Alright, so I got my hands on MLB The Show 24, like many of you probably did. Fired it up, eager to get some games in. This time around, I really wanted to dive back into classic pitching. You know, strip away some of the newer, fancier mechanics and just get down to basics.
My First Go With Classic
So, I jumped straight into an exhibition game. Picked my team, got my starting pitcher on the mound. And then it began. With classic pitching, it’s pretty straightforward. You pick your pitch – fastball, curveball, whatever you’re feeling – then you aim it, kinda generally, not like pinpoint where you’re tracing lines. Then you hit the button to start the delivery.
The real deal, the part that gets you, is that second button press. That’s for your accuracy and, to some extent, your power. Mess that up, and boy, does the game let you know. I found myself really concentrating, trying to feel the rhythm of the pitcher’s motion. It’s not like that “Pure Analog Interface” I’ve fiddled with before, where you’re pulling back on the stick and all that. Nope, classic is just buttons. Simple, right? Well, simple to understand, maybe not always simple to execute.
The Ups and Downs, Man
My first few innings were… an adventure. I’d nail a few, painting the black perfectly. Those moments, they feel good. Like you’re really in control. Then, the very next batter, I’d get anxious, rush the timing, and hang a slider right down the middle. You can guess what happened next. Kaboom. Home run. Frustrating, to say the least.
I remember this one game, bases loaded, two outs. Pressure was on. I tried to get cute with a changeup, low and away. My timing was just a hair off. The ball floated, didn’t drop like I wanted, and the batter just crushed it. Grand slam. I just put the controller down for a second and sighed. That’s classic pitching for you sometimes. It keeps you honest.
Trying to Get the Hang of It
But I stuck with it. I really wanted to get a consistent feel for it. I spent a good chunk of time just in practice mode, believe it or not. Just throwing pitch after pitch. Here’s kinda what I focused on:
- Watching the pitcher’s release point: Instead of just staring at a meter, I tried to visually time it with the animation.
- Not overthinking it: Sometimes, just going with instinct worked better than trying too hard.
- Varying my timing slightly: For different pitches, sometimes a slightly earlier or later release felt better. Still figuring that part out.
It’s a different beast than pinpoint or meter. Those feel more… I don’t know, more like a mini-game within the game. Classic feels more connected to the actual act of pitching, even if it’s a simplified version. There’s a certain charm to its simplicity, when it’s working for you. When it’s not, well, you might find yourself yelling at the screen a bit.
So, What’s the Verdict?
I’m still grinding with classic pitching. Some days I feel like a Cy Young winner, others I’m getting shelled. But I’m enjoying the process. It’s a good change of pace. If you’re looking for something that’s easy to pick up but has a subtle layer of timing to master, give it a shot. It’s definitely made my recent sessions with The Show 24 interesting. It ain’t always pretty, but when you dot that corner with a perfect release on classic, it’s pretty darn satisfying.
