MLB 2K10 Removes Check Swings

With just over five weeks until release there isn’t a great deal of detail out there on MLB 2K10 other than the vague features list and a couple previews based on very limited exposure with the game. That makes the Q&A from Chase at Operation Sports that much more revealing. After checking out the game yesterday he is responding to questions while preparing a full preview for Monday.

There is a lot of good info to be had from reading through but the thing getting the most attention is that there will be no ability to check swing in MLB 2K10. This is a critical element of baseball and even more so in a video game where players are eager to jump on most pitches. This is especially ironic given how the “pitchers vs hitters” battle is the focus for the year yet something so integral to each at bat is taken away. Meanwhile the competing product has enhanced a check swing system that was already very natural and responsive.

On a personal level this is a huge deal as I tend to rely on check swings for when I get over-anxious at the plate. This is maybe less of a problem for MLB 2K10 though given the right stick swing mechanic. One of the major downsides to that is there is no natural way to pull off a check swing using the right stick. You either commit or you don’t despite various ways that have been implemented before such as letting go of the stick early or using a trigger. Regardless, while doing so was less prevalent in previous years that still doesn’t excuse the complete absence of the check swing in 2K10.