Baseball Stars Professional was one of the first few games ever made for SNK's versatile NeoGeo arcade and home game system. You won't find loads of licensed players or teams here. You won't even find a deep, involving franchise or season mode. What you will find is fast-paced, arcade-style baseball with tight controls and loads of personality.
Baseball Stars Professional is the follow-up to Baseball Stars for the Nintendo Entertainment System, and features comic-style graphics. Choose from a variety of teams that include Celestial Planets, Heavenly Bodies, Shadow Demons, Battle Knights, Fabulous Superstars, and many others. Then select the field where the game is to be held: The SNK stadium or the SNK dome. Each field has the same dimensions, but their capacity varies. The game is played the same way as normal baseball. Features a VS. mode in which two players can play against each other.
Basics
Baseball Stars is not rocket science. Two teams play against each other for nine innings, trying to get as many men (or women) across home plate as possible. Upon start up, choose between Vs. mode (a single game with one or two players), or a multi-team tournament, where you'll have to win a handful of increasingly difficult games in order to take home the championship.
Controls
There are four play buttons in Baseball Stars. Button 1 is used to swing the bat, return to the previous base, pitch and throw the ball; button 2 is used to advance the runner; button 3 calls for the bunt; and button 4 calls a time out. In all cases when throwing the ball or running to different bases, combine the button press with the directional pad. The d-pad designations are as follows -- right for 1st base, up for 2nd base, left for 3rd base, and finally, down for home plate.
Pitching
Use the directional pad in conjunction with button 1 to throw a pitch. Which direction you press on the d-pad designates the sort of pitch you'll throw. Push up for a slow ball, down for a fast ball, and to the right or left to curve the ball in that direction. Combine the different directions for combo pitches.
Time Out
Call a Time Out while in the batter's box if you want to substitute a pinch hitter or runner. Likewise, call a Time Out while your team is in the field to bring in a relief pitcher.