING | 2 |==== | STAR PITCH | Super Breaking-Ball |
| RUNNING | 4 |======== | ABILITIES | Super Jump |
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
Boo is a decent player, but he's not without his faults. He is a great
pitcher, a below average hitter, and a poor fielder. It's mainly his pitching
that will get him playing time.
+--+ H I T T I N G +--+
Boo is the personification of a slap hitter in Mario Superstar Baseball. He
takes the pitch away and slaps it down the line better then anyone else. The
sharp slice to his hits often makes the ball get past the outfielders. He's
the very best contact hitter in the game. He'll foul off a ton of pitches and
will be very difficult to strike out. Boo also has more power then his stats
indicate. He can sometimes hit home runs to the opposite field, occasionally
wrapping them around the foul pole. The slice to his drives are both his
advantage and disadvantage. You might try having him leadoff or bat second
because of his superb ability to make contact. Otherwise he is a seventh or
eighth place hitter.
The star swing that Boo possesses is only the Ground Ball. You can use it to
hit-and-run with, but you'll probably rarely employ it. His contact ability
lends to hit-and-running very well without using a star. As always with non-
captain characters, don't charge up the star swing or you'll hit a Pop Up.
Boo has uneven plate coverage. He loves the ball away, but he has a difficult
time with the inside pitch.
You'll have to take the pitch that's inside in order to be successful with
him. A good strategy to use with Boo is to sit on the inside pitch by
standing way off the plate and adjust to the pitch away. Because of how much
his hits slice, I strongly recommend positioning him strictly at the very
front of the batter's box. This will make him susceptible to a hard fastball,
but it will also make a lot of those just-foul line drives land fair and slice
into the corner for a double. As long as you have quick reflexes on
fastballs, you should be fine hitting from the front of the box. Pitch him
inside to try and jam him for the out.
+--+ F I E L D I N G +--+
Defense is Boo's biggest weakness. He has below average range and a very bad
glove. So, he'll boot the ball quite a bit. He has only fair arm strength,
but he has a very quick release. His Super Jump ability can also help him
grab balls that are going to fly over his head.
You might try playing him in left field or at second base to minimize his weak
fielding. Third base is another option, but there are likely better hitters
to put there. Playing Boo in the infield also would help you take advantage
of the Super Jump. However, Boo obviously has the ability to start at
pitcher.
+--+ P I T C H I N G +--+
Boo is the best non-captain pitcher in the game. I would say he's a top-five
pitcher overall. He has a pretty good fastball with great movement. What
makes him even better is the fact that he throws side-arm. The pitches come
in at such a sharp angle that it's very difficult for a human opponent to line
his pitches up and make solid contact.
His star pitch is the Super Breaking-Ball. It's a slow, floating pitch that
has a huge amount of movement and can be effective in moderation because of
Boo's sidearm delivery.
Boo makes a solid starting pitcher or a fantastic second pitcher.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOADSWORTH 0550
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Compatible with: Toad, Peach, Toadette |
| Incompatible with: Bowser |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
TOADSWORTH'S STATS
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| BATTING | 4 |======== | TRAJECTORY | Middle / Middle |
| PITCHING | 4 |======== | STAR SWING | Line Drive |
| FIELDING | 6 |============ | STAR PITCH | Super Change-Up |
| RUNNING | 4 |======== | ABILITIES | Super Catch |
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
Toadsworth is another character that I would consider a role player. He is
definitely not top-tier, but he can fill a hole for you. He'll be on your
team more for his defense then his hitting.
+--+ H I T T I N G +--+
The first player in the game that has a single point of contact, Toadsworth
uses his staff to hit. So he is bad at making contact and can strike out a
lot. Toadsworth probably has more power then his stat indicates, but unlike
the Bros or Donkey Kong, he doesn't have enough to make up for the single
point of contact. Despite the high amount of doubles he'll hit, he can't
really hit the ball out. Home runs will be rare. Toadsworth hits for more
average than power, and he is only a seventh or eighth place hitter.
Toadsworth's best hitting aspect is his star swing. He's got the Line Drive
star swing (unless you're dumb and charge the swing for a pop up). On top of
the useful Line Drive, the star will help you make contact, something
Toadsworth can really use. I'd suggest saving a star for him whenever
possible.
Toadsworth also has below average plate coverage. He can hit the inside pitch
well, but struggles with the ball away.
Normally, that would mean you should guard the outside corner by crowding the
plate and adjust to the inside pitch, but the single point of contact means
that he'll still strike out a lot. So if you want to have any success with
him, you'll have to be a very disciplined hitter or use the star swing a lot.
You might think about standing at the front of the batter's box to help his
plate coverage, but you'll have to have an itchy trigger finger incase of
fastballs. Work him in and out for the K.
+--+ F I E L D I N G +--+
Toadsworth's best asset is his fielding, but it's not spectacular. He has
below average range and an above average glove. He also brings an average
throwing arm. Toadsworth also has the Super Catch ability that makes him
nearly errorless with the glove.
Toadsworth is pretty much a utility player, someone to have to avoid any black
holes on defense. He can play second, third, or left and be solid.
+--+ P I T C H I N G +--+
Toadsworth is not a very reliable pitcher. His movement is decent, but his
fastball is sub-par.
He has the Super Change-Up as a star pitch; it starts out like a hard fastball
and slams on the breaks to cross the plate at a snail's pace. It's best used
against an over-anxious opponent, thrown from the wind up.
With a useful star pitch, Toadsworth is still probably best used as a fourth
or situational pitcher only.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
KOOPA PARATROOPA 0560
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Compatible with: Koopa Troopa, Paragoomba, Bowser |
| Incompatible with: *NONE* |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
KOOPA PARATROOPA'S STATS (RED)
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| BATTING | 3 |====== | TRAJECTORY | Middle / Low |
| PITCHING | 3 |====== | STAR SWING | Ground Ball |
| FIELDING | 4 |======== | STAR PITCH | Super Breaking-Ball |
| RUNNING | 6 |============ | ABILITIES | Super Jump |
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
GREEN KOOPA PARATROOPA'S STATS
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| BATTING | 2 |==== | TRAJECTORY | Middle / Low |
| PITCHING | 3 |====== | STAR SWING | Line Drive |
| FIELDING | 4 |======== | STAR PITCH | Super Breaking-Ball |
| RUNNING | 6 |============ | ABILITIES | Super Jump |
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
Paratroopa is not a great player. His only real asset is defense, but it's a
real strong asset. I'd say that Koopa Paratroopa is only a role player, but
he's certainly good enough to put in the lineup if you favor fielding.
+--+ H I T T I N G +--+
Paratroopa is a below average hitter at best. He has little power (the red
Paratroopa has a little more), and he will rarely hit a home run down the
line. He is pretty average at making contact. He does have decent speed, but
not good enough for bunting to be a real good option. Because of the star
swing, I think Green Koopa Paratroopa can be a leadoff hitter if necessary.
Koopa Paratroopa (Red) is probably an eighth or ninth place hitter.
His star swing depends on which Paratroopa you choose. Green Koopa Paratroopa
has the wonderful Line Drive for a star swing. It's useful in almost any
situation, so you'll want to save stars for him. It might even be enough to
get you to choose the green Paratroopa over the red one despite the lower
batting stat. Koopa Paratroopa's (Red) star swing is the Ground Ball. Use it
for hit-and-running only. Of course, if you charge up the star swing with
either Paratroopa, you'll just hit lazy pop fly.
Paratroopa has uneven plate coverage. He can actually hit the outside pitch
pretty well, but struggles with the pitch inside. He also has a late swing,
so he can actually handle a hard fastball pretty well.
The late swing means that you can get away with batting Paratroopa from the
front of the batter's box to help cut down the angle on the inside pitch. You
should guard against that first by standing well off the plate and adjust to
the ball away. The best way to get Paratroopa out is with something off-speed
and inside, with good movement.
+--+ F I E L D I N G +--+
The only thing that Paratroopa is good at is fielding. He has above average
range, but a below average glove. A real strong throwing arm is a big plus.
He also has the Super Jump ability which can help him go get the ball hit over
his head as an infielder.
Paratroopa does have the range to play center field or shortstop if necessary
(the Super Jump could also help at short), but you're probably best playing
him at second base. Left field is another good option if you favor defense
over hitting.
+--+ P I T C H I N G +--+
Koopa Paratroopa is a very bad pitcher. He has below average movement, and
almost no velocity.
His star pitch is the Super Breaking-Ball, a slow floater with a ton of
movement. It's basically the same speed as every other pitch he throws with
extra movement.
I would recommend against ever having Paratroopa pitch.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MAGIKOOPA 0570
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Compatible with: Waluigi, Boo, Bowser Jr |
| Incompatible with: *NONE* |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
MAGIKOOPA'S STATS (BLUE)
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| BATTING | 4 |======== | TRAJECTORY | Opposite Field / Low |
| PITCHING | 2 |==== | STAR SWING | Line Drive |
| FIELDING | 8 |================ | STAR PITCH | Super Breaking-Ball |
| RUNNING | 2 |==== | ABILITIES | Magical Catch |
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
RED MAGIKOOPA'S STATS
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| BATTING | 5 |========== | TRAJECTORY | Opposite Field / Low |
| PITCHING | 2 |==== | STAR SWING | Line Drive |
| FIELDING | 8 |================ | STAR PITCH | Super Breaking-Ball |
| RUNNING | 1 |== | ABILITIES | Magical Catch |
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
GREEN MAGIKOOPA'S STATS
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| BATTING | 4 |======== | TRAJECTORY | Opposite Field / Low |
| PITCHING | 3 |====== | STAR SWING | Line Drive |
| FIELDING | 8 |================ | STAR PITCH | Super Breaking-Ball |
| RUNNING | 1 |== | ABILITIES | Magical Catch |
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
YELLOW MAGIKOOPA'S STATS
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| BATTING | 3 |====== | TRAJECTORY | Opposite Field / Low |
| PITCHING | 4 |======== | STAR SWING | Line Drive |
| FIELDING | 8 |================ | STAR PITCH | Super Breaking-Ball |
| RUNNING | 1 |== | ABILITIES | Magical Catch |
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
Magikoopa is such a frustrating player for me. The red one is a solid hitter
(I wouldn't use any of the others), and his Magical Catch is a fantastic
ability, but one huge problem on defense keeps him from being exceptional.
+--+ H I T T I N G +--+
Red Magikoopa actually has a good amount of power (the others have less).
He'll occasionally belt some home runs to the opposite field. Magikoopa is
slow, but if you hit the ball far enough, that won't matter much. All the
Magikoopas are also good contact hitters. Red Magikoopa actually has enough
hitting ability to bat sixth or maybe even third in your lineup (if you don't
mind his slowness on the bases). The others should bat seventh, or (with
Yellow Magikoopa) eighth.
Magikoopa also has the feared Line Drive for a star swing, as long as you
don't charge the swing for a pop out. It's always useful, so you should save
stars for him.
Magikoopa has a decent amount of plate coverage. He hits the inside pitch
okay and the outside pitch very well. On top of that, he has a late swing, so
fastballs have a tough time getting by him.
With Magikoopa, you should probably cover the inside corner by standing off
the plate a bit and adjust to the pitch away. Be a little disciplined, don't
chase the ball inside, and you'll have success. I like to move Magikoopa
forward and back in the batter's box to adjust to the pitcher. Move to the
front and don't charge up your swing if you're worried about breaking-balls.
Slide to the back of the box if you want to have a better look at a hard
fastball. His lack of weaknesses at the plate makes Magikoopa a tough player
to pitch to. My only suggestion for pitching to Magikoopa is to work both
sides of the plate and change speeds, going to an inside breaking-ball if you
need a strikeout.
+--+ F I E L D I N G +--+
Enter the enigma. Magikoopa has a fantastic glove... err... wand. He does
have very little range, but this is solved by his Magical Catch ability, which
has an insanely long reach. Longer than Birdo's suction. It also makes him
nearly errorless when a ball is hit directly at him. This should make him an
outstanding fielder. Unfortunately, he has maybe the worst throwing arm in
the game. It's between Magikoopa and Monty Mole. It takes Magikoopa a year
and a half to get rid of a throw, and when he does, it has nothing on it.
That Magical Catch ability might make you want to put him in the outfield, but
players can run on his arm with reckless abandon (I once saw Petey Piranha
score from third, tagging on a pop out to short left). Unfortunately, the
outfield is the only place where his Magical Catch can be devastating. If you
have to put him out there, put him in left field and make sure you hit the
cut-off man every single time. Otherwise he can play first base or maybe
third base... and use the Magical Catch to get foul balls. Avoid putting him
in the middle infield. The Magical Catch is very little help at knocking down
ground balls and line drives, and without it he's a liability.
+--+ P I T C H I N G +--+
Magikoopa is one of the worst pitchers in the game. His movement is below
average, and his fastball is nonexistent. He has worst velocity in the game.
The exception is Yellow Magikoopa, who has only really bad velocity.
His star pitch is the Super Breaking-Ball. It's a slow floater that has a lot
of movement. Unfortunately, all his pitches are slow floaters, so it's not
very useful either.
Yellow Magikoopa could be a situational pitcher, but only pitch the other
Magikoopas if you are trying to lose.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DRY BONES 0580
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Compatible with: Koopa Troopa, Bowser |
| Incompatible with: *NONE* |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
DRY BONES'S STATS (GRAY)
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| BATTING | 5 |========== | TRAJECTORY | Middle / Middle |
| PITCHING | 4 |======== | STAR SWING | Ground Ball |
| FIELDING | 3 |====== | STAR PITCH | Super Breaking-Ball |
| RUNNING | 4 |======== | ABILITIES | Sliding Catch |
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
GREEN DRY BONES'S STATS
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| BATTING | 6 |============ | TRAJECTORY | Middle / Middle |
| PITCHING | 4 |======== | STAR SWING | Line Drive |
| FIELDING | 3 |====== | STAR PITCH | Super Breaking-Ball |
| RUNNING | 3 |====== | ABILITIES | Sliding Catch |
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
RED DRY BONES'S STATS
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| BATTING | 6 |============ | TRAJECTORY | Middle / Middle |
| PITCHING | 4 |======== | STAR SWING | Fly Ball |
| FIELDING | 3 |====== | STAR PITCH | Super Fastball |
| RUNNING | 3 |====== | ABILITIES | Sliding Catch |
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
BLUE DRY BONES'S STATS
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| BATTING | 5 |========== | TRAJECTORY | Middle / Middle |
| PITCHING | 4 |======== | STAR SWING | Ground Ball |
| FIELDING | 4 |======== | STAR PITCH | Super Change-Up |
| RUNNING | 3 |====== | ABILITIES | Sliding Catch |
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
All in all, Dry Bones is a below average player. He can hit pretty well, but
he can't field. He's another one of those role players that you will choose
if you prefer hitting over fielding.
+--+ H I T T I N G +--+
Dry Bones has gap power. When used correctly, he can hit a good amount of
doubles. Dry Bones is a decent contact hitter. Green Dry Bones and Red Dry
Bones also have enough power to hit the ball out of the park on occasion. Dry
Bones is slow, though. So he can't beat out infield hits. Still, he's a good
fit as a sixth or seventh place hitter with his power.
His star swing depends on his color. Dry Bones (Gray) and Blue Dry Bones have
the Ground Ball as a star swing. It's almost useless due to his slowness, but
it can be used to hit-and-run with. Green Dry Bones has the always useful
Line Drive for a star swing, so save stars for him. This probably makes Green
Dry Bones the best choice for your team. Red Dry Bones has the Fly Ball which
you can use when you need a sacrifice fly or want to roll the dice and try for
a double.
Dry Bones's plate coverage is completely one sided. He loves that inside
pitch. He kills it. Unfortunately, Dry Bones has a real hard time reaching
the ball away.
You'll have to be disciplined with Dry Bones to hit effectively. Guard the
outside corner by standing right on top of the plate, adjust to the pitch
inside, and you can have success. You might also want to stand towards the
front of the batter's box to help cut down the angle on the ball away.
Obviously, when you're pitching to him, you want to try to get him to chase
outside for an out.
+--+ F I E L D I N G +--+
This is where Dry Bones falls short. He has below average range and a bad
glove. He has a decent throwing arm, and his Sliding Catch ability does add
to his range a little. However, he is still a defensive liability.
I don't know where you can put him. I'd play him at first base or third base
to try and minimize his impact on your fielding, but you'll usually have
better hitters that you want to put there. Second base or left field could be
options if you favor hitting over defense, but Dry Bones can a problem just
about anywhere you play him.
+--+ P I T C H I N G +--+
Dry Bones has below average velocity and below average movement. So he's a
below average pitcher.
Dry Bones's star pitch depends on which one you use. Dry Bones (Gray) and
Green Dry Bones both have the Super Breaking-Ball for a star pitch. It's
slow, but it has a ton of movement. Red Dry Bones has the Super Fastball;
throw it without charging up for the element of surprise. Blue Dry Bones's
star pitch is the Super Change-Up which slows down as it approaches the plate.
Charge up the throw to try and get the batter to swing early.
You can't really use Dry Bones situationally because he doesn't do anything
particularly well. If pressed, he could be a fourth pitcher, but you'll
probably have a better option. I'd use him for a star pitch only.
==============================================================================
S P E E D C H A R A C T E R S 0600
==============================================================================
Speed Characters are fast. It's simple. Speed is the one attribute that
lends to both a character's offense and defense. Unfortunately, the Speed
Characters are not heavy hitters. Most need the speed they have to scratch
out infield hits, so don't expect a lot of home runs. The best Speed
Characters are the ones that can do several things for you. They need to be
versatile.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
YOSHI 0610
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Compatible with: Mario, Birdo, Baby Mario, Baby Luigi |
| Incompatible with: *NONE* |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
YOSHI'S STATS
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| BATTING | 5 |========== | TRAJECTORY | Middle / Middle |
| PITCHING | 4 |======== | STAR SWING | Egg Ball |
| FIELDING | 6 |============ | STAR PITCH | Egg Ball |
| RUNNING | 9 |==================| ABILITIES | Clamber, Tongue Catch |
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
Yoshi is another one of the very best players in the game. He is an absolute
speed demon, and he's the best base stealer around. Yoshi's definitely multi-
tooled and can do a lot of things to help you win a game.
+--+ H I T T I N G +--+
Yoshi is the best leadoff hitter in the game. He has some power. He will
rarely hit one out, but home runs aren't his game. Yoshi is a great contact
hitter. Ground balls to deep second or deep short are almost always hits. He
can bunt for a base hit really well. Yoshi also often stretches singles into
doubles and doubles into triples. Run him aggressively. When you add in
Yoshi's base stealing ability, he should always be batting first in any
lineup.
The star swing in Yoshi's arsenal is the Egg Ball. It isn't fantastic, but it
can get you on base with a single or double most of the time. Off the bat,
the ball turns into an egg, and bounces twice in random directions. Unlike
Birdo's Pink Egg, Yoshi's Egg Ball will bounce before reaching the infielders
most of the time, so it's rarely caught for an out. The only player that will
catch it out of the air often is the pitcher, on the rare occasion that it is
hit directly to the mound. So, Yoshi's Egg Ball is okay to hit-and-run with.
There are only a couple of downsides to using it. Often it bounces itself
into foul territory for a foul ball, and sometimes it bounces directly to a
fielder for a ground out. Even with the occasional mishaps, it compliments
Yoshi as a leadoff hitter very well, often putting him on base.
Yoshi has good plate coverage, hitting both sides pretty well. His only
weakness is that he has an early swing, so he can sometimes be blown away with
a hard fastball.
Because of the fastball weakness, you'll want to stand at the back of the
batter's box at all times (unless bunting). Just sit dead red and adjust to
pitches on either side of the plate. As with any player that has good, even
plate coverage, you'll have to work both sides of the plate to get him out.
Remember the fastball vulnerability if you have to try and strike him out.
+--+ F I E L D I N G +--+
Yoshi is a very good fielder. He has absolutely fantastic range and a very
good glove. The only knock on him is that he has a below average throwing
arm. His Tongue Catch ability can rob balls that would otherwise get past him
in the same way as Birdo's Suction and Magikoopa's Magical Catch, but it has
less range then the other two. Yoshi also has the ability of Clamber. It
allows to climb an outfield wall to go catch a ball that would otherwise be
out of reach. It's not as useful as the Tongue Catch, but both abilities help
Yoshi specifically as an outfielder.
Yoshi is a pure outfielder. He probably doesn't have the arm to be ideal for
right field, but center field, or especially left field would be a good fit.
You might want to avoid playing him at second base or shortstop. If you play
Yoshi in the infield, his Tongue Catch isn't much good. Against ground balls
and line drives, it will boot the ball a lot. You could play him there if you
really need to, but the outfield is a much better option.
+--+ P I T C H I N G +--+
Yoshi's not a very good pitcher. He has good movement to his pitches, but
very little velocity.
His Egg Ball star pitch can be a tough pitch to make contact with. Out of his
hand, the ball turns into an egg and bounces once or twice before crossing the
plate. In doing so, it changes directions randomly when it bounces. This
makes it very hard to predict the pitch location.
I'd suggest using Yoshi as a fourth pitcher or situationally with his Egg Ball
for one big out. Anything more then that can be an adventure.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DIDDY KONG 0620
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Compatible with: Goomba, Dixie Kong, Donkey Kong |
| Incompatible with: *NONE* |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
DIDDY KONG'S STATS
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| BATTING | 3 |====== | TRAJECTORY | Middle / Low |
| PITCHING | 6 |============ | STAR SWING | Boomerang Ball |
| FIELDING | 7 |============== | STAR PITCH | Boomerang Ball |
| RUNNING | 7 |============== | ABILITIES | Clamber, Super Catch |
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
I personally like Diddy a lot. In my opinion, you can never have enough good
players on defense. Defensive prowess is somewhat rare in this game. Diddy
is not one of the best players in the game, but he's pretty close. He is the
best fielder in the game.
+--+ H I T T I N G +--+
Diddy has very little power, if any, but you won't have him on your team for
RBI's. He won't hit home runs, but like most speed players, he can beat out
infield hits and get extra bases that other players can't. Diddy is also a
little below average when it comes to making contact. His speed lends to
bunting, so that is always a good option. He makes a decent leadoff hitter,
but he's probably better suited for the bottom of the lineup, eighth or maybe
ninth.
His Boomerang Ball is so strong for this otherwise sub-par hitter that you'll
probably end up using it a lot. Of the bat, the ball turns into a banana. It
slices, and I mean SLICES, to the opposite field and lands in the outfield.
It slices more then Donkey Kong's Banana Ball. Unfortunately, the ball stays
low to the ground the entire time. If a fielder gets into its flight path, it
can be caught. Also, the harsh slice to the ball can make it land foul pretty
often. Try to pull the ball by swinging a little early to help avoid this.
Even with it's drawbacks, the Boomerang Ball is still a very good option and
will result in a lot of doubles.
Diddy actually has decent plate coverage. He hits the outside and inside
corners evenly, but not fantastically. He also has a late swing, protecting
him against hard fastballs.
Diddy's another player that you'll want to sit on middle pitches and adjust to
each side with, but you'll have to be a more disciplined hitter then with
Yoshi. You might want to stand towards the front of the batter's box and not
charge-up your swing to help hit breaking-balls better. Pitch him in and out.
Breaking-balls and change-ups will probably be more effective against him
then fastballs.
+--+ F I E L D I N G +--+
Best. Fielder. Ever. Diddy has great range with a great glove. Plus a
strong throwing arm. He also has the Super Catch ability, which will make him
pretty much impervious to errors. The ability of Clamber is less useful. It
allows Diddy to climb an outfield wall to reach balls that would hit over his
head, so it can really only come into play in Peach Garden and Bowser Castle.
Put Diddy immediately into center field. He will be the death of doubles to
the gap. Diddy makes a ton of diving (rolling) catches to rob hitters. If
you want someone else in center, then he should be at shortstop. However, you
can put him anywhere and he'll excel.
+--+ P I T C H I N G +--+
Diddy Kong has a below average fastball, but great movement. This makes him a
good pitcher.
His Boomerang Ball is also a tough pitch to line up and can be good for a
critical strikeout. Out of his hand, the ball turns into a banana and curves
towards the plate. The pitch comes in at a sharp angle, and it is very tough
for a human opponent to judge it's location. However, it can be timed pretty
easily.
With all his skills, Diddy Kong makes a good second or third pitcher.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BABY MARIO 0630
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Compatible with: Yoshi, Baby Luigi |
| Incompatible with: Shy Guy, Boo, Bowser, Wario |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
BABY MARIO'S STATS
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| BATTING | 3 |====== | TRAJECTORY | Middle / Low |
| PITCHING | 5 |========== | STAR SWING | Ground Ball |
| FIELDING | 3 |====== | STAR PITCH | Super Breaking-Ball |
| RUNNING | 7 |============== | ABILITIES | Wall Jump |
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
I hate the babies. I really do. They have so many major weaknesses. Baby
Mario can't hit and he can't field. He will really only be used for his
pitching. Because of all the flaws, Baby Mario is one of the worst players in
the game.
+--+ H I T T I N G +--+
Baby Mario is a really bad hitter. He has little to no power, so don't expect
to ever hit a home run with him. He can make decent contact, but hits into a
lot of ground outs. He's not even all that fast compared to the other Speed
Characters, so bunting is risky. If you have to have Baby Mario on your team,
bat him ninth for crying out loud (bad pun).
His star swing is the Ground Ball, but that's not very useful. Ironically, it
might be your best option with him anyway because of his lack of power. Just
don't charge-up the star swing unless you want to pop out. Use the Ground
Ball mostly to hit-and-run with.
Baby Mario actually has decent plate coverage. He hits the inside pitch
really well, but the outside corner can give him some trouble.
You should sit on an outside pitch by crowding the plate and adjust to the
inside if you want to have any success batting with Baby Mario. You probably
want to stand towards the back of the batter's box with Baby Mario so you can
handle fastballs better. Pitch him hard away for an out.
+--+ F I E L D I N G +--+
What's good speed with a bad glove? Baby Mario. His tiny reach also seems to
make it easy for a ball to roll right past him. Oh, and there's the little
matter of his below average throwing arm. Baby Mario does have the Wall Jump
ability, so he can rob homeruns.
Baby Mario is a liability pretty much everywhere. I would avoid putting him
in the infield at all costs. A lot of routine ground balls would roll past
him for hits. Because of the Wall Jump ability I would only put him in left
field. Anywhere else is an adventure.
+--+ P I T C H I N G +--+
The only place where Baby Mario is any help at all is on the mound. He has
below average velocity, but good movement.
Baby Mario's star pitch is the Super Breaking-Ball. It is a slow floater with
more movement then any other pitch. It's best used against a hitter that has
a hard time making contact and has poor plate coverage.
Pitching is Baby Mario's strongest asset, but he's still only a third pitcher.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BABY LUIGI 0640
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Compatible with: Yoshi, Baby Mario |
| Incompatible with: Shy Guy, Waluigi, Boo, Bowser, King Boo |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
BABY LUIGI'S STATS
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| BATTING | 2 |==== | TRAJECTORY | Middle / Low |
| PITCHING | 5 |========== | STAR SWING | Ground Ball |
| FIELDING | 3 |====== | STAR PITCH | Super Breaking-Ball |
| RUNNING | 8 |================ | ABILITIES | Wall Jump |
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
First off, this is the worst player in the game. His only usefulness is that
he can be a third or fourth pitcher. If you need an third or fourth pitcher,
you also need a better player then Baby Luigi.
+--+ H I T T I N G +--+
Hitting? What's that? When you charge up a swing with Baby Luigi, he says
"uh-oh" because he knows he's about to strike out. You can bunt with him, but
that's about it. Baby Luigi has the least power of any character in the game.
He may never hit a home run for you. He also has a tough time making contact.
Baby Luigi is the player that hits ninth in every lineup.
He does have a star swing. It's the Ground Ball (unless you charge the star
swing for a pop up). Use it if you need to hit-and-run.
Guess what? Baby Luigi's plate coverage is bad. He can handle an inside
pitch decently, but he can't hit the outside corner well at all.
If you must bat with him, crowd the plate to guard that outside corner and
hope the pitch comes right down the middle of the plate. Also, stand to the
back of the box to get a good swing on fastballs. Conversely, throw hard
fastballs away for the strikeout against him.
+--+ F I E L D I N G +--+
Baby Luigi has the same bad glove as Baby Mario, but slightly better range.
He'll still boot the ball a lot, and his throwing arm is also sub-par. The
Wall Jump ability can help you rob a homerun.
If you get stuck with Baby Luigi on your team, you should stick him in left
field to minimize his weaknesses. He can use the Wall Jump there as well.
Just like with Baby Mario, don't put him in the infield unless you want to
practice your controller-chucking skills.
+--+ P I T C H I N G +--+
Like Baby Mario, Baby Luigi can be serviceable on the mound. His fastball is
slightly worse, but his movement is slightly better. He's still essentially
the same exact pitcher.
His star pitch is also the same Super Breaking-Ball. It slowly floats to the
plate, but it has great movement. Use it against someone susceptible to the
strikeout.
Baby Luigi can be a third pitcher if needed.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOADETTE 0650
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Compatible with: Toad, Peach, Toadsworth |
| Incompatible with: Waluigi, Bowser, Wario |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
TOADETTE'S STATS
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| BATTING | 2 |==== | TRAJECTORY | Middle / Low |
| PITCHING | 3 |====== | STAR SWING | Ground Ball |
| FIELDING | 4 |======== | STAR PITCH | Super Breaking-Ball |
| RUNNING | 9 |==================| ABILITIES | Wall Jump, Sliding Catch |
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
Yet another below average player, Toadette has speed, and speed only. Yet she
does have a ton of it. If you can get her on, she can steal a base, take the
extra base, and circle the bases quickly to score runs. However, she is still
a sub-par player.
+--+ H I T T I N G +--+
Toadette is a very weak hitter. I would be surprised if you ever hit a home
run with her, even once you've become an expert at this game. She has no
power, and she has a somewhat hard time making contact. Bunting is easily
your very best option with her due to her blazing speed. Get her on base, and
she can run, run, run. You could use her as a leadoff hitter because of her
incredible speed, but otherwise her nonexistent power will land her in the
eighth or ninth spot in the order.
Her star swing (unless you charge it up for a Pop Up) is the Ground Ball.
This can be somewhat useful because of her speed, and you can hit-and-run with
it as well.
Another knock against Toadette is her poor plate coverage. She hits the
inside pitch average, but she cannot hit the ball away. Much like Toad, she
just can't reach it.
You need to stand at the front of the box and crowd the plate to guard the
outside corner. Try to adjust to any pitch inside and you might have success.
To strike Toadette out, just go to the hard fastball away.
+--+ F I E L D I N G +--+
Because of Toadette's extreme speed, she has a lot of range. However, she has
a below average glove and a below average throwing arm. She does have the
Wall Jump ability that can bring a homerun back and the Sliding Catch ability
that can extend her range.
The best fit for her is probably left field where she can make use of the Wall
Jump, but she could also play second base if need be. She would be a decent
choice at either position. If you don't mind a sub-par throwing arm, another
option might be center field because of her great range.
+--+ P I T C H I N G +--+
Toadette is another horrible pitcher. She actually has just below average
movement, but she has no velocity.
The Super Breaking-Ball star pitch can be somewhat helpful. It's a slow
floater with extreme movement. However, all her pitches are slow floaters, so
it won't work as a change-up.
Just avoid ever having to pitch with Toadette.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MONTY MOLE 0660
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Compatible with: Shy Guy, Goomba, Paragoomba |
| Incompatible with: *NONE* |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
MONTY MOLE'S STATS
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| BATTING | 3 |====== | TRAJECTORY | Middle / Low |
| PITCHING | 3 |====== | STAR SWING | Ground Ball |
| FIELDING | 5 |========== | STAR PITCH | Super Change-Up |
| RUNNING | 7 |============== | ABILITIES | Ball Dash |
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
Monty Mole is definitely not a good character. He can't really hit or pitch,
and his fielding isn't great either. Speed is his only asset. He's not the
worst character in the game, but he's still pretty bad.
+--+ H I T T I N G +--+
Monty Mole is a slap hitter. He has very little power. He actually has the
ability to hit a home run, but it's very rare. He also has a tough time
making contact with the pitch. Bunting isn't a great option because he's not
extremely fast and can't make good contact. I'd stick Monty Mole in the
eighth or probably the ninth spot in your batting order.
Monty's star swing is the Ground Ball (unless you charge up the swing for an
annoying pop up), but again, that's only really useful for hit-and-running.
Monty Mole's plate coverage is completely one-sided, and that's a bad thing.
He can really go get a pitch outside, but he's completely handcuffed by an
inside pitch. He also has an early swing, so he has trouble catching up to a
good fastball.
When batting with him, stand way off the plate to cover the inside corner.
Adjust to the ball away, and be ready with a quick swing incase of a hard one.
You can't really move him to the front of the box because he already has a
tough time with fastballs, so I'd just sit back and try to be as patient as
possible. A steady diet of inside fastballs is the easiest way to get Monty
out.
+--+ F I E L D I N G +--+
Monty Mole is a Speed Character, so he has good range. His glove is decent,
but he has a downright terrible throwing arm. One of the very worst in the
game. This can actually be replaced by his crazy Ball Dash ability, which
allows him to run extremely fast while holding the ball.
Second base is the only real choice for Monty. You can just chase runners
down with the Ball Dash ability and tag them if you want to. It's pretty much
always faster then throwing the ball. If you play Monty anywhere other then
second base, his horrible throwing arm will be a big liability.
+--+ P I T C H I N G +--+
As a pitcher, Monty Mole is bad. He has a sub-par fastball and really bad
movement.
The good news is that he has the Super Change-Up as a star pitch. It starts
out hard like a fastball and slows down to a crawl. It can really fool an
aggressive opponent, so you'll want to charge up the pitch when you throw it.
You might try using Monty Mole situationally for one hitter, or maybe just one
star pitch. Anything more is asking for trouble.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PARAGOOMBA 0670
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Compatible with: Goomba, Koopa Paratroopa, Monty Mole |
| Incompatible with: *NONE* |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
PARAGOOMBA'S STATS
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| BATTING | 3 |====== | TRAJECTORY | Middle / Low |
| PITCHING | 2 |==== | STAR SWING | Ground Ball |
| FIELDING | 5 |========== | STAR PITCH | Super Breaking-Ball |
| RUNNING | 7 |============== | ABILITIES | Super Jump |
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
Another player that is all defense, Paragoomba is a role player. Sure he's
fast, but not the fastest. Choose him if you are looking for a solid fielder.
+--+ H I T T I N G +--+
Paragoomba, like most of the speed characters, has barely any power and won't
be hitting many home runs. He doesn't make contact well and will strike out
often. He's also not super fast. Bunting is a decent option, but only if you
are a good bunter. If you have nobody better suited for the role, he can
actually leadoff. Otherwise, Paragoomba belongs at the bottom of your order,
hitting eighth or ninth.
Paragoomba's star swing is the good old Ground Ball that is useful mostly for
hit-and-running. That is unless you charge up the star swing, in which case
he'll pop it up just like every other non-captain character.
A major weakness of Paragoomba's is his horrible plate coverage. He struggles
with the ball inside and outside. He has a late swing, so fastballs don't
bother him too much.
To have any success hitting with him, you will have to be very disciplined at
the plate on both sides. I suggest standing at the front of the batter's box
to help cut down the angles on breaking-balls. Give him breaking-balls to
chase for the out.
+--+ F I E L D I N G +--+
The best reason to use Paragoomba is his fielding. He's actually well above
average. The good range that comes with a speed character is complimented by
a decent glove and a strong throwing arm (foot). Paragoomba also has the
Super Jump ability that help him snare balls that would otherwise go over his
head.
Paragoomba can give you a solid left fielder or second baseman. If pressed,
he could play shortstop or center field and not be too much of a problem. You
really have a lot of options with him, and you can count on him pretty much
anywhere.
+--+ P I T C H I N G +--+
Paragoomba is a horrendous pitcher. He has an extremely slow fastball, and
bad movement.
Paragoomba's star pitch is the Super Breaking-Ball. It has a ton of movement,
but it's floats slowly towards the plate. This can be a problem because all
of his pitches are slow floaters. It can be easy to time.
Just forget about pitching with Paragoomba because he's probably the worst in
the game.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NOKI 0680
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Compatible with: Pianta |
| Incompatible with: Petey Piranha |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
BLUE NOKI'S STATS
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| BATTING | 3 |====== | TRAJECTORY | Middle / Low |
| PITCHING | 3 |====== | STAR SWING | Ground Ball |
| FIELDING | 4 |======== | STAR PITCH | Super Change-Up |
| RUNNING | 7 |============== | ABILITIES | Sliding Catch |
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
RED NOKI'S STATS
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| BATTING | 4 |======== | TRAJECTORY | Middle / Low |
| PITCHING | 3 |====== | STAR SWING | Fly Ball |
| FIELDING | 4 |======== | STAR PITCH | Super Fastball |
| RUNNING | 6 |============ | ABILITIES | Sliding Catch |
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
GREEN NOKI'S STATS
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| BATTING | 3 |====== | TRAJECTORY | Middle / Low |
| PITCHING | 4 |======== | STAR SWING | Line Drive |
| FIELDING | 4 |======== | STAR PITCH | Super Breaking-Ball |
| RUNNING | 6 |============ | ABILITIES | Sliding Catch |
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
I love using Noki. She is definitely another "statistically underrated"
player. She's a good contact hitter and a decent fielder. It's her multiple
skills that make her useful as a utility/role player.
+--+ H I T T I N G +--+
Noki has little power, but she actually has the ability to hit a home run.
It's rare, however (Red Noki will hit the most). She does make contact with
the best of them, and she'll rarely strike out. Noki doesn't really have
overwhelming speed, so bunting isn't a great option (Blue Noki is the
fastest). But with her good speed and great contact-hitting, you should try
batting Noki at the top of your lineup, second or maybe even leadoff.
Otherwise, she should bat seventh or eighth.
Her star swing varies with her color (as long as you don't charge up the swing
for a pop up). Blue Noki has the Ground Ball which is useful to hit-and-run
with. Red Noki has the Fly Ball which can be used for a sacrifice fly or if
you're desperate for a double. Green Noki has the best star swing. It's the
Line Drive, and it's useful in nearly any situation. It might make you select
Green Noki over the other two. If you do, save stars for Green Noki.
Noki actually has good plate coverage. She can hit the ball inside or outside
if she has to. So you can be aggressive. Noki does have an early swing,
however. Fastballs can get past her pretty easily.
When batting with her, just be ready with a quick swing incase of a hard
fastball. You should stand at the back of the box to help handle the fastball
and just adjust to either side of the plate. You'll have to work both sides
of the plate with good fastballs to get Noki out.
+--+ F I E L D I N G +--+
Noki is a good fielder with one drawback that makes her average. She has good
range and a strong throwing arm, but she has a suspect glove. She'll boot the
occasional hard hit ball. She does also have the Sliding Catch ability that
can add to her range.
Despite the weak glove-work, her range and arm are enough to make her a solid
choice in either corner outfield position, right or especially left. You may
also try playing her at second base. She could also play center field, but
only if really pressed.
+--+ P I T C H I N G +--+
Noki's not a great pitcher, but she can be useful. She had little movement to
her pitches, but a decent fastball (Green Noki's is the best).
Like Noki's star swing, her star pitch depends on her what color she is. Blue
Noki has the Super Change-Up. It starts out fast but rapidly slows as it
approaches the plate. This means you should charge up the pitch when you
throw it for the best effect. Red Noki's star pitch is the Super Fastball.
It is best thrown without charging up, to surprise the batter with it's speed.
Green Noki has the Super Breaking-Ball as a star pitch. It is most effective
against characters that have a hard time making contact.
Green Noki can be a fourth pitcher, but the other two are destined to only be
used situationally.
==============================================================================
P O W E R C H A R A C T E R S 0700
==============================================================================
The Power Characters are the exact opposite of the Speed Characters. They're
slow, and they have a lot of power. All of big your home run threats are in
this category, and you'll need them for the middle of your lineup. Unlike
characters in the other categories, they don't need to be very versatile to be
useful, but it still helps.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DONKEY KONG 0710
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Compatible with: Dixie Kong, Diddy Kong, Petey Piranha |
| Incompatible with: *NONE* |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
DONKEY KONG'S STATS
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| BATTING | 8 |================ | TRAJECTORY | Pull / High |
| PITCHING | 7 |============== | STAR SWING | Banana Ball |
| FIELDING | 4 |======== | STAR PITCH | Banana Ball |
| RUNNING | 4 |======== | ABILITIES | Clamber, Laser Beam |
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
Donkey Kong is does two things really well. He can hit for power, and he's a
decent pitcher. The fact that he's also not horribly slow makes him a very
good player indeed.
+--+ H I T T I N G +--+
DK is sort of an all-or-nothing hitter. He has a ton of power, but he can
strike out a lot due to the single point of contact (his punch). This also
means that he doesn't make contact well, but when he does, he loves to pull
the ball for home runs. Donkey Kong doesn't hit for average enough to be
ideal batting third, but his power makes him a good fit in the fourth or
(better yet) the fifth spot in your lineup.
The Banana Ball can be a useful star swing. Off the Bat, the ball turns into
a banana and slices towards the opposite field, though not as much as Diddy
Kong's Boomerang Ball. It can still get past the outfielders pretty easily.
Unfortunately, it is hit higher then Diddy's Boomerang Ball, so it will be
caught out of the air more. As with the Boomerang Ball, the ball can also
land foul sometimes and waste your star. The bottom line is that the Banana
Ball can be good for doubles, but I would mostly ignore it in favor of the
deep threat DK already possesses.
Donkey Kong's plate coverage is sub-par because it's one sided. He can go get
the ball outside, but has trouble with it inside. He also has an early swing,
but that feels natural for him because he's a pull hitter. Still, he can have
a hard time catching up to a good, hard fastball.
The best strategy to use with him is to sit on the inside corner by standing
way off the plate and adjust to the pitch away. You should also stand at the
back of the batter's box to give yourself more time to adjust to the
fastballs. Obviously, you'll want to pitch him hard inside for a strikeout.
+--+ F I E L D I N G +--+
DK has below average range, and below average glove. However, that's still
great for a power hitter. He has a strong throwing arm. Donkey Kong also has
the Laser Beam ability which can really help him gun down a runner at the
plate. The Clamber ability can help him climb up a wall in the outfield to go
get a ball hit over his head, but it's really only useful in Peach Garden and
Bowser Castle.
Donkey Kong actually has enough ability to be decent in left or right field.
In the corner outfield, he can utilize his Laser Beam ability to take away the
sacrifice fly option and throw out runners trying to score. I actually prefer
to play him at third base, however. Range is less important there, and he can
still use the Laser Beam on relays. Catcher is another position he could
play. I would avoid putting DK in any position that requires a lot of range
like center field, or shortstop.
+--+ P I T C H I N G +--+
As a pitcher Donkey Kong can be relied upon heavily. He has a very good
fastball, but little pitch movement. He does throw from the side somewhat,
and that can help mask his lack of movement against a human opponent. Still,
he's far more effective against the computer.
As a star pitch, his Banana Ball can also get you a key strikeout when you
need one. Out of his hand, the ball turns into a banana and curves violently
towards the plate. Because of this, the it is very hard to judge the pitch
location; it is difficult to line up and make good contact. The sharp angle
makes it especially effective against a human opponent, but it can still be
timed easily. It's essentially the same as Diddy Kong's Boomerang Ball, but
with more movement.
DK would qualify as decent a starting pitcher against the computer, and a
decent second pitcher against a human.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BOWSER 0720
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Compatible with: Koopa Troopa, Koopa Paratroopa, Dry Bones, Bowser Jr, |
| Hammer Bro |
| Incompatible with: Mario, Daisy, Toad, Peach, Toadsworth, Baby Mario, |
| Baby Luigi, Toadette |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
BOWSER'S STATS
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| BATTING | 9 |==================| TRAJECTORY | Pull / High |
| PITCHING | 9 |==================| STAR SWING | Killer Ball |
| FIELDING | 1 |== | STAR PITCH | Killer Ball |
| RUNNING | 1 |== | ABILITIES | Laser Beam, Body Check |
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
Here's the best hitter in the game, bar none. Bowser is to be feared. He's
also a good pitcher. Yes, he's a defensive liability, but his hitting alone
makes him one of the best players in the game.
+--+ H I T T I N G +--+
Bowser is a home run machine. Plain and simple. Everything he hits is hard.
He has the most power in the game, and he also can hit for some average. He
is a dead pull power hitter. Bowser is only average at making contact, but a
disciplined player will still dominate with him. Bowser's awesome power means
he's the clean-up hitter of the game. Bat him fourth always.
His Killer Ball is a quirky star swing, but it might not be best suited for
him. Off the bat, the ball turns into a Bullet Bill. It's basically a
extremely hard, low, line drive that bounces in the medium deep outfield.
Should anyone catch the Bullet Bill, the force from it will drag the defender
across the field for a long time (unless the fielder has the Super Catch
ability). You can use this a couple of different ways. The most obvious is
for hit-and-running. Even if the drive is caught out of the air, you still
have a good amount of time to get your runner back to the base. If the ball
is not caught, then your runner should score from first on a double or go to
third on a single. The only other situation that the Killer Ball can be
utilized is when you absolutely need at least a sacrifice fly to get a run in
from third. With a fast runner, you can actually tag and score on a ball
caught by an infielder. If an outfielder catches it, he'll have absolutely
no chance to throw you out at the plate. Obviously, this star swing also
results in a lot of doubles. The Killer Ball is useful, but the bottom line
is that it's less useful then a mammoth home run. Bowser also has the Body
Check ability, so you can run somewhat aggressively with him. It can jar the
ball loose when he's running into an out.
Bowser's plate coverage is one sided, but it's a lot better than Donkey
Kong's. He struggles with the inside pitch some, but he hits the ball outside
fantastically. He also has a late swing, so it's nearly impossible to blow a
fastball by him.
When batting with Bowser, just sit guard the inside corner by standing way off
the plate and don't swing at anything inside. You can easily go get the ball
away. Bowser can't really move forward or back in the batter's box, so don't
worry about that. If you adjust to the ball away, you'll hit a ton of long
balls with Bowser. I honestly don't know a very safe way to pitch to Bowser.
The only thing I can suggest is to feed him a steady diet of pitches inside,
but make sure they're in far enough. Mix in a pitch away every now and then,
and try and set him up for a change-up. Oh, and cross your fingers.
+--+ F I E L D I N G +--+
Bowser is the worst fielder in the game. He has no range and a horrible
glove. His throwing arm is the only thing that is even serviceable. The
Laser Beam ability can also help him gun down runners at the plate in a hurry.
Just stick him at first base whenever he's not pitching to minimize his impact
on your defense. Make sure he's not incompatible with your middle infielders,
though. Use him to relay throws to the plate from right field so you can take
advantage of his Laser Beam ability. If you put Bowser at any other defensive
position, you'll be sorry.
+--+ P I T C H I N G +--+
Bowser is an enigma on the mound. I'd consider him "statistically overrated"
in this category. He has the best fastball in the game, but he doesn't have a
lot of movement. So he can blow people away, but a good human opponent will
realize that that fastball is pretty straight and always over the plate. Once
you time it, you can hit it.
The Killer Ball is a somewhat useful pitch. Out of Bowser's hand, the ball
will turn into a Bullet Bill, flying hard towards the plate. Halfway home, it
will pull into a loop-de-loop. This accomplishes 2 things. It can get a over
excited batter to swing early, like a change-up. It also can change location
in the loop, making it difficult to line up and hit hard.
Because of this, against a human player I suggest using Bowser as your closer.
(He can start against the computer.) His fastball is easily hard enough to
close; it is difficult to hit until you get his timing down. He'll be
especially effective following a pitcher that doesn't throw very hard. If you
change speeds with him, he should be good as a second pitcher against a human
opponent. Otherwise, have him get the save.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
KING BOO 0730
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Compatible with: Boo, Petey Piranha |
| Incompatible with: Luigi, Baby Luigi |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
KING BOO'S STATS
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| BATTING | 7 |============== | TRAJECTORY | Middle / Middle |
| PITCHING | 5 |========== | STAR SWING | Fly Ball |
| FIELDING | 4 |======== | STAR PITCH | Super Fastball |
| RUNNING | 3 |====== | ABILITIES | Super Jump |
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
King Boo is a powerhouse. A "statistically underrated" player for sure. Once
you learn to hit with him, he'll smack a lot of line drive home runs. On top
of that, he's one of the best fielding power hitters, and he can even pitch
well. He's the most versatile power character, making him close to one of the
best players in the game.
+--+ H I T T I N G +--+
Stay with me on this, King Boo is a slap-power hitter. He loves to wrap the
ball around the foul pole for an opposite-field home run. He has a ton of
power. King Boo also makes good contact, so he's hard to strike out. He has
a sharp slice to his hits a lot like Boo (though not as sharp). This causes
his drives to both get past the outfielders often, and land foul often. Even
with the fouls, King Boo is still good enough to bat third, fourth, or fifth
in your order.
King Boo's star swing is the most lethal of any non-captain character in the
game (unless you charge up the swing for a pop-up). It's a Fly Ball that goes
out of the park very often. So often, that it might be the best star swing
even when you consider the captain characters' special abilities. It's that
good. Other times it will be off the wall. At the very least, you can always
count on a sacrifice fly from it, but it's usually an extra-base hit.
King Boo has good plate coverage. He has no major weaknesses, hitting both
sides of the plate well. He doesn't have an early swing, but if you hit with
him at the very front of the batter's box as I suggest, the hard fastball can
give you some trouble.
Because his swing has a nasty slice to it, I recommend moving King Boo to the
very front of the batter's box at all times. This will make many of those
just-foul, slicing, line drives and deep fly balls stay fair for doubles and
home runs. The one drawback to moving him up is that a fastball can get by
you very quickly. You'll have to react fast to the hard ones, but the added
hits will outweigh the occasional swing-and-misses. Changing speeds is
definitely the easiest way to get King Boo out. Also work both sides of the
plate to keep the hitter guessing.
+--+ F I E L D I N G +--+
King Boo is probably the best fielding Power Character, but that's still below
average. He has little range and a below average glove, but a very strong
throwing arm. King Boo also has the Super Jump ability that can go get a line
drive over his head.
I'd suggest putting him at third base to take advantage of his good arm and
Super Jump ability. Right field would be another good option. If pressed, he
could even play catcher.
+--+ P I T C H I N G +--+
Like Boo, King Boo is a side-armer. His pitches come in at a sharp angle and
are difficult for a human opponent to square up. This makes him a good
pitcher. He actually only has average movement on his pitches, but he has a
strong fastball to throw at that wicked angle. He's definitely better then
his pitching stat indicates.
King Boo's star swing is also the Super Fastball. So it's mostly useful when
thrown without charging up the pitch to suprise the hitter.
King Boo is a solid third pitcher, or maybe even a serviceable second pitcher.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WARIO 0740
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Compatible with: Waluigi, Boo |
| Incompatible with: Mario, Toad, Baby Mario, Toadette |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
WARIO'S STATS
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| BATTING | 8 |================ | TRAJECTORY | Middle / Middle |
| PITCHING | 3 |====== | STAR SWING | Weird Ball |
| FIELDING | 4 |======== | STAR PITCH | Weird Ball |
| RUNNING | 3 |====== | ABILITIES | Sliding Catch, Body Check |
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
Wario is another Power Character that is not very well balanced. Obvious
weaknesses keep him from being a real top-tier player, but he's still good
enough to force you to have him on your team.
+--+ H I T T I N G +--+
Like all Power Characters, Wario has the ability to drive the ball over the
fence. However, he doesn't hit quite as many homers as several of the others.
He doesn't hit for a lot of average either. He has average contact ability.
Wario is best when he's driving the ball to either gap because he doesn't
hit the ball as high as the other power characters. It can get past the
outfielders more quickly. With Wario's power, he's still a good choice
batting fifth or a great one batting sixth.
Wairo's Weird Ball is a pretty useful star swing. Like Waluigi's Liar Ball,
off the bat the ball will turn into the Weird Ball, fly into the air, and
split into two Weird Balls (one real, one fake). However, it will fly much
deeper than Waluigi's Liar Ball, so it can be as a sacrifice fly that often
drops for a double. If a defender tries to catch the false ball, it will stun
him for a bit. This is a large price to pay for guessing the wrong ball
because there usually isn't another fielder near by. You can also be
aggressive on the bases with Wario. His Body Check Ability can knock the ball
loose when he's going to be thrown out.
As you might expect, Wario's plate coverage is lop-sided. He hits the ball
away very well, and he has a hard time with the pitch inside. He also has an
early swing, so he can be blown away by a hard fastball.
When batting with Wario, you should guard the inside corner by standing way
away from the plate and adjust to any pitch away. The early swing also should
keep you at the back of the batter's box. Pitch Wario hard in for the
strikeout.
+--+ F I E L D I N G +--+
Wario is actually a serviceable fielder. He has poor range, but a glove that
is just a little below average. He also has a strong throwing arm at his
disposal. Wario also has the sliding Catch ability that can extend his range.
Wario is probably most naturally a third baseman. You might also put him in
left field, right field, or first base if you have enough good fielders
filling the other positions.
+--+ P I T C H I N G +--+
Wario's not much of a pitcher. He has below average velocity and poor pitch
movement.
His Weird Ball star pitch can be good for a strikeout sometimes. Out of his
hand, the ball splits into 2 Weird Balls (one inside, one outside). This
makes it very difficult to guess the pitch location until the fake ball
disappears. The pitch speed can be timed however.
You might use Wario as a situational pitcher with his star pitch. Anything
beyond that isn't recommended.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BOWSER JR 0750
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Compatible with: Magikoopa, Bowser, Hammer Bro |
| Incompatible with: *NONE* |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
BOWSER JR'S STATS
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| BATTING | 8 |================ | TRAJECTORY | Middle / High |
| PITCHING | 5 |========== | STAR SWING | Killer Jr Ball |
| FIELDING | 3 |====== | STAR PITCH | Killer Jr Ball |
| RUNNING | 4 |======== | ABILITIES | Wall Jump, Body Check |
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
I personally like Bowser Jr a lot. He's a very versatile Power Character,
second only to King Boo in my opinion. While he might not be one of the very
best players in the game, he is quite useful.
+--+ H I T T I N G +--+
Bowser Jr is the quintessential player that hits for both power and average.
He hits fewer home runs than most of the power guys, but he gets a lot of base
hits. He has very few weaknesses, making pretty good contact as well. With
all his tools at the plate, Bowser Jr is a solid third, fifth, or sixth
hitter.
The Killer Jr Ball as a star swing is a perfect compliment to his hitting
style. Like Bowser's Killer Ball, off the bat the ball turns into a Bullet
Bill. It shoots into the outfield as a low, hard, line drive. It is not
quite as hard as Bowser's Killer Ball, but it bounces a littler sooner,
keeping it from being caught as much. Just like Bowser's star swing, the
Killer Jr Ball drags fielders across the field and prevents them from getting
rid of the ball. So you can use it to hit-and-run or if you are desperate to
get a run in from third with less then 2 outs. The only exception is if the
ball is fielded by a character with the Super Catch ability. Bowser Jr also
has the Body Check ability that can save him when he's going to be thrown out
by jarring the ball loose from a defender.
Plate coverage is another area where Bowser Jr succeeds. He both sides of the
plate well (the outside corner best). His only real weakness is an early
swing that is susceptible to a hard fastball.
As long as you are ready with a quick swing to meet the fastball, you'll be
able to sit way off the plate and adjust to the pitch away. You should also
stand at the back of the batter's box to help with those fastballs. Pitch
both sides of the plate with good fastballs to get Bowser Jr out consistently.
Go inside when you need a key out.
+--+ F I E L D I N G +--+
Bowser Jr is one of the better fielding Power Characters, but that is still
sub-par. He has only below average range, but a pretty bad glove. His
throwing arm is decent, but not great. He also has the Wall Jump ability that
can rob a sure homerun in the outfield.
Bowser Jr makes sense mostly at in left field so you can take advantage of the
Wall Jump ability. He doesn't quite have the arm for right field, but he can
play there in a pinch. Third base is also a good option.
+--+ P I T C H I N G +--+
Bowser Jr is a decent pitcher. He has a strong fastball, but below average
movement.
His Killer Jr Ball star pitch is tricky enough to throw off an opponent's
timing when used in moderation. Like Bowser's Killer Ball, it turns into a
fast approaching Bullet Bill out of his hand and then loops to the plate.
This can both throw off an opponent's timing and have them guessing at its
location.
All this adds up to Bowser Jr being a good third pitcher.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PIANTA 0760
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Compatible with: Noki |
| Incompatible with: Petey Piranha |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
BLUE PIANTA'S STATS
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| BATTING | 6 |============ | TRAJECTORY | Pull / Low |
| PITCHING | 3 |====== | STAR SWING | Ground Ball |
| FIELDING | 5 |========== | STAR PITCH | Super Change-Up |
| RUNNING | 2 |==== | ABILITIES | Laser Beam |
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
RED PIANTA'S STATS
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| BATTING | 7 |============== | TRAJECTORY | Pull / Low |
| PITCHING | 3 |====== | STAR SWING | Fly Ball |
| FIELDING | 5 |========== | STAR PITCH | Super Fastball |
| RUNNING | 1 |== | ABILITIES | Laser Beam |
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
YELLOW PIANTA'S STATS
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| BATTING | 6 |============ | TRAJECTORY | Pull / Low |
| PITCHING | 4 |======== | STAR SWING | Ground Ball |
| FIELDING | 5 |========== | STAR PITCH | Super Breaking-Ball |
| RUNNING | 1 |== | ABILITIES | Laser Beam |
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
Pianta is the worst Power Character in the game. He doesn't hit as well as
any of the others. Pianta is the only one I would consider a role player, and
he's probably a bottom-tier player overall.
+--+ H I T T I N G +--+
Having the weakest power hitter in your lineup is like winning a crappy car.
Sure, it's not your first choice, but you'll still take it. As with any Power
Character, Pianta has the ability to go deep. His main downfall is that he
doesn't hit for average at all. Despite his trajectory, he will hit far too
many pop ups and lazy fly balls. On top of that, he has a hard time making
contact and is very prone to strike out. If you don't smack it really well,
you'll be making a lot of outs without advancing runners. With his inability
to hit consistently, Pianta should bat sixth or seventh in the order.
Pianta's star swing changes with his color (unless you charge up the swing for
a weak pop fly). Blue Pianta and Yellow Pianta have the Ground Ball as a star
swing. Normally, this is useful for hit-and-running, but his incredible
slowness can make this a wasted star. Red Pianta, on the other hand, has the
Fly Ball. Use it when you need a sure sacrifice fly or when you want to roll
the dice for a double.
Pianta is another hitter with one-sided plate coverage in the worst way. He
can crush the pitch away, but he simply cannot hit the ball inside. It ties
him up constantly. He also has a very early swing, so he's vulnerable to a
good fastball.
This makes him the hardest player to learn to hit with in the game. The fact
that he likes the ball away naturally makes you want to hit it to the opposite
field. Unfortunately, he's a pull hitter. So you have to have it in your
mind to pull the outside pitch to have success. This is something you
shouldn't try to do with most other players. You have to bat backwards with
Pianta.
If you're hitting with him, you absolutely have to guard the inside corner of
the plate and adjust to the ball outside. Stand way away from the plate. You
also need quick reflexes to handle any hard fastball. Don't swing at any
pitch off the corner on the inside. This also means that you should stand at
the back of the batter's box to give yourself more time to handle the
fastballs. Pitch him hard in for the predictable out.
+--+ F I E L D I N G +--+
Pianta is really slow, and he has a bad glove. He'll boot the ball a lot. To
make up for it, Pianta has a strong throwing arm. His Laser Beam ability also
allows him to gun down runners trying to score.
Painta is definitely not the one of the best fielders, but he's serviceable in
certain positions. Pianta is probably best suited to play third base or right
field. He has the strong arm needed for both positions, and the Laser Beam
ability can come into play (relaying throws to home through third and throwing
out runners at the plate from right field). You also might think about
putting him at catcher because of his arm. Left field is another spot he
could play.
+--+ P I T C H I N G +--+
Pinata is below-average pitcher, but he has his uses. His movement is really
bad, but his fastball is very good (especially Yellow Pianta's fastball).
Pianta's star pitch also depends on his color. Blue Pianta's star pitch is
the Super Change-Up, starting fast and immediately slowing down. It's useful
against an aggressive opponent, when charging up the pitch. Red Pianta has
the super Fastball in his star pitch arsenal. It's incredibly fast and should
be thrown without charging up to surprise a batter. It's not as useful as the
Super Change-Up, however, because all Painta's pitches are usually hard and
straight. Finally, Yellow Pianta has the best star pitch for his style. The
Super Breaking-Ball is a slow floater that has a ton of movement. This is
completely different from all his other pitches, so it can be really
effective.
Pianta is still best used only as a situational pitcher. The exception is
Yellow Pianta who can be a fourth pitcher or closer if need be.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PETEY PIRANHA 0770
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Compatible with: Birdo, Donkey Kong, King Boo |
| Incompatible with: Daisy, Peach, Noki, Pianta |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
PETEY PIRANHA'S STATS
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| BATTING | 9 |==================| TRAJECTORY | Pull / High |
| PITCHING | 4 |======== | STAR SWING | Fly Ball |
| FIELDING | 3 |====== | STAR PITCH | Super Change-Up |
| RUNNING | 1 |== | ABILITIES | Body Check |
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
Petey Piranha is devastating. He's the best pure RBI guy in the game, and
second best hitter behind Bowser. He also has a defensive specialty that is
invaluable. He might not be one of the best players in the game, but he's not
far back at all.
+--+ H I T T I N G +--+
Petey is a great clutch hitter. He's the best in the game at driving in runs
because he hits for both power and average. And he's got a ton of power. He
hits a lot of home runs and a lot of doubles. He'll pull a lot of drives
towards the gap. Petey Piranha also makes good contact and is very difficult
to strike out. All this means that Petey Piranha should be firmly entrenched
in the fourth or spot in your lineup (unless you also have Bowser on your
team). He can also bat third or fifth and shine.
Petey Piranha's star swing is the Fly Ball (unless you charge up the swing;
then it's a pop fly). It is a good source for homeruns, leaving the ball park
often enough to be employed regularly. Use it when you need at least a
sacrifice fly or are desperate for an extra base hit. The plant also has the
Body Check ability that can knock the ball loose when he's going to be thrown
out. So you can be a little aggressive on the bases with him despite his
slowness.
Petey Piranha has no obvious weaknesses at the plate, and thus is the easiest
player to hit with in the game. He hits both sides of the plate well, perhaps
the inside corner a little better. He also has a late swing, so he can easily
turn a good fastball into a big hit.
You don't need much strategy to bat with Petey, he's that good. Just stand
anywhere you want in the box and adjust to the ball where it's pitched. Petey
is probably the toughest player to pitch to in the game because he can hit
anything. My only advice is to vary your pitches to him and try to set him up
for a change-up.
+--+ F I E L D I N G +--+
Petey Piranha is only a useful fielder if he's played at the right position.
He has pretty much no range and a bad glove (mouth). However, he has the
strongest throwing arm in the entire game. Hands down.
He should automatically be your catcher. He's the best catcher in the game.
His arm strength is strong enough that you could also put him in right field,
but I wouldn't like his complete lack of range out there. He could also play
third, but you're best using him exclusively behind the plate. He'll shut
down your opponent's running game, and no one can run over him at the plate.
+--+ P I T C H I N G +--+
Petey Piranha isn't a very good pitcher. He's got a good fastball, but poor
movement.
His fastball is complimented nicely by the Super Change-Up for a star pitch.
It starts like a hard fastball, but slows down rapidly. It can be very
useful against a anxious hitter when charging up the pitch.
If you change speeds often, Petey can be a fourth or probably a situational
pitcher.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HAMMER BRO 0780
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Compatible with: Bowser, Bowser Jr |
| Incompatible with: *NONE* |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
HAMMER BRO'S STATS
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| BATTING | 8 |================ | TRAJECTORY | Pull / High |
| PITCHING | 3 |====== | STAR SWING | Fly Ball |
| FIELDING | 3 |====== | STAR PITCH | Super Fastball |
| RUNNING | 3 |====== | ABILITIES | Body Check |
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
FIRE BRO'S STATS
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| BATTING | 8 |================ | TRAJECTORY | Pull / Low |
| PITCHING | 3 |====== | STAR SWING | Ground Ball |
| FIELDING | 3 |====== | STAR PITCH | Super Fastball |
| RUNNING | 2 |==== | ABILITIES | Body Check |
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
BOOMERANG BRO'S STATS
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| BATTING | 8 |================ | TRAJECTORY | Middle / Middle |
| PITCHING | 3 |====== | STAR SWING | Line Drive |
| FIELDING | 3 |====== | STAR PITCH | Super Change-Up |
| RUNNING | 3 |====== | ABILITIES | Body Check |
+----------+---+------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
Two words: deep threat. The Bros are on your team to chew bubble gum and
hit home runs... and they're all out of bubble gum. Choose the Hammer Bro for
slightly more homeruns and the Boomerang Bro for slightly more doubles. I
love these guys.
+--+ H I T T I N G +--+
Hammer Bro hits the second most home runs in the game behind only Bowser.
More then Donkey King, Petey Piranha, and King Boo. He hits deep fly balls
constantly, and his extreme power makes them go over the fence a lot. Hammer
Bro's main downfall is that he has the single point of contact (all 3 Bros do,
even the Fire Bro, despite the bat in his hand). This means he is not the
best contact hitter around, so he can strike out. You should use the Hammer
Bro or the Boomerang Bro depending on preference. The Boomerang Bro has a
nasty slice to his hits (much like Boo and King Boo), so he hits slightly
fewer homeruns. The ball down the line often will twist foul (annoying when
it is going over the fence). The plus side of the slicing balls is that they
will get past the fielders more then Hammer Bro's hits will. With the Bro's
power, any of them would make a good choice for the fourth or fifth spot in
your lineup.
The Bros' star swing depends on which one you have. Hammer Bro has the Fly
Ball. Unfortunately, it doesn't go over the fence enough to be very useful.
Just ignore it; Hammer Bro will hit mostly fly balls and homeruns even without
spending a precious star. Fire Bro's star swing is the Ground Ball. This is
also pretty useless because of his slowness. Use it when you really want to
hit-and-run. Finally, Boomerang Bro's star swing is the best of the three.
It's the Line Drive. It's useful anytime, but you might not want to spend a
star on it with Boomerang Bro because he is a stellar hitter without it. All
the Bros also have the Body Check ability. This can save them from being
thrown out by knocking the ball out of a fielder's grasp. So go ahead and try
to take the extra base (in moderation).
The Bros might be a little difficult to make contact with, but their plate
coverage is very good. They hit the ball away very well, and the inside pitch
nearly as well. They also have a late swing, so hard fastballs won't bother
you unless you're using the Boomerang Bro and positioning him at the front of
the batter's box.
If you choose the boomerang version, I do suggest moving him to the front of
the batter's box to help keep his hits fair. This will, however, make you
more vulnerable to a hard fastball. So have good reflexes. The others should
stand at the back of the box. With any Bro, simply adjust to the pitches
wherever they are. If you have a little bit of discipline, you'll succeed
with them. Like with Petey Piranha, you'll need to vary pitch speed and work
both sides of the plate to get a Bro out.
+--+ F I E L D I N G +--+
The Bros are mainly poor fielders. They have bad range and a bad glove.
Their saving grace is a very strong throwing arm. It's a cannon.
Play a Bro at catcher or maybe right field to take advantage of the arm. If
pressed, you could also play him at third base.
+--+ P I T C H I N G +--+
A Bro isn't a very useful pitcher. His velocity is bad and his movement
is below average.
The star pitch, like the star swing, depends on which Bro you're using.
Hammer Bro and Fire Bro both have the Super Fastball. It's best used when
thrown without charging up the pitch to surprise the batter. Boomerang Bro's
star pitch is the Super Change-Up, which rapidly slows down as it approaches
the plate to get the batter to swing early. Just the opposite of the Super
Fastball, you should throw it when charging up the pitch.
The Bros are poor pitchers and should only be used situationally.
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V E R S I O N H I S T O R Y 0800
==============================================================================
This is my first online FAQ. This is by far my favorite baseball game,
despite it being an arcade-style sports title. I simply couldn't find any
baseball sim that was accurate enough to real baseball. I decided to look for
a non-sim because, if the baseball game I was playing was not going to be real
to life, I wanted it to intentionally not be real to life.
I became somewhat obsessed with playing Mario Superstar Baseball after I
played against someone. It really is a shame that there is no online play on
this title. Playing game after game against my friend Winger caused my
competitive juices boil. In order to have the competitive edge, I began
analyzing the characters' swings, throwing arms, pitches, etc. I kept notes
in a spiral notebook. Before I know it, I had the beginnings of an online
FAQ. All that was left was to write it.
Through the composition of this FAQ, I changed my perception of several
characters in this game. The more I learned, the better I became. Hopefully,
this FAQ can make you a better player as well. Ultimately, the creation of
this FAQ combined three of my favorite pastimes: baseball, video games, and
writing. Even if no one reads it, it will still have been worth while. That
said, if you are reading this, I hope you enjoy it as well.
1.00 - The first published version of this FAQ is not the first draft. I have
rewritten most of the scouting reports multiple times as I learned more
about the game. However, the initial publication of this FAQ includes
only complete character scouting reports and lists of Star Swings, Star
Pitches, and Character Abilities.
1.10 - Corrected grammar, punctuation, typos, and spelling errors. Changed a
few opinions about characters and character strategies. Added
character compatibilities and incompatibilities. Testing each throw
combination took forever. Explained how to use friends and enemies.
1.20 - Reworded several areas to make things more clear and concise. Fixed
some minor spacing errors.
1.30 - Updated some information due to the discovery of a gameplay quirk.
Changed some opinions on several players to be more accurate. Added
more detailed descriptions of some Character Abilities to reduce
confusion.
+--+ M O R E T O C O M E +--+
At some point, I still plan to add the following to this FAQ...
- Character Rankings in every facet of the game including pitching, hitting
for power, hitting for average, and defense by position.
- Fielding breakdown to help you figure out your defense. Which skills are
important at which positions.
==============================================================================
C R E D I T S / S P E C I A L T H A N K S 0900
==============================================================================
I suppose I should recognize the game's instruction booklet for some info
here. When I was just getting started, it came in handy to answer simple
questions. However, when I began delving into the more in-depth stuff, it was
no help at all.
The real help in making this FAQ came from the game itself (especially
practice mode). I spent countless hours hitting, pitching, and fielding with
every character to analyze them.
I would also like to thank my friend Chris Winger for being my opponent in
many a heated game. He was sometimes my guinea pig, sometimes my in-game
punching bag, and sometimes my defeater. Stop trying to steal home!
I also would like to thank my girlfriend. She had to endure my countless
hours of playing the game, taking notes, and writing this FAQ. Without your
patience with me, there would have been a lot more fights.
Last, but not least... Thank you for reading my FAQ.
==============================================================================
C O N T A C T 1000
==============================================================================
If you have any observations you would like to add or (gasp) mistakes you've
noticed in this FAQ, you can contact me at
[email protected]. I'll even
answer any questions you have that my FAQ was not able to.
I'll try to check on any tips I get, and if I add them to this FAQ, you'll get
a fancy little credit down near the bottom.
==============================================================================
L E G A L M U M B O - J U M B O 1100
==============================================================================
Copyright 2006-2007 Kristopher Pflipsen
This FAQ may be not be reproduced under any circumstances except for personal,
private use. It may not be placed on any web site or otherwise distributed
publicly without advance written permission. Use of this guide on any other
web site or as a part of any public display is strictly prohibited, and a
violation of copyright.
All trademarks and copyrights contained in this document are owned by their
respective trademark and copyright holders.
