Sonic Super Sluggers

***Sonic Super Sluggers*** is the Wii installment follow-up to ***Sonic Superstar Baseball***. This game borrows many elements from the previous title, but it also includes new elements as well, including a variety of gameplay controls, such as taking advantage of the motion sensor controls that the Wii Remote provides. The game also has a more in-depth and more narrative driven Challenge Mode, where, rather than only facing off against a Team Captain and a team of opponents, players interact with more characters, including a variety of various sub-characters, and play various small challenges to recruit them for their team. Up to four players can play this title, and a new feature is that players can choose which of the two team sides to be on.

It was released in Japan and North America in 2008. The game was never released in Europe and Australia, even after the Wii Nintendo Selects re-release. Although an issue of the Official Nintendo Magazine has stated a summer 2009 release, it never happened. The game was re-released on the Wii U eShop in North America on March 31, 2016, and in Japan on August 17, 2016.

## Gameplay

***Sonic Super Sluggers*** can be played using three different control methods:

* Wii Remote (vertical)
* Wii Remote (horizontal)
* Wii Remote + Nunchuk controller

Before a game starts, a roulette will start in order to show which team will be batting first. This is different from the previous game, in which the player could choose which team would be batting first.

Assuming that players are using the Wii Remote (vertical) or the Wii Remote/Nunchuk combination, in order to bat or pitch, players must hold the A Button button and the Wii Remote must be swung at the appropriate time. The more precise the hit/pitch, the further/faster the ball will go. To charge up a pitch or swing, players must pull the Wii Remote back. They can also do curve balls as well by twisting the Wii Remote, while pitching. Once the ball is in a fielder's hand, the Wii Remote must be swung so that the fielder can pitch the ball at one of the basemen.

In the outfield, players can create special moves if there is chemistry between outfielders:

* One outfielder tackles the ball and the ball rolls towards the outfielder with chemistry. The outfielder that holds the ball can then throw a very fast ball towards a base from the outfield.
* When a possible home run is hit, players can initiate a Buddy Jump. Upon jumping around another outfielder's head and pressing A Button twice, one of the players will jump incredibly high to catch home run balls. This must be done with precise timing.

Superstar Matchups return; however, it is set for captains only and occurs when the team captain is not batting first and when one runner is on second or third and two or all three runners on base (only when the runs exceed to 4 or more on the scoreboard). This also applies to RBI chance screens.

While pitching, however, players will have to pay attention to the pitcher's stamina. If the character that's pitching is showing signs of fatigue (depicted by a water droplet in a bubble), their pitches will start to behave in an erratic manner. When the current pitcher is exhausted, players will have to decide to adjust the defense so that a new character plays pitcher instead. On a side note, pitchers can get exhausted even quicker if the batting team manages to make a lot of successful Home Runs. Even a Grand Slam can cause a pitcher to become fully fatigued right off the bat.

Chaos Emerald Skills make a reappearance in ***Sonic Super Sluggers*** as well. Any player can pitch or bat using Chaos Emerald Skills, however only Team Captains can use special hits/pitches. Team Players can only use Chaos Emerald Skills that will make the ball go faster or slower. Both teams can store up to five Star Skill attempts; they are earned as a result of well executed plays.

At the end of each game, the character who has had the most potential for their team will win the MVP award, which will be recorded in the Records menu. Characters can earn MVP points by striking out opponents, executing nice plays on defense, successful hits while batting (the batter has to make it to 1st base without getting out), stealing bases, close plays, and even for error item usage. The character with the most MVP points will win the award. Also, it's possible for more than one character to win MVP if at least two characters have the same amount of points.

## Characters

### **Playable Characters**

* Sonic the Hedgehog
* Miles "Tails" Prower
* Knuckles the Echidna
* Princess Sally Acorn
* Cream the Rabbit
* Amy Rose
* Big the Cat
* Tikal the Echidna
* E-102 Gamma
* Shadow the Hedgehog
* Rouge the Bat
* E-123 Omega
* Espio the Chameleon
* Charmy Bee
* Vector the Crocodile
* Jet the Hawk
* Wave the Swallow
* Storm the Albatross
* Blaze the Cat
* Silver the Hedgehog
* Marine the Raccoon
* Mighty the Armadillo
* Ray the Flying Squirrel
* Taria Boobowski
* Metal Sonic
* Dr. Eggman

## Stadiums

There are a total of nine stadiums (excluding Toy Field) in all. Every Team Captain (excluding Blaze the Cat, Silver the Hedgehog, and Marine the Raccoon) has a stadium which is based on his or her character's unique persona. Most of the nine stadiums can be played in daytime or nighttime. Sonic Stadium is the only one not to feature any gimmicks in the field, making for the most realistic baseball experience. Shadow City is the only stadium that switches from day to night with no gimmicky changes. The Metal Sonic Playroom is only accessible during the day, while Tails Workshop and Dr. Eggman's Lair can only be accessed at night.

### **Starting Stadiums**

These stadiums are accessible when starting a new game file.

* Sonic Stadium
* Tails Workshop
* Knuckles Island
* Amy Ice Garden
* Cream Park
* Big Jungle
* Shadow City
* Metal Sonic Playroom
* Dr. Eggman's Lair