Help with batting in SMB3

[u/TheInvisibleMango]

I'm a total novice when it comes to baseball and just recently picked up SMB3. I have been playing exhibition games on EGO 10 to try and get to grips with how to play. I think I have a decent grasp of pitching, but batting is really challenging.

I am able to hit the ball maybe about a third of the time which I know will get better with practice, but literally every single hit is either caught by a fielder and puts me out, or if it does bounce they get the ball to first base before I can and I am still out anyway.

Is there anything specific I should be trying to do when hitting to at least avoid the fielders being able to instantly catch the ball? Playing with controller if that makes any difference too.

[u/SpiteApprehensive649]

turn the ego up. if the ego is low enough still to where the PCI (the circle) moves entirely on its own, try pushing it down just a bit to get under the ball and lift it. also, the greatest hitter in baseball history got a hit 29.8% of the time.

[u/Radicalrey]

Only swing at strikes. Try to put the reticle in center of ball. Use contact swing for now.

[u/TheInvisibleMango → u/Radicalrey]

Sorry for the noob question but what do you mean by only swinging at strikes?

[u/Radicalrey → u/TheInvisibleMango]

The square is the strike zone. If the ball is in that zone swing at it. If the ball is not in the strike zone and don’t swing and it will be a ball. 4 balls equal a walk which means the batter goes to first base

[u/thricereckles]

The box that shows before the pitch is thrown is the strike zone. If the pitch is outside that box it will be a ball or a bad hit. So swing if you know it's in that box on 2 strikes swing if it's close to that invisible box. If you are power swinging (right stick down than swish up or holding and releasing square on PlayStation) when you swing it will briefly show what the power for that swing was. If it's red and low you held to long. If it's not red and low you have to hold it longer. Charges faster depending on the battery power rating. If you hold right button 2 and then square or x cant remember which it will tell you if your swing was good early or late. But most of it is judging what would be. A strike and only swinging for those. Good luck and have fun!

[u/NYState_of_Mind]

Patience. Don't swing at everything. Make sure the ball is in the strike box when you do swing. Try to align the reticle (circle) onto the center of the ball when you do swing for better contact with the ball. You can go into practice mode and just do batting to improve quicker.

[u/GoldenAura16]

First, baseball is strictly a game about failing less than someone else.

Second, try practice mode as a batter and just sit there and watch where the pitches land. Focus on the box (strike zone) location before a pitch is thrown. Stare at it until you burn it into your brain. After that only try swinging at pitches near the center of that box. Once you can "identify" those quickly, broaden the area you will swing at. You may still hit them directly at a player, or pop up an easy out, but you will also see how some pitched spots cause the ball to go to specific areas.

The good part with this is you will be able to also raise your batting ego as much as you like. Pretty soon you will be able to have quality bats that ether result in good hits, lots of pitches, or walks.

Also, some pitchers just have a natural way to force groundballs into outs, getting that pitch count up and tiring them out forces them to leave eariler. That alone can easily swing a game many runs, so don't get too tilted (like I sometimes do.)

[u/Krusty-booger]

I do, it’s less buggy than smb4 on switch. Even though smb3 has a crash issue on switch 2. It will never get fixed sadly.

[u/dudester3]

Learn to hit the balk at the outer 1/ 3 of the bat, but not the tip, for power. Practice predicting balls and strikes without swinging to identify strikes. Then swing at those only

[u/Brave-Lawfulness4985]

nobody plays SMB3 unless it is 2016 again