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Rusty's Real Deal Baseball | OT | Haggle for Peanuts and Crackerjack

maxcriden

Member
Definitely good dumb!

Glad to hear it!

BTW all, entrement posted this Kotaku article in a separate thread:

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=796463

Rusty's Real Deal Baseball is a strange game on many levels. It's that kind of weird only Nintendo can produce. The game itself is quite fun, and while I plan on reviewing it in the coming days I have to talk about one aspect of the 3DS eShop-only title that stands out.

In-game purchases don't have the best reputation in the world of gaming. People get irritated when developers leave out material that must be bought to be enjoyed. They get downright furious when games force you to kick in extra funds to compete them fully. Is it fair? If you've already paid for a title, should you have to pay for more content that probably should have been there in the first place? Now, some games do this as a means to let you get ahead and progress more quickly, much like the despised mobile title Dungeon Keeper, which charges players for all sorts of ridiculous actions. Other games just give you little bonus DLC such as maps and gear to add to the experience. Both can feel tacked on at times, depending on the presentation.

http://tay.kotaku.com/rustys-real-deal-baseball-the-right-way-to-do-in-game-1558215409
 

terrisus

Member
Well, I bought 5 of the games: Bat & Switch, Make the Call, Cage Match, Volley Bats, and Quick Catch
Leaving the other 5: Drop & Pop, Feel the Glove, The Aim Game, Gear Games, and Bat Master

Frankly the other 5 don't sound that interesting to me. In part because a good portion of them use the gyro sensor, which I don't like at all. And then other than that, they just don't sound as interesting in general.

So, basically, I ended up spending like $8.50 or thereabouts for 5 games that I really enjoy (and I've only scratched the surface of them, I'm still going to spend a bunch more time with them).
Meanwhile, I didn't have to waste money on the other 5 games that I wasn't interested in, like I would have if this was just a flat "10 games for $xx.xx" sort of package.

While I wasn't sure how I would feel about the purchasing setup of this, in the end I'm pretty happy.
And, while I do want to find out the rest of the storyline, it's not enough to spend the money on the rest. So, I'll just make due for now, and I'm sure I can find out about it later.
 

OmegaFax

Member
This is a game that I wish had a budget retail release for $15 dollars. I like the game and grindworthy achievement aspects but I think the way it presents haggling digital items for money is a bit ... Eh, predatory? Borderline gambling? I don't know how explain it. The haggling turned me off to it.
 

terrisus

Member
This is a game that I wish had a budget retail release for $15 dollars. I like the game and grindworthy achievement aspects but I think the way it presents haggling digital items for money is a bit ... Eh, predatory? Borderline gambling? I don't know how explain it. The haggling turned me off to it.

Well, as I said above, I'm glad it didn't, since if it did, I would've had to waste an extra $6 or so on 5 other games that didn't interest me.

So which games are actually good and which are so-so?

Do you need to buy em all to get a full story?

And, as I said above, the 5 that I went with are Bat & Switch, Make the Call, Cage Match, Volley Bats, and Quick Catch, and I think they're all good.
The rest of them I'm passing on.

Yes, you do need to buy them (EDIT: the ones with the key by them. See below) to get the full story, but I'm sure the story will be out there soon enough anyway.
 

maxcriden

Member
Yes, you do need to buy them all to get the full story, but I'm sure the story will be out there soon enough anyway.

Actually, I don't think this is correct. From what I saw playing the demo, you only need to purchase the games with a key lock on them for the complete story.
 

terrisus

Member
Actually, I don't think this is correct. From what I saw playing the demo, you only need to purchase the games with a key lock on them for the complete story.

Oops, you're right, I forgot that only some of them advance the story.
So, yeah, need to buy the ones with the key on it.
 

maxcriden

Member
Apologies for the double post, but I wanted to share my initial impressions of the game in a separate post. I played through the demo and haven't purchased any of the individual games yet, mostly because I'm running a backlog but also a bit because I don't know how eager I am to play more. I liked the game and found it charming, the little I played of it. The graphics work well and are simple but clean. The initial game is okay. It's not the most exciting minigame but I can see there being a bit of depth to it, although maybe not as much as I would like. I might just not be a big enough fan of baseball, though. I imagine some of the other minigames might be more fun for me.

I like the presentation quite a bit, from the characters' ages being given in human and dog years to the exaggerated gesticulations of Rusty himself. It's definitely an interesting experiment in F2P, and it probably holds a bit more interest for me than Steel Diver: Sub Wars does. I think I'll be interested to read more impressions just to find out how much there is to the other games and what people's impressions are after spending a bit more time with the overall game. I do like it, and I'm open to spending actual money on it, I just don't feel like I necessarily have a yen for it right this moment (pun intended, many apologies!).
 

rpmurphy

Member
Apologies for the double post, but I wanted to share my initial impressions of the game in a separate post. I played through the demo and haven't purchased any of the individual games yet, mostly because I'm running a backlog but also a bit because I don't know how eager I am to play more. I liked the game and found it charming, the little I played of it. The graphics work well and are simple but clean. The initial game is okay. It's not the most exciting minigame but I can see there being a bit of depth to it, although maybe not as much as I would like. I might just not be a big enough fan of baseball, though. I imagine some of the other minigames might be more fun for me.

I like the presentation quite a bit, from the characters' ages being given in human and dog years to the exaggerated gesticulations of Rusty himself. It's definitely an interesting experiment in F2P, and it probably holds a bit more interest for me than Steel Diver: Sub Wars does. I think I'll be interested to read more impressions just to find out how much there is to the other games and what people's impressions are after spending a bit more time with the overall game. I do like it, and I'm open to spending actual money on it, I just don't feel like I necessarily have a yen for it right this moment (pun intended, many apologies!).
I'd definitely recommend getting Bat and Switch or Cage Match if you are mostly interested in the batting aspects of the game. Going for completing the challenges with top grades takes time, and the derby games make for some replay value. These two have a good amount of content between them. The others are interesting (Make the Call, for example), but there are others that you might want to avoid if you don't like motion-controls with the handheld. Overall, each of these (with the exception of Bat Master) feel sort of like a Bird & Beans type of game, and for <$2 each, they're well worth it, at least for me.
 

bobawesome

Member
Everyone about this game just feels sleazy. Definitely won't be supporting any of Nintendo's free-to-play endeavors going forward based on this alone.
 

daydream

Banned
Did not expect to see people being put off by the haggle mechanic, but from a cultural perspective, it is easily explained, I guess.
 

DDayton

(more a nerd than a geek)
Anyone know what happens if you delete your saved data?

The eShop purchases are retained on your account, of course, but I'm curious as to whether you get to replay the game's haggling sequences even if you own the minigames.
 

n64coder

Member
Anyone know what happens if you delete your saved data?

The eShop purchases are retained on your account, of course, but I'm curious as to whether you get to replay the game's haggling sequences even if you own the minigames.

Can you try it and report your findings? Maybe I'll do it since I have only bought one game so far and it won't be a chore to replay it
 

n64coder

Member
Well I deleted my data and yes, you go through the whole process again. The only difference is that when you buy the game, you connect to the eshop and instead of using your points, you download previously purchased content.
 

StayDead

Member
Oh my god what did they do with the character model. The original looks like a somewhat friendly shop owner but the dog in the US version looks like some kind of psycopath. o_O
 

also

Banned
Oh my god what did they do with the character model. The original looks like a somewhat friendly shop owner but the dog in the US version looks like some kind of psycopath. o_O

I'm surprised you're the first one to comment on Rusty's localization.
ibfPZy1kaevXnb.jpg
ibkdXlhWZ2UY0k.jpg

(stolen from tinycartridge)

Yeah, Japan's Rusty looks like a sorry old man while the NA's one really looks like a psycho. Those eyes... it's like he can't wait to chop you up and hide your body in his shed.
 
So far, I've only bought Bat & Switch and I'm having a great time with it! Just finished getting gold on all basic challenges for that one. Will start the advance challenges shortly. Needed a break, lol.

Also managed to get 378 on Hi-Score Derby A, which gave me an A+.

Definitely see myself purchasing all the other games. My money is ready for a Rusty's Real Deal Baseball 2 (or any other version of it). Such a simple game, but so addicting.
 

rpmurphy

Member
So far, I've only bought Bat & Switch and I'm having a great time with it! Just finished getting gold on all basic challenges for that one. Will start the advance challenges shortly. Needed a break, lol.

Also managed to get 378 on Hi-Score Derby A, which gave me an A+.

Definitely see myself purchasing all the other games. My money is ready for a Rusty's Real Deal Baseball 2 (or any other version of it). Such a simple game, but so addicting.
Nice! I'm still at sub-300 on that one, trying to cross into the A+ grade but it's taking many many tries...


Getting into the advanced challenges for Cage Match, and oh man... is it uncanny how some of the pitches here are the same types as those in Winnie the Pooh's game. I guess they're cliches or something.
 

dkeane

Member
Only bought one game but this game isn't being talked about enough.
The way they let you haggle and the story of rusty and how that affects your choices is fantastic.
Plus, while simple, the game is really fun.
 
430 on Hi-Score Derby A for Bat & Switch. Level 6 kicks my ass.

Also completed all of the advance challenges for that game. Getting gold on all of them is a different story. I really dislike UFO's, lol.

Will purchase another game but I want to get all gold on the advance challenges before moving on. Any recommendations as to what my 2nd purchase should be? I'm leaning towards Cage Match or The Aim Game.
 

rpmurphy

Member
430 on Hi-Score Derby A for Bat & Switch. Level 6 kicks my ass.

Also completed all of the advance challenges for that game. Getting gold on all of them is a different story. I really dislike UFO's, lol.

Will purchase another game but I want to get all gold on the advance challenges before moving on. Any recommendations as to what my 2nd purchase should be? I'm leaning towards Cage Match or The Aim Game.
Between the two, Cage Match is the better one. Aim Game is split between batting and throwing, and both don't exactly have as much variation as the games that have a single focus.
 
Well this thread has convinced me... I'm turning on my 3DS right now to download it. From the preview on the direct I wasn't expecting much.
 
This game feels like I just found some undiscovered NES title, and it's one of those old games that you just know will hold up over time. Wow.
 

makleod

Neo Member
Just going to throw in my two cents. Went in with low expectations and came away very impressed. Only through the first game and a little of cage match, but highly recommended so far!
 
Just going to throw in my two cents. Went in with low expectations and came away very impressed. Only through the first game and a little of cage match, but highly recommended so far!
I had zero expectations for this and I'm a bit shocked at just how good it is. Not really sure how Nintendo could market this, but damn. I don't like baseball, or sports games for that matter, but it really does capture the gaming aspect that simply has a sports theme rather than the other way around.
 
Hmm guess my problem is I came in with some expectations from this thread... I was expecting a bit more to the carrot before it insisted I pay to continue. Nothing wrong with trying this model out for F2P, and at least it's not selling 1 time power ups or something... but it's just not doing it for me personally. Next time I buy an eshop card and have a few dollars left over I'll probably give it another go.

I have a feeling once I can actually find out a bit of the story I'll be more into it.
 

terrisus

Member
I was expecting a bit more to the carrot before it insisted I pay to continue. Nothing wrong with trying this model out for F2P, and at least it's not selling 1 time power ups or something... but it's just not doing it for me personally.

I think part of the issue is that people are viewing it as a "Free to Play" game (which Nintendo isn't marketing it as), as opposed to what it's more similar to - an episodic game.

Basically, you choose which "episodes" to buy, buy the ones you want, and skip the ones you don't want.
 

Velcro Fly

Member
The demo was really fun. I think I might look up videos on what all the other games are and maybe I'll see about buying a few. Do you get CN coins for this at all?

edit: Went ahead and bought the first game for $2. Put in an hour already doing challenges. Almost cleared them all and got gold on 19 of them. Definitely a fun little game that I can see myself playing more. For $2 I'm not expecting the world and it could take some time to grind out golds in everything. I never knew pressing the A button could be so much fun. Plus I actually care about Rusty as a character.

I might investigate some of the other games that don't require me to use the gyro controls. Just not really a fan of them. I love baseball though so this game is pretty fun. I've had my $30 credit from the SMT/FE deal since July and this is the first thing I've bought.
 

LayLa

Member
absolutely adore the umpiring game, now i want an rpg where you umpire through the leagues until you call the World Series.
 

Yuterald

Member
This game is really cool and super satisfying. Bat/hit/crack sounds are so good. Only played/bought the demo game so far, but I can see myself slowly buying/haggling for the rest. I gotta say, the eShop has had a pretty banging year so far. Between this, Steel Diver, Yumi's Odd Oddyssey and a few other games I've been meaning to download (Inazuma and that blacksmith Guild game), there's just been good stuff all around.
 

Velcro Fly

Member
Advanced Challenges in Bat and Switch are brutal. Holy crap I'm bad at them. I managed A rank on 1-1 and 2-1 after a few minutes though.
 
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