Power Pros


eBaseball Powerful Pro Baseball previously known as Jikkyō Powerful Pro Yakyū, marketed internationally as Power Pros, is a traditionally Japan-only baseball video game series created by Konami. It is known for its super deformed characters, and fast-paced, but deep gameplay. Most game in the series is developed under license from the Nippon Professional Baseball, which enables the use of the league's team names, stadiums and colors in the games, and the Japan Professional Baseball Players Association, which enables the use of the league's player names and likenesses. There's also six games in the series with the Major League Baseball and Major League Baseball Players Association licence, two with the Korea Baseball Organization and Korea Professional Baseball Players Association, and one with the World Baseball Classic licence. It is long running in Japan, starting out in 1994 for the Super Famicom. The game has also appeared on the Sega Saturn, the PlayStation, the Nintendo 64, the PlayStation 2, the Dreamcast, the Nintendo GameCube, Wii, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4 as well as the PlayStation Portable and the PlayStation Vita.
The series has also released a spinoff on handheld systems between 1999 and 2014 under the title Power Pro Kun Pocket, with versions for the Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, and Nintendo DS. The series originally designed as being the side-story of Success mode, and was part of the main series, but Konami retroactively declared it as a separate series.
On May 12, 2006, a version of Power Pro was released featuring Major League Baseball players, under the title Jikkyō Powerful Major League. The Power Pro series has featured online play since its tenth incarnation on the PS2 and its first handheld version on the PlayStation Portable. A version of Power Pro was announced for the PlayStation 3, first shown at the Tokyo Game Show in 2005, but it would take another five years for the series to reach the PS3, with the system instead getting Power Pro's sister series, Professional Baseball Spirits for the interim. On August 3, 2007, an American release of the series was announced for both the PlayStation 2 and the Wii. The game, titled MLB Power Pros, was published by 2K Sports, and features a Success Mode set within Major League Baseball.
The most distinctive feature of the Power Pro series is its odd depiction of characters. The basic design of the Power Pro baseball player is a short figure with an excessively wide, gashapon capsule-shaped head, lacking a mouth, nose, ears with expression being mainly in the eyebrows. Power Pros characters are somewhat similar to the character Rayman, in that they do not have legs and thus their feet are not connected to their body. Power Pros characters do have arms and hands; however, their hands are fingerless and bear more resemblance to a sphere than a human hand. The Power Pro series has used this comic design for every single one of its games.
In Japan, the series has been critically acclaimed and commercially successful, while in North America it received mixed to generally favourable reviews and sold poorly., the series has sold over 22.6 million copies.

Games in the series

This is the major system development in the main series, some minor development, such as player's ability, are not included in the development

Pawapuro '94

Released on February 24, 1994 for the Super Famicom. The game has the licence of the Nippon Professional Baseball and the Japanese Professional Baseball Players Association, though the Meiji Jingu Stadium and the Hanshin Koshien Stadium are listed under a fictional name. Success mode is not included in the first two installments. Commentary is provided by Asahi Broadcasting Corporation radio commentator Abe Noriyuki.

Pawapuro 2

Released on February 24, 1995 for the Super Famicom. The first game in the series with full Pennant mode, and save game features. The Hanshin Koshien Stadium is fully licensed, but the Meiji Jingu Stadium is still listed under a fictional name. Commentary is provided by Asahi Broadcasting Corporation radio commentator Motoharu Ōta.

Pawapuro 3

Released on February 29, 1996 for the Super Famicom. Success mode, which becomes one of the main features in the Power Pros series, is firstly installed in this game. Commentary is once again provided by Abe Noriyuki, who stayed in this position until Power Pros 8.

Pawapuro 4

Released on March 14, 1997 for the Nintendo 64. With the generation leap, the game's graphics, and controls greatly improved. The Success Mode firstly features original characters, some of them become regular even nowadays.

Pawapuro 5

Released on March 26, 1998 for the Nintendo 64. In March 1998, the game was the best selling game for the Nintendo 64 in Japan.

Pawapuro 6

Released on March 25, 1999 for the Nintendo 64.

Pawapuro 7

This game was the first in the series to be released on the PlayStation 2. First game in the series with fully polygon-based graphics. IGN thought that the game was fun, but criticized the games for its "horrible" graphics and for its lack of power on the new console. The game was due to be released on March 4, 2000, but was later pushed back to July 6, 2000.

Pawapuro 8

Vocalized opening is firstly featured in the series, with the openings made by Kyoto Animation which mainly works on animation after-production at that time. They have been working on the openings until Pawapuro 11 as they had started working on the anime version of Air, a famous production from Visual Arts/Key. The production works are passed to Production I.G in Pawapuro 12.

Pawapuro 9

This game was the first in the series to be released on multiple platforms - PlayStation 2 and GameCube. This game was also the first in the series to employ cel shading.

Pawapuro 10

Success Mode first features creating teams instead of individual players. Online mode is firstly available in a main series title. And the only installment that allow machine crossovers. Mylife mode, an alternate type of Success Mode that player controls the Japan League player instead of original character, is firstly placed in this installment.

Pawapuro 11

Created for the 10th anniversary of the Power Pros series. Audio endings are first featured in Success Mode, as well as the ability to break the bat and performing safety bunts.

Pawapuro 12

Modified player password system, means password systems cannot be placed on previous installment. However, password from 12–14, can be used on Portable 1 and Portable 2. Cheering Songs Editor is available since this installment, like players, password system are used to transfer and import the songs. Cheering Songs can be transferred to any installment within the Sony's platform without restrictions. As long as that installment support Cheering Songs.

Jikkyō Powerful Major League

The game firstly features MLB instead of NPB series. It also holds the license for the 2009 World Baseball Classic.

Pawapuro 13

As Nintendo's GameCube has stopped production at that time, it is the only installment of main series that only features in PS2 platform since 8. Major system changes have been placed in this installment. In online mode, every players only control one player in the team, not a whole team. Scenario Mode, a feature since the first series is cancelled from this installment.

Pawapuro 14/Wii

Wii platform is added in Nintendo side, replacing GC for the future installment in Pawapuro, as a feature of Wii, motion control system is supported in Wii side, both versions support online mode which adepts system in 13, in separated server. Success Mode firstly features leading a high-school team, targeted at Summer Koshien Champion. Later also feature currently Japanese NPB players as members of the National Team.

Jikkyō Powerful Major League 2 (MLB Power Pros)

The series finally officially has its debut in America, numbers of Japanese players who had turned into a Major League Player participated.

Pawapuro 2009/NEXT

Released for the 15th anniversary of the series. Also, numbered versions are established for the first time since '94. And different unique contents are firstly featured in different versions.

Power Pros 2010

Released on July 15, 2010 for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable. 2010 is the first game in the series which supports high-definition video, true surround sound. Mylife mode is omitted from the PlayStation 3 release.

Power Pros 2011

Released on July 14, 2011 for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable. Unlike the previous installment, the two version have the same content.

Power Pros 2012

Released on July 19, 2012 for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable and PlayStation Vita. The game introduced significant gameplay mechanic changes to the series, including the PawaSta mode, which is only available in the PlayStation 3 and Vita versions.

Power Pros 2013

Released on October 24, 2013 for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable and PlayStation Vita. Unlike 2012, the game is also compatible with the PlayStation TV microconsole.

Power Pros 2014

Released on October 23, 2014 for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita to commemorate the series twentieth anniversary. 2014 is the first game in the main series, which have active Japanese MLB players as "OB players".

Power Pros 2016

Released on April 28, 2016 for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita to commemorate the Success mode's twentieth anniversary. The game introduced many gameplay elements to the series, lifted from the Professional Baseball Spirits series. On April 27, 2017 the game was updated with 2017 season rosters, the players are able to choose from the 2016 and 2017 rosters upon launching the game. The game also introduced two new game modes to the series, "PawaFes" and "Challenge".

Power Pros 2018

Released on April 28, 2018 for the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita. 2018 is the first game in the series to support the PlayStation VR and PlayStation 4 Pro, along with high-dynamic-range video and 2160p resolution. The game also includes a new game mode, "Live Scenario", lifted from Professional Baseball Spirits 2015. A 2019 season pack was recently added as an updated feature to Power Pros 2018.

Power Pros (Nintendo Switch)

Released on June 27, 2019 for the Nintendo Switch. The Success mode is a remake version of some scenarios in Power Pros 9.

eBaseball Powerful Pro Baseball 2020

Set to be released on July 9, 2020 for the PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch. It is the first entry in the series to feature Konami's eBASEBALL branding in its official title.

The Success Mode

The Success Mode is the game's most compelling feature, combining role-playing game and life simulation games elements with the baseball sport. The basic objective is to train a generic Pawapurokun to become a professional baseball player. The Pawapurokun starts out with low stats, but often ends up being far better than any of the real professional players included in the game. Generally, Pawapurokun begins as an amateur player who must become a professional in a certain period. The Success Mode takes only about 2 hours to complete, but creating a good player requires an extraordinary amount of skill and luck, giving the game almost infinite replay value. Various random events will affect the growth of your player, for example, getting a girlfriend will allow you to regain motivation easily and receive presents on your birthday. The amount of stress caused, and number of Pawapurokuns killed off in the Success Mode can be very large, as someone can spend hours carefully training a Pawapurokun, only to see him become severely injured in a car accident, ending any chance of his becoming a good player. "All A's" Pawapurokuns are particularly sought after, since you can transfer Pawapurokuns from one memory card to the other using a password, and use them in exhibition games. Often a cheat device such as Action Replay is used to generate incredibly strong Pawapurokuns, and several fansites offer to create customized Pawapurokuns in exchange for voting for the site in a web ranking. As Success mode is the most popular major part of the Pawapuro Series, thus there are no ability editing mode in Pawapuro series. which become one of the regular element in other sport games. The plot as well as the storyline of the Success Mode has a profound effect on the game's popularity, as many users would rather replay older Pawapuro games that have good Success Modes than buy a newer installment that has new data and improved gameplay, but a bad Success Mode.
In Pawapuro 14, it is available to become a coach instead of Pawapurokun, leading a high school team to Koshien Champion, it is somewhat an alternate way to create a large amount of Pawapurokuns in the same time. The mode does not require any skill in pitching, catching nor batting on their own, but require planning and tactics skill like other sport-manager game. Later, 14 Kettei-ban firstly features enhancing current NPB players, and placing them as original players.
The main background of Pawapurokun in various installments are below:
For Managers:
Through the background of the story and events of the series usually have connection with the sequel and the pre-sequel, but may not be in the same chronological order. For example, 7 is actually the sequel of the events in 9, and 11 is the sequel of 7. But 13 is actually the story paralleling to 10, in which the previous characters appeared. The only exception is Yabe Akio, the original outfielder who appeared in every installment of main series who will always be the Pawapuro-kun's first partner no matter what. Currently Konami should have set the main storyline in the sequence of 9 -> 7 -> 13 -> 10 -> 11 -> 12 -> 14.
In the early series before 10, major characters are spread into different real NPB teams, after the installment 10, four original teams were formed in Pacific League and Central League to room original characters, in which some minor characters would stay in the real teams and being opponents. Two more teams, Vulcans and Busters were added in 14 and formed the fictional third league "Revolutional League" with the prior 4 original teams, according to storyline of 14, the league participated in Japan Series in its fourth year since establishment. Other than team formations, the major regulations of NPB are kept, only having a shorter Pennant span, in order to keep the gametime under three hours.. Usually players are not needed play all innings unless player involves it, being a captain in final stages of the success mode, or the success mode itself does not give status point in practices.
Due to the possibility of copyright conflict towards MLB, the American League system in NPB series is called the UBL in NPB series, which are composed by three grades: Single Star, Double Stars, and the top-ranked Regular League, similar to the AA, AAA, and MLB system in the real world. Such naming were continued to use in 13 and 14 even the MLB series released, and it is believed to continue to use to make story connections to the other NPB installments since some players are set in the UBL. Currently MLB series' success modes did not feature as a position of MLB player yet.
For another remarks, there are numbers of female players appeared in the series with some of them have remarkable performances. At least four female players in main series have gone through Koshien and turned Pro.
Since the 7th installment, usually the opening sequences gives some clues of the storyline of the success mode, especially for the 9th and 10th installments while professional players are only given a very brief cameos, Success Mode characters filled the major parts in the openings.
Sub-series usually featured independent scenarios, the most renowned one was in the 99' installment, which there has a mode called "Mekkou-Tou", which consecutive battles with all the original teams appeared in the past success mode, it is still one of the legendary modes that the later series didn't revive.
The Power Pro Kun Pocket series, rather than focusing on real-life baseball worlds, many fantasy elements were added in the series. Since the second installment, two success modes were placed in each installments, while the normal success mode usually featured high-school or professional baseball, the second success, called "Inner Success" mode, usually placed the Power Pro Kun in the various worlds, varying from the Medieval Ages, ancient times, and to future worlds. Fantasy elements are very uncommon in the main series, but Konami did it in 8, which the final battle is versus aneroid players which legendary players' data were inserted.

Mylife mode

Due to the great success of success mode, Konami have someway extended to another game mode called Mylife since Pawapuro 10, which can use created player to play in the NPB, with another series of events, through there are no more characters from success mode appears in it. The difficulty will change according to your performance in the game.
The known mode in Mylife mode are:
Note: If you choose Yakult Swallows' catcher Atsuya Furuta as your player in the Mylife mode in 13 or 14, playing manager duties are added. However, maximum playtime is reduced to two years.
MLB version did not feature Mylife mode until the 2008 installment, in which it is known as MLB Life mode.

The Gyroball within ''Powerful Pro Yakyu''

The Power Pro series raised some controversy in Japan with its use of the term "Gyroball", a term made popular by Japanese pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka when he signed with the Boston Red Sox. The Gyroball appears not as a pitch usable in a baseball game, but as one of the special abilities assigned to particular pitchers. In Pawapuro, pitchers that have the Gyroball ability get increased velocity on their fastball, which is completely different from the actual definition of a Gyroball. Power Pro and other baseball manga have given the impression that the Gyroball is an all-powerful strike out pitch, which it is not. Several professional pitchers are given this ability in the game, but Daisuke Matsuzaka is not given the Gyroball ability in any of the game's installments.
Daisuke does not appear in Pawapuro 14 as he was transferred via Posting system to Boston Red Sox, through two-seam ball which made closer to his pitching is added in this installment. It is expected Daisuke will return as a Seibu OB somedays, but his ability changes is still unknown at this moment.

Games in the series

Below is a rough list of the games within the Power Pro series. Basically can de divided into certain categories below.
Main Series: Ending with only number suffixs, most major system amendments are placed in the main series. Number series are not used after 15.
Season Series: A PlayStation exclusive series, ending with suffix in year number, it is mainly an alternate installment of the main series which is installed in Super Famicom and PlayStation 2. This series has been merged to the main series as the PlayStation had stopped being manufactured. Since 1998, two installments are released every year, one normal version in the start of the season, and one named Kettei-ban, with the latter have statistic update that reflects his performance in the season. This has become one of the tradition of Konami even after this has been merged in the main series, much like the Winning Eleven series with a more frequently update. Ketten-ban version is cancelled in 15. However, year series are revived after that.
MLB Power Pro Series: The only series that is officially released in America, it features MLB series instead of traditional Japanese NPB series, through Japanese version is also available. See the MLB Power Pros entry for further details.
It is noted that passwords cannot be used on same installments with different manufacturer's machine. Passwords of Power Pros cannot be used on American version either.

Main Series

Consumer Series

Critical reception

The series generally receives favourable reviews from Japanese video game magazines. Twelve installment received the "silver prize" from Famitsu, while twentyseven received the "gold prize", and twenty installment received the "platinum prize". Only seven game in the series got a score below 30/40.

Commercial reception

, the series has sold over 22.6 million copies. Power Pros is the best-selling baseball video game franchise in Japan since 1997. 97 Kaimaku-ban, 98 Kaimaku-ban, 99 Kaimaku-ban, 10, 12, 2013, 2016, and 2018 earned the gold prize at PlayStation Awards, for shipping more than 500,000 units, including downloads, in Asia.