Power Pros Forum

So, recently, I managed to find a rom download of the 2009 MLB Power Pros game released only in Japan. I was planning on doing a YouTube video of me going through the first 30 minutes of gameplay, with an Exhibition Mode game, but lag problems halted that progress right in its tracks.

In lieu of that, I decided to make a bit of a log detailing my observations from playing the Success Mode in MLBPP09. Now, most of my observations are made by using the mobile Google Translate app, taking a picture of the Japanese text, and translating it directly from there. I know it can be inaccurate (I'll probably know when the app is steering me wrong) and it might be a bit of a gong show, but it's the only way I know of to understand what the hell is going on in the game. I'll make individual posts with my observations on Success for every day I play the game, which probably won't be every day. (because college and work.)

And now, without further ado, here's...

Day 1

-Backstory: I've been playing baseball in Japan since I was a little kid, with a friendly (?) rivalry with another person who played with me. After high school, he got drafted into the NPB, while I didn't. I decided to go to America to try to make it into the Major Leagues there, and in a couple years, I made it to the AAA level with the Golden Apples.

-My character will be a pitcher, for the record.

-Job, Marvin, Joey, and Terry return! And Joey's a bit of an asshole? Not sure, but my player got all mad and stuff, so...

-There's actually a manager character for the Golden Apples. Unsure what his name is.

-You actually start out with 20 points in all the columns in the level up screen, so that's not too bad. Got a Slow Curve right off the bat.

-Ben's shop returns, but because of the backstory, he doesn't know me. Probably no Patty in this game, either.

-Bison's shop returns, which isn't a surprise.

-Marvin gets mad if you call him Yabe. That's sort of hilarious.

-One of the girls you can be in a relationship is named Hayley. She's a tennis player that turned pro at 16 years old and has won a few tournaments.

-Spoiler alert: we don't really get along right off the bat, because I didn't know anywhere to train in the neighborhood besides the baseball team's facilities.

-Went running in the park, and ran into Hayley. She asked how much I train per day, I had the option of 2, 4, or "until I die". I chose 4, and she said 6, then challenged me to train on her schedule for a day, and see if I like it. I accepted, but that will be for another random event, I think.

-Also, don't call Hayley a "cheeky woman". Did I really say that? Google Translate said I did, but I don't wanna believe that.

Day 2

-Coach is introducing an "important" person, and lo and behold, it's the scout! Rudy's back!

-First scout test right off the bat. Since I'm a pitcher, I have to hit the squares with precision. Lawl, I have G control right now. That's damn near impossible.

-At least I can pass with 5 points. That's a relief.

-Got 13 points on the test. That's better than I've done in the American Power Pros games.

-Rudy says I did better than he thought I'd do. My character asks if it's good enough to make the Majors, and of course, Rudy says no. However, he says I could be in the majors in a year. A year? Jeez, these Success Modes just keep getting shorter and shorter, eh?

-Didn't mention this in Day 1, but default commands in a week is 2, with the possibility of getting up to 4 or 5. Holy cow.

-Met up with Hayley to train with her. First exercise, 20 laps around the park. After a bit, I complain that I ran to much and want to die. It continues, and after I take a rest, I finish up with a little more running. Got a decent amount of strength, and I believe speed and mentality points.

-At the end, Hayley thanks me for being her practice partner. I say that tennis training is hard, but that training is still necessary, even when it's not with the team. I formally introduce myself to her, and she formally introduces herself as well. Likability of her went up by 5, and motivation went up by 1.

-We're now in March, and I get my first $100 paycheck. So, basically, I make less than an actual Minor Leaguer makes per month, and that's really bad.

-I get a phone call from my friendly rival over in Japan. I tell him that I finally got called up to AAA, and he thinks it's amazing. However, he thinks I'm on the Galaxy Sharks, and, well, I'm not. He hasn't heard of the Golden Apples before, and wonders if there are any other AAA teams besides the Galaxy Sharks. There are, and I say, "You just like sharks, don't you?" He fawns over them, apparently. I tell him I got noticed by a scout, and ask him how he feels about that. He says he has his sights set higher than MVP, which is what I have my sights set on. I said I'll do my best to reach those higher goals.

-I go to the restaurant for the first time, and I comment on how good the atmosphere of the place is. Suddenly, some girl just plows the *(censored)* right into me. She apologizes and asks if I'm okay. I'm okay, of course, and she says she's late for something, and runs away. I don't get her name, and carry on. However, I realize I don't have my wallet, and decide to just take it again next time. Marvin comes in and asks what I'm doing there. I tell him what's going on, and I eventually get some food on Marvin.

-That girl that ran into me is apparently someone I can date, as well. OK.

-I don't have practice one day, and decide to re-arrange my room for fun. I get only 3 strength points out of the whole deal. What a rip-off.

-I go to the lookout in a cutscene, and run into the manager up there. His name, apparently, is Mike. Apparently, the lookout is close to his house, and comes here often. His house also has a corn field, and talks about corn a whole lot. I get some backstory on him, and learn that he wanted to be a major leaguer when he was a kid, as well, then retire to be a corn farmer. After that, he leaves, and I get +5 manager points and +3 strength points.

-Hot dogs got a lot more expensive. $20 for an Organic Dog, and $15 for the Ducks Spicy Special. Woof.

-A little kid with his dad runs into me at the Park in a cutscene, and apologizes. I get some strength points out of it.

-I go for a night walk in a cutscene, and a shooting star appears. I have three options for what to wish for: to be better at baseball, to have good health, or to have more money. I'm low on money at this point, so I go for the money option, and, miraculously, I find a cool C-Note in my pocket. Awesome.
-I get a call from my friend in Japan again, and I'm still not sure what his name is. Here's what I got for his name translation...help?


-Anyway, we talk about how Opening Day is coming up very soon. He says he sent the Rookie's Charm over from Japan, so that will be a blessing for me. He also mentions that he has friends sending videos of my games, and I'm embarrassed about it, because I'm going to be on the bench more than likely. It's just one of those trials on the way to being the world's best. Earthy-boy ain't happy about that last part.

-I decide next to visit Mike at the lookout again, and I like how Google Translate thinks he's saying that I'm "corn".

-Anyway, I have three options, "Hear the old story," "Hear the story of corn," and "Oh, just a little." I'm gonna throw up a save state and see what all three have.
--First option: I hear more of his backstory about how he was a great local high school player. He was supposed to be on a rookie league team, and it was such a far distance away from home. He promised to see his parents from time to time. He eventually made it to AAA, just like me. It was then time for "the children to come home," and the talk would have to resume another day. In the end, I get +7 Manager Eval, and +4 strength points.
--Second option: He talks about corn a lot, and how he can eat raw corn. It's weird. Funniest moment: Google Translate translated a line to be "One day, I asked my father why my corn was tight and stiff." Take that as you will. Proof:

---I don't think that's the right translation. It's probably something like, "I asked my father why our corn was small and hard" or something.
---He then talked about popcorn and stuff, and eventually I get +30 vitality and +8 Manager eval.
--Third option: Like, 2 sentences about corn. I get +6 manager eval and strength +3.
--The second option is the best, even though the first option has a lot of backstory.

-Finally, a random event appears, where I get a free sample of chewing gum. I get 4 mentality point out of it. Woo-hoo.

Any thoughts on how I'm doing so far?

My corn is stiff and tight.

Day 3

-So, the practice screen now shows how many points you will get if you don't get injured during said practice. That's pretty convenient.

-First cutscene of the day involves, apparently, a free sample of Powerin DX. And, boom, I get it! Awesome timing, since my vitality is kinda low.

-Week 4 of March means it's one week away from the start of the season. Probably because I was too busy focusing on unrelated arcs, I'm not quite at the threshold for starting in the game. Job reminds me to not get injured.

-I go back to the lookout, where the coach tells me a new story about his dad's days as a corn farmer. I also learned that the number of hairs on the corn is the same as the number of grains on the corn. That could be wrong, though, because Google Translate. I then receive a gift from the coach, a tea made out of corn. Because corn. I recover 20 vitality and get 8 coach points.
--It seems that going to the lookout and talking with the coach is a really good way to get coach eval. Note taken.
--And I got an ability out of it! Google Translate: "Pitcher's sense of stability". What could that mean? See here:


-Cutscene time again! Marvin and I are doing batting practice, it appears. Marvin and I are apparently pretty hungry, but we can't decide on where to eat, apparently. We decide to go eat at a hotel (?) and I have to foot the bill, because of course. $30, not bad.

-I get in one last practice before April, and get my salary. I don't think I got quite enough scout eval to become a regular, so I have to sit from the bench. Sigh.
--We play the Gigantes, and Marvin's feeling a bit uncomforable, but still smiling in the face of their captain, Morgan. He wishes us a good game, though.
--I actually get to come in to the game as a reliever in the bottom of the sixth. We're down 3-2, and the Gigantes have the bases loaded. Facing their SS, Tim, I give up an RBI single to make it 4-2. The nxt batter, Loki, the C, I got to ground into a forceout at home, and then I struck out the next batter to end the inning.
--We get the lead in the 7th, and I come in with a runner on second, and 2 outs, facing Dynamo. I give up an RBI single, and that ends my day. We get a run in the top of the 9th and get the victory, winning 6-5. It didn't appear that I got any scout or coach eval.
--Morgan is sad about losing, saying that, according to his fortune-telling, he was gonna win. Well, look how that turned out for ya, buddy.

-I then forget that Psychic Goggles cost $300, and not the $245 I had. I didn't make a save state beforehand. Boo. Wasted turn.

-Another cutscene! This time, Marvin comes running to me, and complains about something. He immediately forgets what was bothering him. Typical Marvin. I then hear a fire truck in the distance, and that jolts Marvin's memory. Apparently, my house is on fire! Or not, since it was just a bonfire from somewhere else.

-I work at the Ducks and get $60. Woo-hoo.

-Cutscene! I'm hungry again, so I decide to go get something to eat. Marvin conveniently shows up, and we play Rock-Paper-Scissors to decide who's going to pay. Either way, we tie, and I end up paying the $30.

-In a new cutscene, Marvin and I wonder how we're going to get our coach's eval up. Joey comes in and smart-assedly recommends practicing. Joey then mentions/teases that the manager really likes corn, and then the manager comes in. Joey mentions that he's making popcorn at his house that evening, and the manager likes it! He then says the name of the team should be the Golden Corns, and the manager loves it!! However, the manager heard the earlier conersation, where Joey was teasing the manager about liking corn, and then praises me and Marvin for practicing seriously. I get 6 coach eval points, which brings me over the threshold for being a starter! Woo-hoo!

-I work at Ducks again and get $70. Looks like the monetary progression from MLBPP08 is still intact.

-In the next cutscene, I'm enjoying the park. All of a sudden, I hear two kids talking. One of them mentioned that they just completed 1000 practice swings, and that he wants to do more. There's some more talking/arguing that I'm too lazy to figure out, but in the end, one of the kids gives me a compress. OK.

-I do a fielding practice, and get some more technique points I need.

-The next cutscene features the coach giving me the same test the scout gave me earlier. I pass with 17 points, and the coach is impressed, exclaiming, "POPCORN!" I then get recognized as a regular player, and get my motivation increased by 1.
--I tell the good news to Marvin and Joey, and they tell me that they also became regulars, as well.

-Apparently, much to my surprise, the next matchup is in April of Week 3, a home game against the Guava Strawberrys. I'm the starting pitcher again.
--I strike out the majority of guys I face, and only give up one hit and a couple of walks in 5.2 IP, striking out 6. We win the game, 4-0.

That's it for today! What do you guys think so far?

Wow, you get the game better than I did. I still have the rom, but I don't like it.
I've come to like to be able to read the story lines.
Also, I have no idea why I don't know Japanese when I'm Korean.

Powerin (DX) Get!

"Pitcher's sense of stability" - Consistency 4 perhaps, since there are different hitter/pitcher versions?

Also, corn.

Have the next two days off the work, so long update incoming!

Day 4

-First things first, I get my Precious: the Psychic Goggles are MINE.

-There are apparently a lot of cutscenes, it seems, between each event in a week. I guess it helps maximize the amount of stuff in the mode, since the timeframe, apparently, is only a year.

-I tell my rival (Earth, I think his name is. I'm going with it) in Japan about becoming a regular on the team. He's cautiously happy for me, but ultimately says "it's a man's dream to go to the Majors."
--I try to console him by saying that even Japanese baseball is worldwide, but he scolds me by saying that "even [I] thought that there was no choice but to become a Major Leaguer to win, so you moved away from Japan." Ouch.
--The conversation also covers a saying about a "frog swimming in a well," but it doesn't go past just the mentioning of it.
--It then devolves into an argument, which concludes by me yelling, "you don't even have a heart!"
--He complains, "why do I have to celebrate the happiness of my enemy?"
--Earth reminds me that I wasn't drafted in Japan, which is apparently a BIG trigger for my character. We then hang up angry at each other.

-I go to Breaking Ball practice, and I guess I've done it enough to warrant a boost in efficiency for the practice. That's cool.

-Small cutscene with Marvin; I'm apparently not feeling well at all. Marvin gives me a nutrition drink to help me out, and it makes me feel better, despite the unusual taste. I go right back to practicing, but then a thought bubble from Marvin comes up, basically saying, "Maybe I should've told him that the drink was expired."
--That actually got a bit of a chuckle out of me.

-I increase my control and top speed to get to around F-100 and 83mph, respectively, and then go to the street.

-I want to go see a movie, and then I see a purple-haired girl wearing an orange shirt over a black long-sleeve, which is apparently a chef's outfit. She's crying a bit when I see her, and I have two choices: talk to her, or don't.
--I decide to talk to her. Her response: "I'm raising rice." That made me hella confused, so I'm like, "Huh?" and she's like, "Huh?" and then she's embarrassed as all get out for me eavesdropping on her. She then asks if I have "something in Flu." I say I don't, and she says that's her name, Flu. Is it really? Here's the relative text. Help!


--Anyway, she might be apparently named after a song by a some kind of band. She asks me if that's strange, and I say "No, once you know the reason for the name." Which, OK, that makes sense.
--She, however, was not charmed by that, saying, "In other words, it's strange for other people who don't know the reason, is it?" I tell her not to worry, but she keeps going on about it, saying she doesn't want to be considered a strange person. I'm like, "Fine, whatever, I'll just go," and she's like, "noooooo don't go." I turn back around, and she thanks me for speaking to her. I say you're welcome, and just like that, my likability with her went up by 6 points. Cool!

-I check my abilities before going forward, and Agent was right. It does sound a lot like the ability I got earlier was Consistency 4.

--Description: Even when you're in bad shape, your ability will not be so low." Sounds like Consistency 4 to me.

-I do a Top Speed practice and an accuracy practice before ending the month.

-The cutscene to start the month of May has me asking Joey why he's so confident. He smart-assedly replies, "because I have confidence." No shit, Sherlock.
--I ask again, and this time he replies, "because I'm a Genius." Well, his abilities in the game certainly don't seem to reflect that. HEY-O!
--I think he then tries to break the fourth wall, because he references Konami briefly (I think), and says that everybody needs confidence. Otherwise, I'd be timid and it will destroy my talent. It gets me to become the thinking-face emoji (metaphorically) and think about how I'm doing.
--Terry now comes in, and asks me why I haven't left the locker room yet. He then said that good fortune comes to those who wait, and asks if I want to go to dinner with him, his treat. I emphatically rely, YES.
--We talk about what Joey said about confidence, and Terry reveals that it was him who told that to Joey, who imparted it to me as his own wisdom.
---Joey, you ass.
--I gain 70 vitality out of that, though. Vitality I really needed.

-I go to the shop and pick up a Gambler's Ticket, just for the hell of it.

-Next cutscene has me standing on the field with Marvin, where we are doing a quick-reflex drill of some kind. I remark on how fast it was, and Marvin said, according to Google Translate, "I seemed to be something else, so I tried throwing the ball." Apparently, he was trying to catch me off guard. I decide to throw it back just as hard, and Marvin complained about it. This continues for a while, until we both tire ourselves out. We try to remember why we were doing this in the first place, and we both forget, but we admit it was good exercise, so there's that. I got 11 strength points out of the deal.

-I get some more strength practice in, and get 28 more strength points added on to the 11 I got from the cutscene.

-The scout appears afterwards, and gives me the same test I've been given, but instead, I decide to do the thing I loved doing in the American Power Pros games: pitch to Marvin and try to strike him out. Some things never change.
--I strike him out easily with a fastball and two slow curves. I get 6 scout eval and 4 coach eval points out of it. Not too shabby.

-In Week 2 of May, we play the Mon-Mon Monkeys at home. I'm the starting pitcher once again.
--First scenario: I gave up a lead-off triple in the top of the 1st. I then proceed to strike out the side.
--Second scenario: Lead-off single in the top of the 2nd. I get a strikeout and two groundouts to end the inning.
--Third scenario: Lead-off walk in the top of the third. I get two strikeouts and a pop-up to end the inning.
--Fourth scenario: Another lead-off single in the top of the 4th. I get two strikeouts and a pop-out to end the inning.
--Fifth and final scenario: 2 outs and a runner on first in the top of the 5th. I'm tired AF, but I manage to strike out the batter to end the inning.
--I eventually get the win, as we won the game 4-1, with the Golden Apples scoring all 4 runs in the bottom of the 5th.
--My final line: 5 IP, 9 Ks, a few hits, and a couple walks. No earned runs. Bliss.
--I get 16 manager eval points and 31 scout eval points. Holy shit. I guess that's the power of the Shiny Fragrance coming through again.
--Along with that, I get 58 strength and technique points, 58 breaking ball points, and 28 mentality points. Woo doggy!

-With my winnings, I get Recovery 4 (h/t to the MLBPP Wiki for having the Japanese translation for the ability to help me find it), buy myself a knuckleball, get my stamina up to a C-81, up my Top Speed by 3 km/h, and upgrade my slow curve to Level 5 via the Gambler's Ticket.

-I decide next to go visit the Steakhouse for the first time. Isabella is still there, working the place. I get something to eat (for $50! Sheesh!) and get 80 (!) vitality out of it, plus a 1-point stamina boost. Woo-hoo?
--From my observations, the Steakhouse and the Hot Dog Stand seem to take a less important role in the mode than it did in 08. Just there for vitality replenishment, it seems.

-Next, I decide to go to the lake. Instead of Sittch from PP08, Terry is the one manning the lake. He's fishing, which was alluded to in PP08, but not really expanded on past the one RE.
--He asks me if I want to join him, and I say yes. However, I haven't even tried fishing before. He shows me how to fish, pointing out that fish are always gathering underneath a certain tree (Sittch attracts fish, note taken). I ask if he's going by boat to reach there, but he says no, because that would scare the fish away.
--So, I then ask how he fishes, and he says he fishes by just trying to throw the line from the rod all the way down to the tree, which is 150 YARDS away. Holy crap. But, he says he knows he can reach it.
--Astoundingly, he makes the line go all 150 yards to the fish playground (my words, not theirs). Then, he asks me to try to make it that distance. I'm like, "Yeah, that's impossible, bro." And he's like, "Nothing's impossible unless you try. Unless you can do it, you can't fish."
--So, I give it a shot, and, predictably, I am about 48 yards short of where Terry managed to get the line to. Terry then encourages me to practice throwing the line all day, then I'll be able to catch fish. I get 11 strength points and 2 mentality points.

-Cutscene time! While walking down the street, I need to use the bathroom. So, I'm stuck in a long line for the bathroom. I eventually get in and do my duty. I get 6 mentality points out of it. OK, then.

-I practice Top Speed, and get an upgrade in that practice, as well. Cool.

-Next cutscene has me and Marvin in a store. Apparently, a couple is trying to win a stuffed bear at a crane game (more like, the guy is trying to win it for the girl).
--While the guy is playing, Marvin, I think, then wants me to try to win a bear from the same crane game. I go all dot-dot-dot on him, and keep watching them.
--And then, I shit you not, Google Translate says I said, "God dammit, it's difficult indeed." (It was probably just dammit, but GT just WENT THERE)
--The guy wins the bear for the girl, and then Marvin and I leave. I lose 1 motivation point, $1, and 3 mentality points.

-I then do fielding practice, because I can.

-In the next cutscene, I meet Terry at the lake again. Sadly, there aren't any fish biting in the lake today.
--Instead, Terry then asks if I like running. I say yes. Somehow, I *don't* get any speed points. Disappointed.

-Week 4 of May rolls around, and I have 3 turns to use. I use my first turn to visit Hayley at the Park for the first time in forever.
--The scene starts with me running around the park and tiring myself out. I lose the rest of my vitality (30 points), but gain 16 strength points, 11 technique points, and 6 mentality points.
--Hayley then comes in, shocked. She's wondering if I'm only practicing so that she notices me. I don't see her until that phrase, and I shock myself. I get three options as to how I respond: "Exactly!", "Wrong!", and "Don't be stupid!" I throw up a save state, and examine all three options:
---Exactly: I say that maybe next time I go out for practice, I can follow her a little bit. She's flattered, but mentions that what she said was mostly a joke. Likability goes down by 1. Oof.
---Wrong: I say that no, it's not quite like that. She then says she was just kidding, and I say that I've realized it wasn't enough to just practice with the team after practicing with Hayley. She's shocked, saying that's not possible, and she's happy for me. Likability goes up by 5.
---Don't be stupid: I say, "Don't be silly, I'm just training normally!" She doesn't believe me, and I just flat-out say "I'm not interested in you or anything!" That pisses her off royally, and she punches me. She complains that she can't make a joke at all, and that I'm the lowest kind of human being. She then leaves, my motivation goes down by 2, and likability goes down 5 points. The event stops there.
--If you choose one of the first two options, she then reveals that she dropped athletics entirely and started to attend a university, but she still trains at the gym in front of the university. She says if I call her, we can go out and practice anytime! I say that I'll give her a call, and I get 1 motivation point and 3 carryover points.

-The next cutscene I get is a random player talking with me in the locker room. He asks me to do a favor for him, and I say yes, being the nice guy I am.
--He asks me to go to town and get his bags from his sister. I said that I'll be glad to do it.
--I get to town, and I wonder where his sister is. I find her (or she finds me?), and she said that she asked my teammate (her older brother) about me. She asks me to give the bags to him. I say OK, and she thanks me in advance.
--I get back to the locker room and give what my teammate needed back to him. He ruffles through the bags, and discovers a birthday gift for him. For helping him out, he decides to share the gift with me, which was a Powerin! I also get 5 strength points and 3 technique points. I use the Powerin right away, as one does.

-I then work at the Ducks and get $80 and 3 carryover points. I use $15 of that on my next turn and get a Ducks Spicy Special to recover 50 vitality.

-In the next cutscene, I'm on a beach somewhere, enjoying the breeze. A random girl comes up to me and asks to swim together. I say things about how the girl is cute, and that this is great. Cut to Marvin trying to wake me up from the dream while we're in the dugout. Marvin laments about how I'm dreaming happy dreams. I recovered 30 vitality from that, as well as 6 mentality points.

-Week 1 of June rolls around, and I get my $100 salary. Today, we're playing the Galaxy Sharks. I'm the starting pitcher once again, and we're playing at home. Apparently, the Evil Sittch is the pitcher on the Galaxy Sharks, for reasons I may never figure out. Sittch asks if I'm going to "resist Goldman", and I ask who Goldman is. Goldman is, of course, the owner of the Galaxy Sharks. He calls me rude, I call him disgusting, and the game begins.
--First scenario: I give up a 2-out walk to Sittch in the top of the first, and I face off against their catcher, who I strike out after giving up a stolen base to Sittch.
--Second scenario: I give up a 1-out single to Sittchy-boy in the top of the 4th, and have to face their catcher again, who I promptly catch looking. Their 2nd baseeman is next, and I strike him out after giving up yet another SB to Sittch.
--Third scenario: Top of the 6th, we're up 1-0. I give up a walk to their CF with one out, and face off with another of their OFs. I strike him out, which brings up Sittch. My first pitch to him is a wild pitch that advances the runner to second, but I manage to strike him out with a meatball to end the threat, and my day.
--The Galaxy Sharks took the lead late, going up 3-2, but we won on what appeared to be a walk-off Grand Slam to win 6-3. Wow.
--My final line: 6 IP, 7 Ks, 2 walks, and a hit with no runs earned. Not bad. I get 6 coach eval points and 13 scout eval points, along with 44 strength, technique, and breaking ball points, as well as 22 mentality points, VL4, and Good Low Pitch. VL4 is apparently as easy to get as it's always been, apparently.
--Sittch is distraught about losing, and wonders how he's going to tell Goldman about how they lost.

-Finally, I use my earnings from that game to boost my top speed by 1 km/h, and up my control to almost an E, and get my stamina up into the 90's.

My corn is stiff and tight.
Also, best translation ever.
Finally, I can't believe you are doing a pitcher because it is extremely hard to make a pitcher, but good luck.

Day 4, Bonus!

-I start off Week 1 of June by doing some accuracy practice, and getting 28 technique points out of it.

-Afterwards, I go to the park to meet up with Hayley.
--First thing I notice is the SWEET rock tune that is paired up with this. I wish I got it recorded for y'all, because the soundtrack for this is pretty doggone awesome.
--I mention that I'm running at a "tremendous" pace, and wonder whether or not I should chase her down a bit. Throwing up a save state to see how my options of "Chase" or "Give Up" affect things.
---Chase: I lose 15 vitality, but gain 3 quickness points. I run into Hayley, which is outlined below "Give Up"...
---Give up: I say there's no point in using "useless physical strength," so I give up. I gain 5 vitality and get 2 mentality points.
--So, choosing the "Chase" option makes me run into Hayley a bit, where she is stunned that I caught up to her. That prompts me to ask, "Am I a pro, too?" She then eggs me on to compete with her this time. I say OK!
--However, she doesn't want to do it, and says "pass." She then gives me a sports drink that she usually drinks, and I re-gain 30 vitality.
--Hayley reminds me to not forget the promise I made to call her, and then I said thanks. Likability went up by 5.

-The cutscene afterwards has me bored in my apartment room. I find a DVD I bought at a rental shop to watch. However, I realize the return date is today, so I have two choices, according to Google Translate: "Watch and then return it" and "Return without looking."
--Option 1: I watch the film, and I enjoy it, saying it was fun, and that it was the "correct answer." My breaking ball (!) points go up by 7, somehow. Thought it'd be mentality.
--Option 2: I lament that I don't feel like seeing it anymore, and go and borrow a new DVD. I get 4 mentality points out of the deal.

-Week 2 of June begins with me talking to Terry about how he got into the Majors. Or, as Google Translate says it, "Old Mr. Terry" and "becoming a Major Leaguer when he was old."
--He says that he was only 23 when he made the Majors. I asked him how it felt, and he said that he was very happy. However, the people that were the most pleased were his parents.
--Terry was worried about his parents so much, because all he had was them and baseball. I say that I'm the same way, actually.
--Joey butts in to the conversation, to which I ask, "Because you wanted to make the major leagues, did you come here?"
--He then says that if a "genius" will be serious he can do it in three months. I wonder again where that confidence comes from. Terry says that he can't tell a lie, and mentions that players can still be called up to the majors once a MLB player goes on the DL. MY character is amazed that there is such a thing.
--However, Terry says, rightfully, that it depends on your skills whether or not you get called up. I vow to put in spirit and work hard, because I could go to the majors tomorrow! From the event, I get 1 carryover point. That's it.

-By the way, I should mention: mostly due to the early interactions I had with Mike the Corn Guy, I have maxed-out coach eval, and my scout eval is right at the passing mark already. So, I'm going to pass the mode regardless of what happens.

-I do a little Top Speed practice, and then we get a cutscene that starts with Marvin in a corner of the locker room.
--I ask how he is, and he says that he went to the Steakhouse and met a cute girl there, and that's why he's thinking of seeing me again.
--He asks if I want to go with him, his treat (!) and I say yes.
--When we get to the steakhouse, he points out the girl to me, and...it's Isabella. Even the game is dot-dot-dotting him, and I'm like, "What cute girl? There's only an aunt."
--Marvin says it's not Isabella he likes, rather it's the cow on Isabella's head. Wow. I say that, while it's definitely a cute cow, it's NOT a person.
--Afterwards, Marvin asks me if I liked it. I think to myself, "eating steak with seeing cows is a complicated feeling." I say out loud that it was OK, and I ultimately get 30 vitality points and a 1-point loss in motivation for my troubles.

-I do another accuracy practice, and I get another upgrade for it. I believe it's up to Level 3 now. Cool.

-The next cutscene shows two girls screaming, "Care! Care!" (again, according to Google Translate) in a happy way. I wonder WTF is up. Apparently, it's some guy named Mr. Sun.
--Both of the girls LITERALLY FAINT at the sight of him.
--Three more girls come rushing in, all claiming, "HE'S MINE!" Except, they're rushing towards ME to get to him.
--I manage to avoid the rush, realizing that my training has really helped in that regard. I get 7 mentality and quickness points out of it.

-Week three of June starts off with a phone call from our good pal Earthy-boy. He starts off by saying that he is married, apparently for the second time.
--I tell him thanks for the call, but I'm busy practicing. I hang up on him. I mention it was pretty bad timing.
--But then...BAH GAWD THAT'S EARTHY-BOY'S MUSIC. He suddenly showed up at the practice field! Woah!
--I ask why he's here, and he says that he's here on his honeymoon. I finally get it through my head that he's married, and I say to myself, "Well, I lost. I was distracted by baseball."
--Earthy-boy reminds me that life is not just about baseball. I say that he's been like this ever since he got to the majors. He says that even if I don't get to the majors, I can compete with him now.
--He then reveals that he is now playing for the Galaxy Sharks! I'm confused as to why he's with the Galaxy Sharks now, and he says that because he came to America now, he guesses he has to wear it now.
--OK, apparently, it's just him wearing the jersey, I think, he's not *actually* on the team, right? ...Right?
--He's planning on going to the next game that the Apples have against the Sharks secretly. I then ask what he's bringing for his honeymoon. He says he's bringing a surprise batting challenge! Woah!
--I promptly strike him out swinging and land him flat on his ass. I chuckle and say, "You know now the essence of American baseball?" He's mad that he lost.
--Someone off in the distance wonders loudly about how long we're going to be here, and Earthy-boy apologizes. Apparently it was his new wife waiting for him from the stands impatiently. He leaves with a parting message of, "Quickly become happy!"
--Afterwards, I don't feel like winning at all, but I can afford it for right now, since he's not on a team.
--I gain 1 motivation point, 9 strength points, 9 technique points, 9 breaking ball points, 5 mentality points, and lose 10 vitality from this experience.

-I practice fielding for my first turn in Week 3 of June, and get an upgrade to that practice, as well.

-I then use what little vitality I have left and do a breaking ball practice to finish out the week.

-The next cutscene has me in town, thirsty as all get out. I find a vending machine, and have three choices: Powerin, Powerin DX, and not buying anything at all. I go with the DX, of course, and HOLY CRAP THAT WAS EXPENSIVE AF. $100 down the *(censored)* drain. Shit, man.
--The vending machine then, apparently, mocks me, saying that I'm lazy and stuff. Asshole vending machine.

-Week 4 of June has us playing the Guava Strawberrys again, this time on the road at their stadium. I'm the starting pitcher once again.
--First observation of the Guava Strawberrys stadium: it's totally a shameless re-color of Golden Apples Stadium. Boo. At least the Gigantes stadium had some effort put into it.
--First scenario: 1 out, runner on second after a double in the bottom of the first. I strike out the first guy I face with a 2-strike foul bunt, and the next guy I dispatch with a fastball down the middle looking to end the inning.
--Second scenario: leadoff walk in the bottom of the 2nd. I catch the first guy looking with a fastball, then the next guy, and then the next guy. No swinging strikes with the fastball whatsoever. End of the inning.
--Third scenario: 2-out walk in the bottom of the 3rd, I easily get the batter to ground out to third to end the inning.
--Fourth scenario: 1-out single in the bottom of the 4th. I strike out the first batter, then dispatch the next one with a strikeout.
--Fifth scenario: leadoff single in the bottom of the 5th. This will be my last batter, as I'm extremely tired. I get him to bunt out to third to end my day.
--We eventually draw the game, 1-1. My final line: 4.1 IP, 8 Ks, 2 walks, and 1 earned run. I get 17 scout eval points, 53 strength, technique, and breaking ball points, along with 26 mentality points. We were luckily able to win the re-match a few days later, which is awesome.

-After the game, I use my winnings to upgrade my control into the D range, upgrade my knuckleball to Level 2, and get my Top Speed up to 140 km/h. I do some weight training and manage to level up that practice, as well.

-The next cutscene has me running into Massive the Dog in the park. However, he runs away, and I noticed he dug a hole in the ground. I have two choices: to dig or not to dig. Well, obviously, I went ahead and dug it up.
--All I found, though, was a piece of paper. But not just any kind of paper, no, it was a Gambler's Ticket! Now that's what I call lucky. My strength points also went up by 3.

-I go ahead and use said Gambler's Ticket to buy what appears to be the Battler ability. Is it, though? Help me out here:


-I go to the Ducks and order an Organic Dog to regain just about half of my health. Not bad.

-New cutscene! A lovely lady and her husband (?), who look rich AF, visit the stadium. I ask Marvin who these people were, and apparently, they're Shirley, the GM of the Guava Strawberrys, and their manager, Lance.
--Shirley asks me if I want to come over to their place, and I'm a bit surprised, and ask if there's anything to eat there. She commends me for being a fun person, and she likes me for it, but alas, she says, "but it is not so."
--She then comes out and says it - she wants me to be on the Guava Strawberrys, saying she will treat me better there than being on the Golden Apples.
--I have three options, "Yes," "No," or "Let me think about it." Here's what all three do:
---Yes: I say yes, and she reveals it was all a joke in the end. She says goodbye and laughs all the way out the door. I get 3 carryover points from that. Well, ha-ha to you too...
---No: I tell her I'll do my best for the Golden Apples and aim for the majors here, and not join the Guava Strawberrys. Shirley says it's too bad, and wishes me luck with the Golden Apples. I get 2 carryover points and Insomnia. Somehow, that was worse than saying yes...
---I'll think about it: I tell her I'd think about it for a bit, and Shirley says that I'm right, it's not an easy decision to make. She also said she will wait for a good reply, and then leaves. I lose a carryover point, and get insomnia. And that was worse than saying yes OR no! Wow.
--Either way, I have no clue what the heck was going on with that whole thing.

-I do some strength training, which leads right into another cutscene.

-I meet up with Terry at the lake, and we do some fishing together.
--He notices some fish at a spot, and challenges me to cast the line to the point he specified 150 yard away. I manage to cast it 112 yards this time, and Terry commends me for doing better at it than I did the last time I tried.
--I gain 11 strength points and 2 mentality points from the event.

-We are now in July, and Mike the Corn Guy is talking to Marvin and I in the batting cages.
--He says that the GM is calling me, and Marvin is already saying his goodbyes. I tell Marvin that it's just a story, and talk with the GM in his office.
--I get a little too over-enthusiastic when Job asks how I'm doing. Job says it's really terrible, and I'm starting to worry that I may be fired. He says that it's not like that, and informs me that one of the players in the Majors got injured, and all I have to say is this:



--Job mentions that alternate players couldn't be found from inside the organization, and informs me that I'm possibly being called up to the Majors, while the Galaxy Sharks final game music is being played in the background. He informs me that I've been put on the 40-man roster, but he has kept silent about it until now.
--I'm pumped up about possibly going, but Job reminds me that it's a short-term contract at the very least, and that I'm probably only going to be a substitute. I don't care, though, and run out of the room, excited. Job laments about how it's the "stage of their dreams," and the scene cuts to me in front of a stadium.
--I'm excited that today will be my Major League debut for the Tigers, and that I'll try my best.
---Side note, HOLY SHIT I CAN PLAY ON AN MLB TEAM IN SUCCESS MODE WHAT

-So, I get my first MLB start for the Tigers against the Twins, and here's how it goes:
--First scenario: runner on first, 1 out, in the Top of the 1st, after a single to Alexi Casilla. I cannot see where the hell I'm pitching. Oh God. I manage to strike out Joe Mauer, but give up a single to Justin Morneau. I then strike out Joe Crede to end the inning.
--Second scenario: Runner on first after a 1-out single by Jason Kubel in the Top of the second. We are now up 3-0. I get Brendan Harris to ground out to third, and then strike out Carlos Gomez to end the inning.
--Third scenario: Runner on second with 1 out in the Top of the third, after a double by Casilla. I strike out Mauer again swinging, and caught Morneau looking at a fastball to end the inning.
--Fourth scenario: Runner on first, Kubel, two outs, in the top of the 4th. I strike out Harris to end the inning.
--Fifth scenario, I gave up a lead-off walk to Carlos Gomez in the top of the fifth. I get Delmon Young to line out to second, and because I'm tired, my day is done. We win the game, 4-0.
--My final line: 4.1 IP, 0 ER, 9 Ks, 1 BB, 5 hits. Not bad at all.
--For my efforts, I get 58 strength, technique, and breaking ball points, as well as 28 mentality points.

-After the game, I reflect on my wonderful experience as a major leaguer. I'm excited as to what the next day will bring.

-With my earnings, I upgrade my stamina into the B-range, and upgrade my slow curve to Level 6.

And now, I leave you tonight with this little thing I found in the background:



Nice.

Really like this chronicle. Makes me want to give 09 a shot, difficult as playing the game may be!

I'd also love to give it a try if you could link me to the rom

Yeah if you could put a link I would love to try this game

I'll send y'all a PM with the link to it. It's a bit of a tricky download, but I think you'll get it. Works great with Dolphin.

In terms of it being difficult to play, it's the same gameplay as the American Power Pros games. Only difference is the language barrier that's mostly omnipresent (also the fact that you can't change the names of the players in editing (which, by the way, the ability to do that costs 10,000 PP in the shop right off the bat) to make them English, which SUCKS).

Yeah it took me a while to get it too.
I might upload it on dropbox, but I don't feel like getting sued.

Day 5

-I start off Week 1 of July by visiting Hayley at the Park. We say our hellos, and then start training by racing each other from where we are to a bench and back.
--I win the race, and she compliments me by saying that she wishes for baseball players to be fast. I lost 15 vitality, but gained 5 likability points with Hayley, along with 6 quickness points.

-Afterwards, a cutscene occurs where I finish cleaning up my room and open up the window to let some fresh air in. I then wonder what I do from there. I have two options: sleep or go for a walk.
--I decide to go for a walk, and my energy (not carryover points, as I once assumed) goes up by 3, compared to vitality going up by 15 and losing one energy point by sleeping.

-I can actually go to a new location now, as I go visit Hayley at the gym near the University. The event starts with me wandering around, looking for the place. I eventually find it and see Hayley near the treadmills.
--She was a bit surprised to find me at the gym, but I remind her that she asked if I could come there sometime, so I did. She asks if I want to train with her, and I have a whopping SEVEN CHOICES to choose from. Here's a run-down (mind you, as of this point, I only have 15 vitality):
---Muscle training: I lose 15 vitality and $10, but gain 3 likability points with Hayley, along with 6 strength points.
---Body pump: I lose all of my vitality and $10, but gain 3 likability points with Hayley, along with 8 strength points and 2 mentality points.
---Swimming: I lose all of my vitality and $10, but gain 2 likability points with Hayley, along with 4 strength points, 2 quickness points, and 2 mentality points.
---Aerobics: Same losses as the last 3, but I gain 2 likability points with Hayley, along with 2 strength points, 3 quickness points, and 3 mentality points.
---Yoga: Same 15 vitality/$10 loss, but I gain only 1 likability point w/ Hayley, along with 4 technique points and 3 mentality points.
---Hula: Same 15 vitality/$10 loss, but I gain only 1 likability point w/ Hayley, along with 6 technique points.
---Tennis: Same losses, but I gain a whopping 5 likability points with Hayley, along with 6 strength points and 6 technique points.
----Tennis is probably the best option to choose here, if you want to get higher likability with her.

-Next cutscene has me in Job's office once again. He asks me how my time in the Majors was, and I reply that it was very fun, especially with the audience, the cheers, and everything.
--Job replies that it was nice, and that what I experienced was my "only treasure," and to remember the sense of the major stage when times get tough, then I'll be able to get there permanently someday.
--That's actually pretty good advice, not gonna lie.
--I exclaim that I'll keep doing my best, and that ends the cutscene.

-I start off Week 2 of July by going to the restauraunt to get some food/vitality in me. Apparently the restaurant's name is Restaurant Cranberry. Well, alrighty then.
--I run into the girl that plowed into me the first time I went to the restaurant, and she is tripping all over her words trying to talk to me, saying stuff about destiny or some shit. I wonder what in the world she's babbling about, but she still is hard to understand.
--Finally, after I ask her to speak properly, she just says it was a brief moment of something, and shows me to my seat.
--After I eat, the girl meets me outside, and says that she's sorry for the wait, and for forcing me to go out with her. OK, I dunno when THAT happene, but OK. She asks me to go for a walk with her.
--So, I ask her what she wants for me, and she says it was love at first sight and stuff like that. So, she wants me to be with someone I love. Note taken.
--So, basically, she asks if this is a date, and I'm like, "Well, isn't this a date?" and then she's like, "Why not?"
--So, from now on, I can ask this girl out on a date anytime by just going to the restaurant. I still don't even know her name, though!
--Then she runs off, and I'm left all alone in the park. Alrighty then.
--I think to myself, "what a brute force she is..." and then she comes running back, and I FINALLY get to know what her name is. Her name is Julia. So the three girls I have available to me right now are Hayley, Julia, and Flu. *One Of These Things intensifies*
--Oh yeah, and I get 60 vitality, my likability with Julia goes up by 5, and I get 4 energy points. No free meal, though, as it cost me $30.

-In the next cutscene, I'm super-sleepy, and I remark how it's great to sleep in this condition. I sleep well, but realize just then that it's already nighttime again. However, since I already slept, I'm feeling pretty good!
--I gain 40 vitality after that, filling my vitality bar completely. Amazing what a couple events can do for you...

-I then go to the lookout, because an update like this is not complete without corn, am I right? I listen to his backstory a bit, which is recapped in an earlier update, and get 4 strength points and 2 mentality points.

-AAA Game time! We're facing off with the Mon-Mon Monkeys at home today! I'm the starting pitcher, as per usual.
--First scenario: lead-off single in the top of the first. I srike out the first guy, the second guy, and the third guy.
--Second scenario: 1-out walk in the top of the second. I strike out both batters to end the inning.
--Third scenario: leadoff double in the top of the third. I strike out the side. Ho-hum.
--Fourth scenario: 1-out single in the top of the fifth. I strike out the final two batters to end the inning.
--Fifth scenario: 1-out single in the top of the sixth. I get a pop-out to the catcher and a strikeout to end my day. We win the game, 3-0.
--My final line is 6 IP, 4 hits, 14 strikeouts (with 11 manually pitched by me), and a walk with no earned runs. Domination.
--My rewards for this game: 63 strength, technique, and breaking ball points, along with 31 mentality points and an ability I presume to be Dr. K. I use my rewards to boost up my stamina a bit and increase my top speed by a km/h.

-I have 3 events to choose for Week 3 of July. First things first, I go and train with Hayley at the gym. I do tennis again, which I now know for sure lowers my vitality by 40, and it still costs $10. I gain the 5 likability points with Hayley, and the 6 strength points and 6 technique points.

-I then try to do a breaking ball practice, but unfortunately, I injure myself. Crap. Luckily, it wasn't a big injury, but I do lose 2 motivation points, 2 coach eval points, 1 scout eval point, 1 energy point, 50 technique, breaking ball, and mentality points, and 1 km/h off my fastball. OUCH. The injury? Cracked fingernail. Same ol' Power Pros.

-So, with my remaining turn in the week, I go to the hospital to try to get it fixed up. It's the same doctor from PP08, so that's awesome, as well. She gets it fixed up for me, and I have to pay $50.
--She probably just took some fingernail clippers to it, and clipped off my fingernails. That's probably what happened. Hell, I could've done it for free.

-So of course, the first thing I do is go fishing with Terry again!
--I'm still stuck at casting the line 112 yards. So, there's that. 11 strength points and 2 mentality points gained.

-For Week 4 of July, I go and do some fielding practice, and then I said to myself, "why not go see Flu and see how she's doing?"
--First thing she remembers is that I am "a gentle person of a heart who spoke to a strange Flu." I ask her if she's listening to songs again, and of course, she is. She says that the best hit song of the band she likes, Furu, is playing, but she apparently can't leave the spot she's standing in.
--She asks what I want to talk to her about, and I remember her mentioning rice in our first conversation, so we talk about that. However, she says that if I heard that story, I may be in trouble. Why? Because I'll acquire the ability to peek at the depths of Flu's heart. Well, OK then.
--I now have two options: talk to her, or say, "that's enough." Here's what happens with each of these:
---Talk: I want to talk to Flu about it, because it would be a good thing. However, she says that it's embarrassing to say that. She then asks me to promise to not tell anyone, and I say OK. And so the story begins.
---That's enough: I tell her that she doesn't have to tell the story, and she agrees, saying that she doesn't "want to be hurt by me." She hopes for us to meet again someday as she leaves. Likability goes down by 5, and this happened. "It became a mood?" Huh?
--Flu' backstory: Flu once had a dog in her heart, and that it "speaks like a dog." She then says that was thinking I'd laugh now that she told me this. I say that it's not strange at all. I do say that it's interesting, and ask her to continue the story.
--She says the dog disappears from her heart if she doesn't give it rice. She also says that every day is a different emotion. "Yesterday, tears, today is a smile....Every day change of mind is a treat for the dog, because it's such a thing to be alive." I ask if she thinks of the dog all by herself, and she says "No, when I was little she helped me when I was in trouble." She remembers the dog picking up pebbles in the garden and giving them to her, but one day, a very sad day, apparently the dog went away, and now she keeps the dog in her heart.
--Thinking about it now, she says, it's strange, that it's hard to believe that it was a sweet dog. That ends the story, and Flu goes away. She says that it's time to pick up her older sister, but not before she says that she would like to see me again. She didn't get my name, though, and I tell it to her. She then tells me her full name, which is Florence Jones.
---So Flu is a nickname. Noted.
--My energy goes up by 2, and my likability with Flu goes up by 4, along with my mentality going up by 3.

-Finally, to start Week 1 of August, I meet up with Terry in town. I apparently catch him buying something, and he's a bit embarrassed by it. Apparently, what he has is "steak stuff". I ask him if he can cook, and he says yes.
--This presents me with 2 options: Is that a gift for a girl, or "Please feast".
---Gift for girl: Terry gets all defensive, saying I'm wrong and stuff. I say that it'd be nice to wrap up the present at least. I then find out it's really for him, and I apologize. Terry then finally asks, "what is wrapping?" I get 6 mentality points and I get what I think is the Good Morale ability.
---Please feast: I ask him to give me a steak he cooks sometime, and he says "It's useless!" I ask why, and he says that he doesn't know how to make steak. He says he'll take me out to a nice steakhouse instead. I am of course delighted about that. I get 60 vitality and 2 energy points.

Finally, I believe that Flu has the best-looking anime-like facial expressions in the game. Look at them: