MLB Slugfest 2006 Critic Reviews

A fun game but it has no lasting appeal. Even the two-player mode becomes more like a game of chance than a game of skill when player of equal caliber have outgrown the simplistic control system.

If you're looking for a deep franchise mode, stellar graphics, minor league affiliates, pinpoint pitching and stats galore, look away. But if you're in the market for a fun baseball game that anyone can pick up and enjoy, then you can't go wrong with MLB SlugFest 2006.

There are even occasional (very minor) glitches that'll have you scratching your batting helmet. But it is good for a laugh if you've got 20 minutes on your hands. If you're a number-crunching statistician, you'll be annoyed by the 27 hits per side, per game.

For twenty bucks, it's hard to really slam MLB SlugFest 2006 for essentially being the same game as "Loaded." Removing the online play may irk some, but the Create a Player is an overall better feature in the long run.

MLB Slugfest 2006 is fun, there's no doubt about it. The graphics are decent, the sound is decent, the gameplay is good, arcade baseball, overall. We are sad that the rosters haven't been updated since February, nor has the game engine since 2004, really. But for 20 bucks, Slugfest is a good bargain and a good time with your buddies.

Midway brought back Tim Kitzrow and Jimmy Shorts to do commentary this year, and they do an admirable job. Most of the jokes are pretty funny, although they can get old over time, and they definitely do a solid job in the booth.

So here is the game in a nutshell. For 20 bucks you get a solid playing game that you basically could have had for the last 2 years. And if you're a Slugfest: Loaded player, there's simply no reason to even bother with Slugfest 2006.

I'm still blown away that they removed online play, seriously cutting a ton of replay life out of the title.

In the end, SlugFest's budget price certainly helps it, but it doesn't save it. Too many facets of the game feel completely phoned-in to make this a worthwhile purchase, even at $20. It's really too bad that this quality baseball series couldn't go out in a classier fashion.

As uninspiring as it is harmless.

This series has great potential, but with each new season, it continues to degrade in quality.

This series serves no viable purpose anymore, nor does it really warrant yearly release.

At $20, Slugfest 2006 isn't what I'd call a terrible title. It has the same great gameplay as previous entries and does deliver a fast game of arcade baseball. But we've seen this before, and done better, and unless Midway's planning to give it all they've got for a next-generation edition, maybe it's best to let someone else round the bases. This Slugfest has lost a bit of its punch.

For twenty bucks, it provides plenty of wacky pitches and some minor league couch fun, but the lack of modes and new gameplay really hurts. Instead of swinging for the fences, Midway has settled for a walk.

MLB Slugfest 2006 isn't going to revolutionize baseball games, but even at less than half the price of the competition, it still can't be recommended.