InQuest 13 - 41 - Donruss & NXT Games: Top of the Order Review
[breakdown]
top of the order card description
A. The Pitch: Signifies one of nine
pitches from which the defensive manager
can choose.
B. The Swing: Signifies one of 14
swings from which the offensive manager
can choose.
C. Skill Checks: The results of run-
ners advancing extra bases, stealing bases,
"deep" hits and errors based on the color
of the corresponding execution on the card
from the draw pile.
D. Pitch vs. Swing: Reveals the
result of an at-bat by cross-indexing the
type of pitch and its color with the type of
swing and its color.
E. Team and Position: Uh, bet
ya can figure this one out yourself.
F. Player Skills: Rates players in
a variety of categories with a + (above
average), 0 (average), or - (below aver-
age).
top of the order card description
A. The Pitch: Signifies one of nine
pitches from which the defensive manager
can choose.
B. The Swing: Signifies one of 14
swings from which the offensive manager
can choose.
C. Skill Checks: The results of run-
ners advancing extra bases, stealing bases,
"deep" hits and errors based on the color
of the corresponding execution on the card
from the draw pile.
D. Pitch vs. Swing: Reveals the
result of an at-bat by cross-indexing the
type of pitch and its color with the type of
swing and its color.
E. Team and Position: Uh, bet
ya can figure this one out yourself.
F. Player Skills: Rates players in
a variety of categories with a + (above
average), 0 (average), or - (below aver-
age).
G. Bats: Indicates whether a player bats
right-handed or left-handed.
H. Throws: For pitchers only. Indi-
cates whether a player pitches right-handed
or left-handed.
Manager Argues Call cards automatically negate any card or chart result just played
during an at-bat. The manager who employs the soundest strategy in using these cards
is the one who will most likely prevail.
If you think this might get tedious, you're right. Once lineups are set and play has
begun, it's mainly flipping cards and cross-referencing colors. And while strategy
helps, the game comes down to luck: Will the colors on the cards you flip up help
or hurt you?
While it is understood that much of what goes into analyzing baseball talent is sub-
jective, Top of the Order contains some questionable ratings. For example, Troy
O'Leary, a part-timer for the Boston Red Sox who is a mediocre player, has better offen-
sive ratings than Seattle Mariners slugger Jay Buhner, who perennially ranks among
the league leaders in home runs and runs batted in. Buhner's throwing arm is also
recognized as one of baseball's finest, yet Red Sox outfielder Mike Greenwell, who
would have difficulty throwing out Roseanne Barr trying to go from first to third on
a single, has much better defensive ratings in Top of the Order.
Similarly, Houston Astros second baseman Craig Biggio, considered one of the
game's most productive middle infielders, has batting ratings identical to those of fel-
low second basemen Jason Bates of the Colorado Rockies and Carlos Garcia of the
Pittsburgh Pirates, both average performers.
right-handed or left-handed.
H. Throws: For pitchers only. Indi-
cates whether a player pitches right-handed
or left-handed.
Manager Argues Call cards automatically negate any card or chart result just played
during an at-bat. The manager who employs the soundest strategy in using these cards
is the one who will most likely prevail.
If you think this might get tedious, you're right. Once lineups are set and play has
begun, it's mainly flipping cards and cross-referencing colors. And while strategy
helps, the game comes down to luck: Will the colors on the cards you flip up help
or hurt you?
While it is understood that much of what goes into analyzing baseball talent is sub-
jective, Top of the Order contains some questionable ratings. For example, Troy
O'Leary, a part-timer for the Boston Red Sox who is a mediocre player, has better offen-
sive ratings than Seattle Mariners slugger Jay Buhner, who perennially ranks among
the league leaders in home runs and runs batted in. Buhner's throwing arm is also
recognized as one of baseball's finest, yet Red Sox outfielder Mike Greenwell, who
would have difficulty throwing out Roseanne Barr trying to go from first to third on
a single, has much better defensive ratings in Top of the Order.
Similarly, Houston Astros second baseman Craig Biggio, considered one of the
game's most productive middle infielders, has batting ratings identical to those of fel-
low second basemen Jason Bates of the Colorado Rockies and Carlos Garcia of the
Pittsburgh Pirates, both average performers.
But on the other side of the coin, there are some accurate rankings. Atlanta Braves
pitcher Greg Maddux, who is considered the league's best, is probably the best
pitcher in Top of the Order. And San Francisco Giants superstar Barry Bonds, a peren-
nial All-Star, is perhaps the best all-around player in Top of the Order. So the bottom
line is that you can use players' real-life performances to gauge their prowess in Top
of the Order, but you should look closely to find those diamonds in the rough who
are not big-name players but can be solid contributors to your team.
By the by, you're best off looking closely for star athletes in the booster packs-
starters tend to have few great players.
Top of the Order succeeds in capturing practically every aspect of a real-life base-
ball game, but lacks something in realism and keeping people's interest. Hopefully
the promised twists in Top of the Order '96, due in June, will add a little drama.
- Scott Gramling
[the good]
• Top of the Order uses real Major League Baseball
players.
• The player photos are sharp and impressively up-to-
date upon release (Top of the Order featured the first
card of Bobby Bonilla in a Baltimore Orioles uniform).
• The game is simple enough to learn quickly and teach
to novices.
pitcher Greg Maddux, who is considered the league's best, is probably the best
pitcher in Top of the Order. And San Francisco Giants superstar Barry Bonds, a peren-
nial All-Star, is perhaps the best all-around player in Top of the Order. So the bottom
line is that you can use players' real-life performances to gauge their prowess in Top
of the Order, but you should look closely to find those diamonds in the rough who
are not big-name players but can be solid contributors to your team.
By the by, you're best off looking closely for star athletes in the booster packs-
starters tend to have few great players.
Top of the Order succeeds in capturing practically every aspect of a real-life base-
ball game, but lacks something in realism and keeping people's interest. Hopefully
the promised twists in Top of the Order '96, due in June, will add a little drama.
- Scott Gramling
[the good]
• Top of the Order uses real Major League Baseball
players.
• The player photos are sharp and impressively up-to-
date upon release (Top of the Order featured the first
card of Bobby Bonilla in a Baltimore Orioles uniform).
• The game is simple enough to learn quickly and teach
to novices.
• It requires a knowledge of baseball and the major
leagues, allowing for different strategies to be contem-
plated by gamers.
• The game has thoroughly covered all the bases (no
pun intended) in terms of implementing practically every
type of game situation that could possibly occur in a real
baseball game.
• Melido Perez is as horrendous as he deserves to be.
[the bad]
• The game leaves way too much to chance and luck.
• The game tends to get boring rather quickly because
once lineups are set and play has begun, it's mainly flip-
ping cards and cross-referencing colors.
• Few quality players turn up in the starter decks; they
must be acquired via booster packs.
• Many inconsistencies in player ratings: Certain super-
star players are rated lower than bench-warming stiffs.
• There is no index or table of contents in the rule
book, which, as petty a complaint as that may seem, is def-
initely inconvenient when checking rules during a game.
• Bret Barberie isn't nearly as horrendous as he deserves
to be.
leagues, allowing for different strategies to be contem-
plated by gamers.
• The game has thoroughly covered all the bases (no
pun intended) in terms of implementing practically every
type of game situation that could possibly occur in a real
baseball game.
• Melido Perez is as horrendous as he deserves to be.
[the bad]
• The game leaves way too much to chance and luck.
• The game tends to get boring rather quickly because
once lineups are set and play has begun, it's mainly flip-
ping cards and cross-referencing colors.
• Few quality players turn up in the starter decks; they
must be acquired via booster packs.
• Many inconsistencies in player ratings: Certain super-
star players are rated lower than bench-warming stiffs.
• There is no index or table of contents in the rule
book, which, as petty a complaint as that may seem, is def-
initely inconvenient when checking rules during a game.
• Bret Barberie isn't nearly as horrendous as he deserves
to be.
[the ugly]
• With all the successful baseball games that have hit
the market over the years, from the legendary Strat-O-
Matic to today's comprehensive computer games, Top of
the Order had many tough acts to follow. Most die-hard
baseball fans eat and breathe statistics, and therefore
demand that any game they play consider in-depth statistical
analysis. Top of the Order just doesn't live up to the expec-
tations set by the great baseball games that preceded it.
