There’s nothing like hitting a moon shot in HomeRun Battle 3D. The screen freezes on contact, then 360-spins around you before watching the ball sail off into a sea of cheering fans. It’s captivating, a feeling you’ll chase until it’s almost midnight and you still haven’t written the review promised to your editor.
Formerly known as Baseball Slugger, HomeRun Battle 3D connects you to a server for real-time match-ups against other addicts of iPhone apps—think online console games without the trash talk. A constant Internet connection is required to compete, though you can practice on your own offline.
You’ll need it. This isn’t a batting practice lob fest. The pitcher throws curve balls, sinkers, change-ups and just about every other pitch besides a fastball down the middle. It’s up to you to read it, time it, then tilt your phone to match the moving ball with the sweet spot of your bat and send it to the stands.
To win a server match, players must reach 3,000 points before their opponent—it could be more depending on the channel you log in to. Points are awarded based on things like distance, number of consecutive homers and calling your shot Babe Ruth style. The more games you win, the more currency you acquire, which you can use to buy better bats and jerseys.
Meanwhile, you can watch your opponent in the top right corner as you play, a constant reminder that when it comes to iPhone games, it doesn’t get closer to pure competition than this.
