The last non-Mario sports game released by Nintendo was NBA Courtside 2002. Since then, the company has left the genre to others such as Electronic Arts and Sega (who eventually stopped publishing GameCube sports titles). All that is going to change in the summer of 2005 with the release of Nintendo Pennant Chase Baseball. The game is being developed by Exile Interactive, the developers behind Sega’s World Series Baseball series.

The game will help fill in the floundering sports lineup on the GameCube. If you’re looking for a fun, arcade style game, look in the direction of Mario Baseball. Right from the opening cinema, you’ll be able to tell that Pennant Chase is all about real baseball. The intro features gameplay clips and real footage of the game’s cover athlete, David Ortiz, all blended with music from the game’s official band, Bowling For Soup.

The main Franchise Mode of Pennant Chase will have a 15-season stretch that you can bring a team through. The "Rookie of the Year" mode should be a lot of fun. This mode lets you create a player (even a pitcher) and try to make him the Rookie of the Year in one season. You can also earn performance points that can be assigned to any player on the team. If you manage to win Rookie of the Year, the created player will be entered into the free agent pool for Franchise Mode.

Other detailed features are also being added to the game. The Home Field Evolution system lets you pick a baseball stadium and evolve it. Stadiums aren’t limited to just major league teams. Sandlots, high school fields, and minor league stadiums are also available. Points earned in other modes of the game can be applied to your stadium in 25 different improvement areas. Upgradeable features include things like grass, lighting, and fences. Your unique home field can be played in the game’s other modes. Upgrade points will dry up if you play any one mode a lot, to encourage you to try the game’s other modes.

Game controls are being targeted at both casual and hardcore gamers. There is a simple control set, but a "Veteran" option adds more finite control over batting and pitching. The Veteran controls use the C-stick to put spin on pitches and add more precise aim to batting. A bat icon also shows each bat’s unique sweet spot.

There are also features designed for more casual players. Speed Play mode can be activated at any point during gameplay, even in the middle of a game. Speed Play shortens things down to get through a regular nine-inning game in less time, but it still gives the player control over pitching and hitting.

Pennant Chase Baseball includes announcers from real major league teams. Rick Rizzs and Tom Hutyler, announcers for Nintendo’s own Seattle Mariners will be adding their commentary to the game, along with Cubs announcer Bob Brenly.

Nintendo Pennant Chase Baseball supports progressive scan output, but no widescreen mode. The game releases June 13th.