Here's a secret: despite the variety of components that make up America's favourite pastime, the home run is the only part baseball fans really care about.
The crack of the bat, the head tilt to follow the ball, and the roar from the crowd as the ball soars. Homerun Battle 2 focuses on this key element, making the arcade game both simple and compelling.
No bases loadedThe goal is simply to knock as many balls out of the park as possible. You angle your iOS device to tilt the bat and tap the screen to swing. The game ends when you get too many strikes or fouls.
There are two modes: Single-player and multiplayer. Single-player focuses on personal development, from training to get the best swing to gaining skill points to upgrade your character. The competitive mode puts you up against fellow swingers over wi-fi.
The solo play is pretty smooth and intuitive. The pitcher tosses the ball and, based on your angle and timing, it goes to the ground, into foul territory, or to one of the three home run areas in the bleachers (left, right, and centre). Ten strikes and the game is done.
Plays well with othersThe single-player games are solid, but the online multiplayer is much more rewarding. You can go one-on-one with a friend or a random match-up based on your experience points, or play against three others in a mission-based free-for-all.
Homerun Battle 2 uses a cool picture-in-picture setup so you can see your opponent's viewpoint in real-time. There is little online lag, even when using public wi-fi, and new online games can be created in a few seconds.
The multiplayer works well for two key reasons. Firstly, the computer handles all the pitching, so you don't have to worry about learning a whole new mechanism.
Secondly, the games, particularly the mission-based battles, last less than two minutes. For instance, the goal may be to get five home runs, but if nobody achieves this then the person who got the closest after a minute and 30 seconds gets the win.
Trading upThe splashy cartoon graphics, gratuitous achievements (1,000 home runs, for example), and quirky power-ups add a lot of flavor to what could have been a very rote exercise.
The one criticism here is that even the solo play requires a stable internet connection. Players without a cell or wi-fi link won't be able to play the game.
Otherwise, Homerun Battle 2 is a surprisingly fun title that will appeal even to gamers who have never touched the mound.