iOOTP12 for Apple

iOOTP12 for Apple (sorry, Android fans, you’ve got at least another year to wait before partaking) is the Kate Upton to OOTP13’s Sofia Vergara: whereas the latter has endless curves, you sure as hell won’t mind spending hours with the slimmer, compact version.

Kate (uh, I mean, iOOTP12) is well worth the price of admission, a $4.99 investment that instantly pays dividends once you delve into the myriad options the game presents. There is the MLB version that allows fans to play out the season, a fictional mode that provides the opportunity to build a league from the ground up, along with three historical campaigns (1924, 1969 and 1995). Each can be run with infinite play, a needed task if you’re feeling bold enough to try to rebuild the Houston Astros.

Like Sofia (OOTP13, that is), the gameplay is smooth, allowing you to run your lineups and rotations in the same manner; about the only thing it lacks is that instead of a complete minor league system, iOOTP12 has the top 10 prospects for each team along with a handful of minor league flotsam to relieve the pain when a regular goes down.

Statheads who lust for numbers will have their fetish served with the dizzying array of stats thrown out by iOOTP12. One of the bigger improvements from its rookie debut last season is that there are complete stats for each player, a nice change from being limited to just the previous three years.

Having become a frequent traveler, iOOTP12 is a very welcome friend, one that can finish about 4-5 seasons during a flight from Houston to Portland. The amateur draft process is improved as well, and one of the best improvements on the game is the ability to take a fictional league back in time; having become fed up with the players’ demands, the mythical North American Baseball Association took to the field in 1982 with 16 teams and fresh talent. Players’ salaries are in tune with the times, so Portland ace P Charlie Mendell’s $900,000 salary made him a well-paid hurler, one who could afford a VHS and a grab front row tickets to Men at Work.

Another positive was the improved box score, which has attendance and time of game, something that was missing in last season’s venture. Minor though it may seem to some, it does factor in further creating realism.

About the only negatives is that unlike its big brother, completing a season on iOOTP12 is a week-to-week task, in itself far from a deal-breaker. Another minor fault is not having the height and weight of the players, again, something of a minor issue.

This year’s game is an enjoyable ride that further strengthens the grip OOTP has over other sports sims. Having such an early jump in the tablet/smartphone race has provided the game an advantage and a high bar that others will find difficult to cross. One cannot exhaust the options available on iOOTP12, a game that is a must-buy for Apple users.

Now about getting on to Android……