I guess you could call the MLB Power Pros series something of a cult hit here in the states. The series originated in Japan in 1994, but only made the trip across the Pacific last year in the form of Wii and PS2 versions. This year, the DS joins the party with an incarnation of its own. And although the tried-and-true gameplay makes the transition nearly flawlessly, the game lacks many of the features that made such a splash in the console versions.

Power Pros on Wii and PS2 feature an insane amount of statistics and an in-depth season mode, neither of which appear on DS. Even the online mode has been scrapped. These omissions beg the question of why anyone would continue to play this game in the long run. The only attempt at creating lasting appeal is a bare-bones playoff mode. This does little to extend the games playability.

The game also features only four generic stadiums. Any MLB fan knows that the variety in fields is an essential part of the game and is sorely missed.

But despite these shortcomings, it’s hard to fault Power Pros when you actually play the game.  It plays very true to the console versions, and that’s a very good thing. The cursor-based batting and pitching are very well balanced, with both feeling very natural and accurate. The bottom screen is also very useful as a dedicated infield diagram, even if the optional touch-screen controls are awkward and pointless.

If I had one notable problem with the gameplay, it’s probably defense. Fly balls hit over an outfielder’s head can be very hard to track. And if a shot to the gap happens to split your outfielders, the computer will automatically select the closest player to the ball, meaning that it may awkwardly switch between fielders as you try to chase it down.

Graphically, Power Pros is a very nice recreation of its console brother. The player models are very cute, but feature enough realistic details, such as facial animations and batting stances to maintain an authentic, if stylized, MLB feel. The fields also look good, although as mentioned before, there is little variety. Aurally, the game doesn’t fare nearly as well. There is no real commentary aside from a dull PA announcer and the crowd is unrealistic and uninspired. It should be noted, however, that I would much rather have no announcers, than the horrendous commentators from the console version.

Without an online mode, multiplayer isn’t much to get excited about. It does features single-card wireless play, which is nice.

Whether you should get MLB Power Pros 2008 on DS is really a question of how you want to play the game. As a quick pick up and play, Power Pros is great. The gameplay is very good and the graphics and animations are excellent. If, however, you want an in-depth baseball sim that can match the console version, then Power Pros 2008 will be a shallow and unrewarding experience.

For what it is, MLB Power Pros 2008 is a good game, but it’s lacking many of the things that made the console version so good. As many baseball fans have said for many years, you may want to “wait ‘til next year.”

Gameplay: 8.0
Power Pros plays very well indeed. Batting and pitching are very good and although defense can sometimes be a bit cumbersome, it’s a solid sim overall. Touch-screen controls feel tacked on and unnecessary.

Graphics: 8.0 
Those who have seen either of the console incarnations of the series will know what to expect here. The adorable player models feature some great animation and the fields look very impressive.

Sound: 5.0
Thankfully, the extraordinarily irritating announcers featured in the console versions didn’t make the transition to DS. Unfortunately, what we are left with is a bland and lifeless audio presentation with a droning PA announcer, a few irritating tunes and a very poor representation of what the crowd sounds like at a Major League Baseball game.

Difficulty: Medium
Power Pros 2008 features variable difficulty, but it does lean a bit towards the more challenging side.

Concept: 6.0 
Although the concept of the gameplay itself is very solid, the decision to strip down the DS version’s feature set is not. Power Pros on DS has no season mode, no online play, no authentic stadiums and nowhere near the stat tracking of the console version.

Multiplayer: 6.5
The local multiplayer is fine for what it is, but online play is sorely missed.

Overall: 7.0
MLB Power Pros 2008 on DS plays well. It plays very well. But without even a season mode, there is little in the way of lasting appeal. A very simple playoff mode does not fill the gap. If you want a fun little game of ball that you can pick up every once in while, Power Pros is great. But if you are expecting the insane stat tracking and in-depth season modes featured in the console versions, you won’t find it here.