Mario Strikers Charged

Mario Strikers Charged
North American box cover For alternate box art, see the game's gallery.
Developer	Next Level Games Nintendo SPD Group No.3
Publisher	Nintendo
Platform(s)	Wii, Wii U (digital download)
Release date	Wii (original release): Template:Release Wii (Nintendo Selects): Template:Release Wii U (digital download): Template:Release
Language(s)	English (United Kingdom) English (United States) French (France) German Spanish (Spain) Spanish (Latin America) Italian Japanese Korean
Genre	Soccer
Rating(s)	ESRB: - Everyone 10+ PEGI: - Seven years and older CERO: - All ages ACB: - Parental Guidance USK: - Six years and older GRAC: - All ages
Mode(s)	1-4 simultaneous
Format	Wii: Optical disc Wii U: Digital download
Input	Wii: Wii Remote and Nunchuk
Serial code(s)	RVL-R4QE-USA (U.S.)

Mario Strikers Charged (known as Mario Strikers Charged Football in European languages) is a Super Mario soccer Wii game and the sequel to the 2005 Nintendo GameCube game Super Mario Strikers, developed by Next Level Games and is the second game in the Mario Strikers series. Up to four players can participate in this game, attempting to kick the ball into another opponent's goal; the soccer in this game, however, has several differences from the real soccer, such as the ability to tackle other players with a minimal penalty, using Super Mario-themed items to give players an advantage over their opponents, and playing with stage hazards effectively. This game places a higher emphasis on individual character attributes compared to its precedent, by not only assigning stats, but by also giving team captains a unique Super Ability and the Mega Strike, an opportunity to score up to six goals. Meanwhile, a team itself can be composed of several different Super Mario species, each with also unique attributes including Skillshots. Another introduced mechanic is the power level of the ball. Indicated by the color of the glow, the shots of the ball become more quick and powerful the more active it is, thus making it easier to score goals with. The game, as with its predecessor, also stylistically differs from most Super Mario games with more realistic sci-fi tones, from the menu interface to the stage designs, in contrast to the more common bright and whimsical cartoon themes.

In addition to the local single-player and multiplayer modes, the game also featured online regional multiplayer, which used the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. Unlike most games that had Wi-Fi features, Mario Strikers Charged's game data could be copied (but not moved) onto an SD Card. However, all Wi-Fi related data could not be copied.

Opening cutscene

The game's opening begins with Mario and Bowser in a blimp which is the interior of Stormship Stadium. The camera rolls down to reveal the soccer field in a stormy war-like zone of The Wastelands. Spectators get electrocuted by the electrical fences, and the whole area is covered in dust and thunderstorms. Bowser shoves Mario out of the way and skydives with Mario following. As Bowser reaches the ground, he breathes fire.

During another match in the Lava Pit, with Wario against Peach, Peach makes a flip, holding the ball with her legs unleashing her Freeze Frame! ability, trapping Wario in a comical-looking picture of him in it. In another stormy soccer match on Thunder Island, Yoshi runs with the ball while Diddy Kong gets sucked into a cyclone in the sky. Yoshi makes the kick to a green Toad from his team doing a bicycle kick which makes the ball get caught on fire. The Kritter blocks it, which sets his hands on fire. In The Vice, Donkey Kong uses his Thunder Wham! ability to drive Daisy's team away. In The Dump, Luigi kicks the ball to Waluigi using his Wall-Luigi! move to block it while a Koopa Troopa from Luigi's team slides in the mud.

Mario kicks the ball while Bowser is on a fire-breathing spree with his Fire Storm! ability. The scene changes to a Boo from Daisy's team, using its ability to get pass Donkey Kong. He passes it, it bounces off Wario's head, and Diddy Kong receives the ball. he jumps into the air, smashing all of Yoshi's Dry Bones in the process and makes a great kick.

Mario jumps into the air about to unleash his mega-strike. All of the characters mega strikes are shown, except Petey Piranha's. Then Mario kicks the ball. Mario then stands firm at the field, putting his right foot on the soccer ball just as it becomes the start menu.

Rules and gameplay

The title screen for the North American version.

Mario performs a Mega Strike in The Vice.

As mentioned above, Mario Strikers Charged is based on street soccer. However, the sport played is much more physical. Two teams of four (not counting goalie) face off against each other to kick the ball into the goal within the time limit ranging from two to five minutes (three as the default amount). They may also choose to compete to reach a certain amount of goals first. When the time runs out, whoever has the most goals (or the next goal, if sudden death occurs) wins the match. If the score is tied at the end of the set amount, the current music will change and the siren will sound, signaling sudden death. Overall, the game has become much harsher as time has passed. Because of this, players now wear protective gear. Players may utilize various strategies, such as items or special powers, to get ahead. The information regarding the use of items and special aspects of stadiums are found in their respective sections in this article.

Teams and Player Roles

Each team is headed by a captain, supported by three offensive/defensive sidekicks and one goalie. Two teams face each other with the aim to score the most points. Points are scored by shooting the ball past the goalie and into the goal. The captain is the leading member of any team and possesses both a Super Ability and a Mega Strike. While often an afterthought, sidekicks are crucial to the game. Knowing which position a sidekick is best at (such as defense or offense) can make or break a game. Goalies, or keepers as they are known in the European version, are the final line of defense. They are permitted to use their hands to block goals, but often are forced to use their bodies to do so.

Shots and Skills

Each type of player has different types of skills available to them. Captains and sidekicks share many of the same abilities, but goalies use a completely different move set. Players use the standard Wii Remote and Nunchuk Attachment set-up to play the game.

Basic Captain and Sidekick Skills

Players use the standard Wii Remote and Nunchuk Attachment to control their teams.

Movement/Dribbling: When on the Nunchuk Attachment is pressed, while the captain is not in possession of the ball, the player will move in the corresponding direction. If the captain is in possession of the ball, they will dribble instead. Advanced players can press to kick the ball in front of the character (chipping), losing possession, but slightly charging the ball (see more).

Deke: An advanced skill for the player with the ball, pressing allows players to fake in that direction, dodging opponents moving in for the tackle or steal. This move allows players to dodge the slide tackles of others as well as maintain the ball's charge for extended periods of time.

Pass: The basic offensive skill, passing the ball from one player to another is critical in avoiding opponents. Also, passing the ball charges it up, meaning that it is easier to score goals once the ball has been repeatedly passed between members of the same team. is used for passing. While not confirmed, it is presumed that the pass can be altered to match a player's style. Such alterations include the lob shot and the stylized midair skills performed by the receiver.

Shoot: A more powerful version of the pass, shooting is for scoring goals. The game automatically targets the goal from the player’s current position when is pressed. Shots can be charged by holding to increase their chances of success. Players can pull off fancy flip shots to shoot if they hold as they receive passes.

Clear: When a player has the ball on their side of the field, pressing allows them to kick the ball to the other side of the field. This technique is effective in situations where the player is crowded by opponents.

Switch Players: If a character on one's team has the ball, the player automatically takes control over them, and can change characters by passing. However, when one's team does not have possession of the ball, players may switch characters at will with a press of . This move also works when two players control the same team and their team is in possession of the ball. The player without the ball may swap characters freely.

Slide Tackle: Performed in the same way faking is performed, this move allows players without the ball to steal the ball. Less powerful than the Body Check, it is still a worthy move as players are given immediate possession of the ball afterwards.

Big Hit: By shaking the Wii Remote, a player can pull off the most devastating tackle in the game. However, this move does not give the user immediate control over the ball.

Mega Shakedown: When a captain begins a Mega Strike (see below), the opposing player can move the meter by shaking the Nunchuk. This makes lining up the meter especially difficult, and may improve a player's chance of deflecting the Mega Strike. Directly attacking the captain is more useful, but the option is not always available.

Use Items: By pressing , any player may use an item in the team's inventory. Items that activate a captain's Super Ability (see below) can only be used by the captain. Details about the items available are provided in the Items section of this article.

Special Captain Skills

Mario attempting a Mega Strike.

Mega Strike: More powerful than the standard shot, a Mega Strike is performed when a captain fully charges their shot. To perform this move, the player holds to charge until a meter appears. Through proper timing, the player determines the number of balls as the meter swings to the left (from 3-6, increasing from 4 as it goes left, but captains can fire up to 6 balls or less). When the meter moves back towards the right past the original starting point, proper timing determines ball speed (the small orange area is the fastest, while the surrounding green areas are faster than the gray areas). After the shot specifics have been determined, the captain launches into the air, powers up further and then slams the ball towards the goalie, who then attempts the Mega Strike Block.

Super Ability: Each captain may obtain a character-specific item during the course of a game. Pressing the button activates the item. If the player is not playing as the Captain, the computer performs the move instead. Super Abilities are the most devastating when used to free up a captain for the Mega Strike. The background music changes when Mario or Luigi activate their Super Ability.

Special Sidekick Skills

Skillshot: Much like a Mega Strike, the SkillShot is performed by holding down until charging is complete. The resultant shot is coupled with an attack on the goalie. Depending on the sidekick, the shot will be different.

Goalie/Keeper

Kritter prepares to block an incoming Mega Strike.

Pass: The basic move of the goalie when in possession of the ball, a pass does nothing more than putting the ball back into play.

Punt: The goalie's version of the clear, it allows him to move the ball far away from the goal. This move is effective if the opposing team is surrounding the goal.

Body Check: Goalies are automatically brutal. If opponents remain in the goalie box too long or make contact with the goalie while he holds the ball, he attacks either by kicking or hitting them.

Mega Strike Block: When a Mega Strike is performed by the captain of the opposing team, it is up to the goalie to block as many balls as possible. The player assumes a first-person view from the goalie’s eyes and moves the to move the hands of the goalie, represented by two hand icons. When a ball approaches, pressing deflects and destroys it. Depending on the speed of the balls set in the opposing Mega Strike, the player has a few seconds for each ball or less.

Metallic Ball

Yoshi prepares to kick the metallic ball in his on-screen appearance. In this purple state, the ball is the weakest.

In previous Strikers tournaments, a ball resembling the traditional soccer in appearance and physics was used. However, for this Strikers tourney, a new, metallic ball is used.

The ball tracks how many times it has been passed between players. Its color changes from purple to red, orange, yellow, and finally white. The ball is the most powerful when it is white and the least powerful when it is purple. In other words, passing the ball between teammates makes it easier to score a goal. If the ball is intercepted by another team or the sequence of passes broken, the ball will begin to power back down, from white to purple. Charging a shot has the same effect as passing, and if one has enough time, one can simply charge a shot and then pass before actually shooting to speed up the ball charging process.

Items

A Bob-omb explodes to blow the opponents off their feet.

One of the most critical elements of a team's strategy is its use of items. Regardless of which player earned an item, any member of that player's team may use it. However, this may not be true of the special items that activate a captain's Super Ability.

Offensive Items

In keeping with the combative nature of the Strikers sport, the many offensive items at the disposal of players are cinematic and devastating. These items are the most useful in blocking Mega Strikes, clearing the field for a Mega Strike, or to simply gain possession of the ball.

• Banana Peels: A staple of the Super Mario sports series, Banana Peels again play the role of a landmine. Players who touch a Banana Peel fall to the ground and lose the ball if in possession. Banana Peels come in sets of three or five normal-sized items. There also is a bigger version of the Banana Peel which comes in a set of one, and it does not leave behind three smaller Banana Peels when someone touches it like it does in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
• Green Shells: Green Shells are the basic projectile item. They do not home in on players, but because they come in sets of three, they are very effective at close range. If they make contact with a wall, they ricochet off. However, they are destroyed upon contact with a player. The player that gets hit falls and is stunned for a brief moment.
• Giant Green Shells: Unlike its miniature counterpart, the Giant Green Shell is a devastating item. While its movement pattern is the same, it does not disintegrate upon its first impact with an item or player. Any players that get hit by this green shell gets buried and is stunned for an amount of time. Only one can be fired at a time.
• Red Shells: A more advanced projectile weapon than the Green Shell, the Red Shell homes down the nearest opposing player. They come in sets of three, making them useful both for clearing the field for a Mega Strike or taking possession of the ball. However, not all three always reach targets. Often, one breaks into pieces by hitting a wall.
• Giant Red Shells: The Giant Red Shell is more robust than the normal Red Shell. It will bounce off of walls for a number of times before crumbling. As soon as it bowls over one player, its homing abilities are nullified and it acts as a Giant Green Shell. Only one can be fired at a time.
• Blue Shells: The Blue Shell utilizes a similar movement pattern to the Green Shell and also comes in packs of three which are deployed at the same time. Blue Shells bounce off walls until they come in contact with a player or break. The character is then encased in ice, effectively stunning him or her for a few seconds.
• Giant Blue Shells: Larger than the basic blue shell, the Giant Blue Shell follows the same movement pattern and also freezes characters. They can only be released one at a time.
• Spiked Shells: While they have the same effects on players as the Green Shells, Spiked Shells are much more durable and will bounce off walls more times than the Green Shell can before falling apart. During this period, they can run over players an infinite number of times.
• Giant Spiked Shells: The difference between Giant Spiked Shells and Spiked Shells is comparable to the differences between Giant Blue Shells and Blue Shells; they last longer. The movement patterns of both versions are the same. The difference between the types of Spiked Shells is their size. Also, only one can be fired at a time.
• Bob-ombs: Some of the most devastating items in the game, Bob-ombs come in sets of three or five, deployed in front of the player with the ball, or the player closest to the teammate with the ball. All players caught in the blast radius, excluding the user, are affected by the blast. They cause tremendous explosions that literally ram players into the field. Unlike in other games, the player who deploys the Bob-ombs cannot be injured by them as they explode on contact with the ground, although their teammates can.
• Mega Bob-ombs: The largest item-based explosive in the game, the Mega Bob-omb can only be fired one at a time. All players caught in the blast radius, excluding the user, are affected by the blast. However, the size of the explosion is much greater than that of an individual Bob-omb. The blast radius is much larger, although the attack is not as wide as that of three normal-sized Bob-ombs.
• Chain Chomps: While the Mario Kart games had the Lightning item, Strikers tournaments use the Chain Chomp. Systematically attacking every single player on the opposing team by ramming him or her into the ground, the Chain Chomp can easily turn the tide of the game, although it will not hesitate to flatten the user and their teammates if they are in the way. If the user's team is not in possession of the ball, the Chain Chomp falls onto the pitch right on top of the player in possession. The item is very rare, and it mostly appears if a team is losing badly.

Defensive Items

With the exception of the Super Ability items, there are only two defensive items in the game. Defensive items beef up the user and are particularly useful for scoring goals without the use of Mega Strikes.

• Mushrooms: Unlike Super Mushrooms, the Mushroom only makes characters faster. (The size increase is negligible.) This item is especially effective when surrounded by the opposing team. Running can further increase its usefulness.
• Stars: The defensive equivalent of the Chain Chomp, Stars make players invincible for a short period of time. This item is useful for turning the tide of the game and for scoring any time of goal. To have enough time for a 6-ball Mega Strike, the player should activate it right when the meter appears.

Super Ability Items

Main article: Super Ability

Luigi using his Super Ability.

A Super Ability item, represented by icons of the team Captain's head, allows the Captain to use their Super Ability. The effects of each Super Ability are different. Depending on the captain, Super Abilities can be either offensive, defensive, or both. The Super Ability items are most effective when used to clear a field before performing a Mega Strike. As an example, Luigi's special item can allow him to stomp on the other team and then use his Mega Strike. The list of Super Abilities can be seen in the Captains' table.

Modes of Play

The main menu is set up in wheel-like fashion, and modes are selected with the Wii Remote.

Mario Strikers Charged places a great emphasis on the multiplayer aspect of the game. However, there are also single-player modes present in the package.

Road to the Strikers Cup

Designed for one to four players, Road to the Strikers Cup is the standard tournament mode seen in all of the Mario sports games. Players are challenged by various teams across three cups. As the mode progresses, its difficulty increases. Alternatively, players can choose to play in Extreme Mode, which makes the game difficult from the start. The mode uses a tournament ladder or the table system seen in Super Mario Strikers.

Domination Mode

Taking the place of Super Mario Strikers’ grudge match mode, domination mode can be played by up to four players. Two teams are created, and players can choose which team they wish to play on. Any team combinations are available

Striker Challenges

Striker Challenges are similar to the Mission Mode in Mario Kart DS. Each character has one challenge, amounting to 12 total. Most challenges simply involve winning under difficult circumstances (Such as the goalie being very weak to charged shots, the opposing team leading by five points at the start, etc.). Challenges are separated by difficulty, with two classified as Novice, two as Professional, three as Superstar, three as Legend, and two as MegaStriker. Completing each challenge unlocks a new cheat for use in Domination Mode, and also unlocks a card featuring artwork of the player used in that challenge. Each of the 12 Challenges allows the player to play as all 12 Captains. However, only 11 Captains are the opponent, as Donkey Kong is faced twice, which leaves Bowser Jr. out. Before a striker challenge is started, there is an article in the Striker Times based on the event.

Nintendo WFC Mode

Screenshot of Wi-Fi friend code billboard.

Players with access to the Internet were able to play with anyone in their region through Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection (WFC), but could not play with anyone outside their region; any attempts to add someone from another region would result in error codes. Matches were available for 1 vs 1, 2 vs 1, 1 vs 3 and 2 vs 2 formats.

Random matchmaking was possible for players who chose to play ranked matches. However, it was also possible to play unranked matches with friends by registering their Wii System Codes beforehand. Friend play options were equivalent to Domination Mode options.

Each player was identified by the Mii of their choosing. Using this system, a “Striker of the Day” was crowned based on the player who earned the most points day-by-day in a week's time period. Points earned in unranked matches were not counted. These points were scored by winning matches (ten points), scoring goals (one for each goal for a maximum of ten), and not disconnecting and taking a loss (one point). The player lost points if they disconnected.

The players were able to choose from any captain to play as in WFC Mode, whether or not they unlocked the captain for offline play.

With the shutdown of Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection on May 20, 2014, online play is no longer legitimately possible.

Characters

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All the Captains in Mario Strikers Charged.

Each character has its individual advantages and disadvantages. However, strategic team creation can serve to offset the disadvantages and play to each individual's advantages. Additionally, each character also has a theme song that plays when they score a goal and during their home entrance. Bowser, Bowser Jr., Diddy Kong, and Petey Piranha are new captains to the series, while Boo, Dry Bones, Monty Mole, and Shy Guy are new sidekicks.

Default captains
The captain is the leader of the team and the only character that can perform the Mega Strike. Captains also may receive a special item, the Captain Ability.
Mario Description: "A mix of fitness, speed, and power, Mario brings heart and determination to every match! His ability to become Super Mario can really change the face of any game!" Team number: 1 Team color: Red Type: Balanced Size: Medium Super ability: Super Mario! Team emblem: Theme: Rock and Roll				Luigi Description: "Luigi is a well-balanced leader who can harness his super ability to grow and crush the competition! A top pick for any team!" Team number: 2 Team color: Green Type: Balanced Size: Medium Super ability: Super Luigi! Team emblem: Theme: Flamenco / Latin				Peach Description: "Peach's passing skills are second to none and she is extremely quick! Her on-field play can leave her opponents feeling a little camera shy!" Team number: 10 Team color: Pink Type: Playmaker Size: Small Super ability: Freeze Frame! Team emblem: Theme: Techno
Daisy Description: "Daisy is a defensive powerhouse, fast and physical. Her crystal ability can shield her efforts and devastate opponents." Team number: 9 Team color: Orange or turquoise Type: Defensive Size: Medium Super ability: Crystal Smash! Team emblem: Theme: Synth/Punk Rock				Yoshi Description: "Yoshi is a captain that brings a balanced attack to each game! He can also egg his way to a megastrike when needed!" Team number: 8 Team color: Green or orange Type: Balanced Size: Medium Super ability: Egg Roll! Team emblem: Theme: Energetic Broadway				Waluigi Description: "Waluigi is quick and can land some damaging hits over the course of a game. He has the ability to put a wall between himself and opponents when the time is right." Team number: 0 Team color: Purple Type: Defensive Size: Medium Super ability: Wall-Luigi! Team emblem: Theme: Bluegrass
Wario Description: "Wario can really be a gas on the field confusing his opponents! He may be slow, and not very physical, but Wario can score at will and set up teammates in a flash!" Team number: 00 Team color: Yellow Type: Offensive Size: Large Super ability: Gas Mask! Team emblem: Theme: Polka				Bowser (new) Description: "With huge blasts and ground-shaking hits, Bowser's strengths lie in shooting and defensive play. His fire storm has the power to burn the competition!" Team number: 66 Team color: Scarlet or yellow Type: Power Size: Large Super ability: Fire Storm! Team emblem: Theme: Hard Rock arrangement of the fortress boss theme from Super Mario Bros. 3				Donkey Kong Description: "Donkey Kong relishes in pounding his opponents! Strong, fierce, and ill tempered, DK can smash the stadium into pieces and send other players flying with his devastating Thunder Wham!" Team number: 55 Team color: Yellow or purple Type: Power Size: Large Super ability: Thunder Wham! Team emblem: Theme: African Drums
Unlockable captains
Three captains can be unlocked by completing cups.
Bowser Jr. (new) Description: "One of the best players in the strikers league, Bowser Jr. is an offensive powerhouse. His roar can shrink the opposition's chance of winning!" Team number: 6 Team color: Scarlet or yellow Type: Offensive Size: Medium Super ability: Sonic Roar! Team emblem: Theme: Surf Rock To unlock: Clear the Fire Cup				Diddy Kong (new) Description: "Diddy Kong is agile and fast and can protect the ball while making incredible passes at will! But watch out, he can remove a player from the game when he gets the chance!" Team number: 5 Team color: Orange or purple Type: Playmaker Size: Small Super ability: Red Card! Team emblem: Theme: Hindustani Classical To unlock: Clear the Crystal Cup				Petey Piranha (new) Description: "The ultimate player, the strikers league champion. Petey is a powerful plant able to make big shots and even bigger hits. He can muddy a team's game plan in the blink of an eye!" Team number: 4 Team color: Red or yellow Type: Power Size: Large Super ability: Mud Slinger! Team emblem: Theme: Calypso To unlock: Clear the Striker Cup
Sidekicks
Sidekicks comprise the rest of the team. They share stats with captains in the same category, but instead of Mega Strikes, they perform a variety of Skillshots exclusive to the sidekick's species. Unlike Super Mario Strikers, Mario Strikers Charged allows for different types of sidekicks to be chosen instead of one type per team.
Toad Description: "An excellent passer and quick on his feet, Toad is a great addition as a set-up player for any team. Defensively, Toad has trouble getting the ball back for his squad and needs to be close to the net for his shots to be effective. Watch out for his Fire Meteor, it's sure hot to handle." Type: Playmaker Size: Small Skillshot: Fire Meteor Theme: Funk rock and techno tune			Boo (new) Description: "This ghost can fly up and down the sidelines with great speed, using precise and accurate passing to lead his team to victory. His long-distance shots are quite weak though and his hits are not very powerful. If Boo gets a chance, he can possess the ball and score at will." Type: Playmaker Size: Small Skillshot: Possess Theme: A rearrangement of the merry-go-round theme from Big Boo's Haunt in Super Mario 64			Dry Bones (new) Description: "A defensive specialist. Dry Bones is fast and packs a punch of power when he hits an opponent. But when this guy has the ball he is fairly weak, with poor shooting and passing skills. If Dry Bones gets enough room, he can deliver a shot known as the Shocker!" Type: Defensive Size: Medium Skillshot: Shocker Theme: A hip hop rearrangement of the tower theme from New Super Mario Bros.			Monty Mole (new) Description: "A power player. Monty Mole can shoot the ball incredibly well and throw some of the biggest hits ever seen on the pitch. His slow waddling run and weak passing make him more vulnerable to losing possession when he has the ball. Find the right distance for his Dirt Drill and score at will!" Type: Power Size: Large Skillshot: Dirt Drill Theme: A fast paced electronic tune
Koopa Description: "A Strikers veteran. Koopa is a well balanced player that has average skills in all areas of the game. He is a wise choice for any team looking for an all-around player. His Shell Smash can send any goalie into a daze, creating a great scoring chance." Type: Balanced Size: Medium Skillshot: Shell Smash Theme: Euro reggae			Birdo Description: "This hard-hitting power player lands some of the biggest bone-rattling hits ever seen on the Strikers field. Birdo's shooting is also feared by many goalkeepers, as she can score at will. Her Extreme Egg can beat any game, resulting in quick goals." Type: Power Size: Large Skillshot: Extreme Egg Theme: A piano ballet rearrangement of "The Turkish March"			Hammer Bros. Description: "An offensive powerhouse, this sidekick has incredible skills at both passing and shooting. But while he can help score, his ability to defend against goals is lacking, given his slow running and poor hitting ability. His Hammer Throw sends goalkeepers diving for cover." Type: Offensive Size: Medium Skillshot: Hammer Throw Theme: A fast-paced cover version of the game's main theme song			Shy Guy (new) Description: "A well balanced player. Shy Guy has average abilities in all areas of the game. Teams looking for a true team-player need look no further than this player. If Shy Guy gets a chance, his Bullet Bill Blast will blow open a great scoring opportunity." Type: Balanced Size: Small Skillshot: Bullet Bill Blast Theme: A piano tune intermixed with sirens
Goalie
Kritter Kritters act as goalies for all teams.

Character Type Stats

Each character type has its own stats. Since every one of each specific type will always have the same stats, only the stats for each type will be shown instead of for every character.

Character Type Stats
Character Type	Movement	Shooting	Passing	Defense
Balanced	6/10	6/10	6/10	6/10
Playmaker	10/10	3/10	10/10	3/10
Power	3/10	10/10	3/10	10/10
Offensive	3/10	10/10	10/10	3/10
Defensive	10/10	3/10	3/10	10/10

Stadiums/Fields

Unlike Super Mario Strikers, the new fields in Charged are not clones of one another. Each has its own dangers and gimmicks to keep players on their toes. Along with the ten new fields, the seven classic stadiums from the previous game are also playable, which makes a grand total of seventeen stadiums.

The Arenas

The ten new fields are referred to as “The Arenas” in-game. Most of these fields are dynamic, featuring new dangers and events. There are six unlockable stadiums.

Name	Arena	Capacity	Description	Course Element
The Vice		Around 300,000	Resembling the grass stadiums in the previous game, The Vice features the famous electric fence that protects the audience from flying balls, items, rubble, and even fans. Based on this stadium, the sport appears to have grown in popularity, as there are countless hundreds of fans cramming themselves in and craning their necks to see the game. The seating areas are metal-themed, with structures resembling giant Warp Pipes.	Electric Fence. If an attack pushes a player out of bounds, he or she will be caught in this invisible wall and electrocuted. After falling back to the ground, characters twitch a while before returning to play.
Thunder Island		25,000	A dark, ominous course, Thunder Island is also one of the most dangerous. Located on the top of an island amid foggy waters, players who move or are pushed out of bounds are not stopped by an electric fence. Instead, they tumble down the cliff and appear on the center of the field shortly after. Matches are played during thunderstorms, increasing the danger. Audience members sit safely in seats attached to the cliff of a nearby island.	Storm. Sometimes a heavy storm will start. It is not uncommon for Cheep Cheeps, cows, and tractors to fly across the field. The wind also pushes players, making moving around either slower or quicker, depending on the direction it blows in. The standard electric fence is also missing along the lengths of the field, characters that get too close to the edge will simply fall off, only to come back with the next storm.
The Sand Tomb		-	Set in the middle a desert and built around ancient ruins. Giant stone Thwomps guard the middle horizontal section of the field. While players may use the sides to avoid danger, the sand on the sides prevents the fast pace typical to other fields. This course does not feature seating for fans due to the surrounding pillars and the structure that resembles a Mayan temple.	Thwomps and sandpits. Eight Thwomps randomly drop down around the center of the stadium periodically. They come down when there is a small shadow of a circle and someone walks across it. Around the edges of the stadium are large lots of sand - moving in the sand is slower than moving under the Thwomps. Thwomps may score goals if they come crashing down on the ball, crediting a random player of the scoring team, much like scoring on one's own goal does. Shells can be accelerated rapidly in the same way.
The Classroom		-	Set in the middle of a large, vertical, futuristic-looking, lab-like arena, The Classroom serves as the arena the player learns the basics in Strikers 101/ABC mode. This course does not feature seating for fans.	Electric Fence. This course is very basic, just like the Vice, and only has an electric fence.
The Lava Pit		31,360	This field is made of dark rock. Lava glows through holes in the field to act as boundary markings and field lines. Lava surrounds this field. What looks like mechanical or castle pillars surround it. It is unlocked by beating Bowser Jr. in Fire Cup's finals.	Lava. Periodically, balls of lava will jump out of the pool and fall onto the field. When this happens, a large circle of fire spreads on the ground around it, burning everybody who runs into it and stunning them temporarily. If the ball hits the circle of fire, it will bounce around, fully charged, until it hits solid ground again.
The Wastelands		40,000	The Wastelands are set in a strange purple-colored landscape, where it is constantly snowing. Mechanical Bloopers are set around the edge as decorations. It is unlocked by earning the Brick Wall Award and the Golden Foot Award in the Fire Cup.	Ice, lightning, electric fence. Because of the constant snowfall, the ground is slippery. Every now and then, the screen will darken, and lightning bolts will hit random places on the field (The lightning always hits close to the ball) and on the third strike, it will hit the ball, stopping it completely while charging it. When this happens, the wind will also blow players around slightly, like on Thunder Island. There is also an electric fence on this course.
Crystal Canyon		24,000	Set inside a gigantic canyon (The field itself is in a part that's under an overhanging rock), the Crystal Canyon field has large orange crystals set around it. It is unlocked by beating Diddy Kong in Crystal Cup's finals.	Sunlight. Although the course itself is under an overhang, beams of sunlight will be refracted and focused off the crystals around the pitch. After every goal that is scored, these beams will hit one or two players on each team, knocking them out for such a long time, that they cannot play until the next goal is scored. Captains can also be disabled.
The Dump		43,000	A field made of dirt, this course becomes a muddy mess during rainstorms. In the center of the field is one drainage pipe, where all the dirt travels. It is unlocked by earning the Brick Wall Award and the Golden Foot Award in the Crystal Cup.	Mud. The mud not only makes players move more slowly, but it will also slowly move them towards the center of the field. The mud may also stop the ball from rolling. The drainage pipe is sealed, so any players cannot fall in.
Stormship Stadium		29,000	The Stormship Stadium is a giant metal platform, inside a giant metal ship with an open center. It resembles the ship at the beginning of the intro. It is unlocked by beating Petey Piranha in Strikers Cup's finals.	Electricity and tilting. Running along the floor are several small slits. Periodically, thunder will strike the center of the platform, and lightning will randomly travel along with two or three of these slits. The field also tilts towards the side with more players on it.
Galactic Stadium		-	The final stadium, Galactic Stadium is set on top of a large, flat, floating chunk of metal in outer space, with several smaller pieces of metal floating around it. There is no seating for fans. It is unlocked by earning the Brick Wall Award and Golden Foot Award in the Strikers Cup.	Electric fence. Even though it is the final stadium, the only specialty it has is an electric fence, like all the stadiums before it.

The Classics

All of the original seven courses from Super Mario Strikers are playable. Known as "The Classics", they have no new additions in this game other than slight aesthetic changes. Each course retains its famous electric fence (which is their only gimmick) but since Bowser is now a playable character, Bowser attacks are no longer included. All of these are available from the start.

Name	Arena	Home team	Description
The Palace		Princess Peach and Princess Daisy	Located in the Mushroom Kingdom, this grassy field was home to the first tournament's Mushroom Cup. While it is currently a soccer pitch, it was the residence of a royal family at one point. Visiting the course is a must for hardcore fans of the sport.
Pipeline Central		Mario and Luigi	Created in honor of Mario and Luigi, Pipeline Central is on top of a skyscraper in a futuristic city of the Mushroom Kingdom. In the first tourney, it was home to the Flower Cup.
The Underground		Wario and Waluigi	Wario and Waluigi supplied the funding for The Underground, the subterranean course which served as the Star Cup's home in the previous title. It features unique seating, with stylized W beams separating the sections.
Crater Field		Yoshi	Located in Yoshi's Island with a capacity of 42,000. Crater Field, as the name implies, is in a large crater and is the Super Mushroom Cup's special field. Instead of having fans sit in normal seats, they sit in glass-covered, egg-shaped sections.
Konga Coliseum		Donkey Kong	Donkey Kong Island's stadium, Konga Coliseum is famous for its destructible wooden floor. Small ponds of water add to the jungle atmosphere of the stadium. It once housed the Super Flower Cup in the events of Super Mario Strikers.
The Battle Dome			Situated in Bowser's Castle, The Battle Dome is largely filled by Bowser's minions. Featuring a metal field and a large glass dome, the ominous stadium served as the home of the Super Star Cup in Super Mario Strikers.
Bowser Stadium			A characterization of the extreme nature of the Strikers sport, Bowser Stadium is located in Deep Space and served as the symbol of the Bowser and Super Bowser Cups. Its field is a blue rubber compound. Some of the structures of this stadium resemble Eggman, the robot in the Next Level Games' logo.

Cups

The Striker Cup.

All three cups must be played by the same captain and sidekicks in one of two modes: Normal (opponents get progressively harder) and Extreme (opponents are always hard). After the cup is won and the player has started the Road to Strikers Cup again, the cup holder will be randomized to other captains.

Winning each cup results in unlocking the defending champion. The Qualifying rounds are played Round-Robin style: a win (W) is worth three points, a loss (L) 0 points, a sudden-death loss (SD) one point. At the end of the qualifying rounds, the teams are ranked by points and the top few advance to the elimination round (semi-finals and finals). Should the player lose at the elimination round, they must start the cup all over again. If they make it to the defending champion, they must win a best-of-3 series away at the same stadium.

There are two awards for each cup for the qualifying rounds: Golden Foot, for the most GF total (goals for), and Brick Wall, for the least GA total (goals against). Winning both in a Cup unlocks a new course for Domination Mode.

Fire Cup

The Fire Cup consist of four teams that play six qualifying rounds, each playing each other twice; two teams advance to 1 final, 3-game series with defending champion Bowser Jr.

Crystal Cup

The Crystal Cup has six teams that play ten qualifying rounds, each playing each other twice; four teams advance to two semi-finals and one final, 3-game series with defending champion Diddy Kong.

Striker Cup

The Striker Cup has ten teams that play nine qualifying rounds, each playing each other once; eight teams advance to four quarterfinals, two semi-finals, and one final, 3-game series with defending champion Petey Piranha.

Challenges

Challenges can be played in Striker Challenges mode. Each challenge the player beats will unlock a new cheat. Tag Team Tussle and Sibling Rivalry are the only challenges that do not allow up to four human players (instead allowing two and three respectively).

Till Sudden Death Do Us Part!

Difficulty: Novice
Character: Mario
Opponent: Donkey Kong
Stadium: The Vice
Official Description: Mario and DK are locked in mortal conflict. Heading into Sudden Death at the Banana Cup! It's come down to the final goal of the match. Can Mario pull off this victory and dethrone the defending Champion!?
Cheat: "Classic Mode" - Turns off Mega Strikes and Skillshots.

Sibling Rivalry!

Difficulty: Novice
Character: Luigi
Opponent: Mario
Stadium: The Wastelands
Official Description: Mario and Luigi battle it out for the last spot in the next round. But Luigi's team is down a player. Will this be the first time that Luigi pips his big brother for the final qualifying place, and can he do it missing one of his key players?
Cheat: "Safe Mega Strike" - Once a Mega Strike charge is initiated, it cannot be stopped by anybody except goalies.

This Monkey Shines!

Difficulty: Professional
Character: Donkey Kong
Opponent: Petey Piranha
Stadium: Stormship Stadium
Official Description: It's the final of the Lightning Cup and Donkey Kong has taken a beating early on in the game by conceding a three goal Mega Strike. Can the courageous captain come back to win the game? Time will tell! Donkey Kong against Petey, coming up now!
Cheat: "Super Captains" - The only items received are Super Ability items.

Battle For The Crown!

Difficulty: Professional
Character: Peach
Opponent: Daisy
Stadium: The Palace
Official Description: The story at the Star Cup is which Princess will reign supreme, and it comes down to one game to see which is superior. Daisy is ahead in the group, but if Peach can beat Daisy by at least 5 goals, then Peach will advance and eliminate Daisy! Who will take the crown?
Cheat: "High Voltage" - Simply touching the electric fence will electrify players.

Brick Wall Baby!

Difficulty: Superstar
Character: Daisy
Opponent: Waluigi
Stadium: The Lava Pit
Official Description: Daisy has an opportunity to win yet another Brick Wall award within the Leaf Cup! If she can win her next game and not concede a goal she will take the Trophy for an unprecedented fifth straight year. Can Waluigi spoil the party, or will Daisy lead her team to victory and defensive stardom?
Cheat: "Devastating Hits" - All players' tackling power becomes maxed.

A Stunning Situation!

Difficulty: Superstar
Character: Wario
Opponent: Diddy Kong
Stadium: The Underground
Official Description: It's the final game of the Super Cup with Wario and Diddy tied at one game each. But Wario's Goalie has severe dizzy spells due to too many Megastrikes to the head. The winner of this game will take home the championship. Can Wario overcome his Goalie's head problems?
Cheat: "No Power Ups" - Removes all items from the game.

Three Goals Away!

Difficulty: Superstar
Character: Waluigi
Opponent: Luigi
Stadium: Thunder Island
Official Description: Waluigi is on the brink of being eliminated by Luigi at the Storm Cup. He must win his final group stage game by three or more goals to advance. Time is running out for the purple pest... Are his Storm Cup days coming to an end, or just beginning?
Cheat: "Secure Stadium" Stadium events will not occur.

So Far Behind...

Difficulty: Legend
Character: Yoshi
Opponent: Wario
Stadium: The Sand Tomb
Official Description: Yoshi trails Wario by five goals late in the Sand Cup semifinal as he looks to defend his championship. Yoshi needs to do whatever it takes to find a way back and win the game! The odds are against the dark horse, but anything can happen with the all-powerful Megastrike!
Cheat: "Power Shortage" - Electric fences are disabled.

Zero Tolerance!

Difficulty: Legend
Character: Bowser
Opponent: Peach
Stadium: Konga Coliseum
Official Description: It's the final game of the group stage at the Konga Cup and Bowser's team has a chance to set a record with their eight consecutive clean sheet against Peach. Can he topple the Pink Powerhouse and set the record? Only time will tell!
Cheat: "Field Tilt" - The field slants down towards the player who is on the losing hand. The greater the score difference, the more it slants.

Tag Team Tussle!

Difficulty: Legend
Character: Petey Piranha
Opponent: Donkey Kong
Stadium: Pipeline Central
Official Description: Petey has reached the Super Mushroom Cup final, and is now set to battle Donkey Kong for the title. Both of the teams have taken a beating, leaving each side with only the Captain and a trusted Sidekick. With the trophy on the line, which team has enough left in the tank to take home the title?
Cheat: "Always White Ball" - The ball always has a white glow, meaning that every time it's shot, it will go at max speed and power.

Against All Odds!

Difficulty: MegaStriker
Character: Bowser Jr.
Opponent: Bowser
Stadium: The Battle Dome
Official Description: It's the final of the Mushroom Cup. Bowser Jr. is facing his arch-rival and father, Bowser. But the league has handed down a harsh penalty to Bowser Jr. He cannot use powerups in the final, as he was found guilty of sabotaging them in his semi-final victory. Can this little pest win the Mushroom Cup with no powerups?
Cheat: "Always Sidekick Skillshot" - Every shot the sidekicks fire is a Skillshot.

Lucky Seven!

Difficulty: MegaStriker
Character: Diddy Kong
Opponent: Yoshi
Stadium: Crystal Canyon
Official Description: The world has all eyes on Diddy Kong's team as they have a chance to set the record for scoring 100 goals faster than anyone else. Not only does his team need seven goals to set the record, but they also need to win over Yoshi to qualify for the next stage of the Star Cup! Will Diddy make history, and advance to the next round as well?
Cheat: "Custom Power Ups (All sets)" - Allows players to modify the items received during gameplay to specific sets, such as Shells (Only receive Green/Red/Blue/Spiked Shells) or Explosives (Only receive Bob-ombs). This also unlocks the Unlimited Power Ups cheat, which makes players automatically receive new items every few seconds.

Pre-release and unused content

Main article: List of Mario Strikers Charged pre-release and unused content

There are unused texture files found in the game's ISO containing alternate colors for Princess Peach and her team. These alternate colors depict Peach and her team as light blue and yellow.

• 

  Princess Peach

• 

  Birdo

• 

  Toad

Staff

Main article: List of Mario Strikers Charged staff

Programming

• Mike Cline
• Mike Vlad Cora
• Ryan Dyck
• Andrew Grieve
• Keith Hentschel
• Bryce Holliday
• Tim Jennison
• Jonathan Kift
• Kris Lang
• Ivan Sergeyenko
• Gary Shaw
• Tedd Streibel
• Hewan Woolley
• Jason Wylie
• Jack Yee

Sound Design

• Simon Delaat
• Scott McFadyen

Music Composition

• Mike Peacock
• Darren Radtke
• Chad York

References to other games

• Super Mario Strikers: Some of the animations seen for the characters winning are character models from Super Mario Strikers. Some of the voice clips are reused.

References in later games

• Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon: An arrangement of the pause screen music is used in the elevator at Gloomy Manor right before it breaks down.
• Luigi's Mansion 3: A poster depicting several captains from this game can be seen in the hallway in the theater on the Paranormal Productions eighth floor, as well as a poster depicting Mario about to do his Mega Strike move.
• Mario Strikers: Battle League: An arrangement of theme played in the Road to the Strikers Cup mode is played in a similar manner for the Cup Battles mode. Additionally, Yoshi and Birdo's themes received rearrangements.

Reception

Reviews
Release	Reviewer, Publication	Score	Comment
Nintendo Wii	Alex Navarro, GameSpot	7.5/10	Presentational quibbles and single-player opposition issues notwithstanding, anyone who enjoyed the last Mario Strikers game will certainly find Strikers Charged to be an improvement, and those who took issue with the previous game will find some of their complaints properly addressed here. That this is the first Wii game to do online play and do it well is a huge bonus. Those looking for a deep and consistently entertaining single-player experience won't necessarily find it here, but anyone out for some good, solid multiplayer fun, either offline or online, would do well to check out Mario Strikers Charged.
Nintendo Wii	Sterling McGarvey, Gamespy	4/5	Mario Strikers Charged is undoubtedly a bold experiment. Not only does it adapt the gameplay mechanics of a GameCube title to the remote and Nunchuk, but it makes them pretty easy and accessible to use. On the other hand, it levels out the playing field without developing a strong sense of skill that we got from the first game, and also makes things a little more imbalanced in some ways, such as the dreaded "Hammer Spammer" exploit. The single-player cup chase doesn't feel super-evolved from the first one, but after a few rounds and some unlocked characters -- who knew Petey Piranha was such a vicious captain? -- you'll at least have Nintendo Wi-Fi to extend your gameplay experience. We love the normal, on-the-couch multiplayer, but we're not fans of the friends code system for online, which feels like a terrible and counterintuitive way to connect the Wii's targeted audience. For playing against strangers in ranked matches, however, the setup is excellent; most of our games had fairly minimal lag. While Mario Strikers Charged doesn't quite captivate us in the same way that Super Mario Strikers did nearly two years ago, it's still a solid addition to the Wii library.
Nintendo Wii	Richard Melville, Eurogamer	8/10	Of course, like most sports games, Mario Strikers is best played against friends - up to four, with decent Wi-Fi options. The single player game is strong enough to warrant a purchase too, especially as Mario Strikers finally breaks the recent drought of Wii releases. As the most original, admittedly surreal, take on the sport for years, Mario Strikers is a gem of a game and manages to flawlessly meet Nintendo's brief of appealing to absolutely everybody.
Aggregators
Compiler		Platform / Score
Metacritic		79
GameRankings		79.43%

Gallery

For this subject's image gallery, see Gallery:Mario Strikers Charged.

• 

  Mario

• 

  Mario

• 

  Mario

• 

  Kritter

• 

  Scenery used for the European box art

Media

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Disc Channel

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Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning	Notes
Japanese	マリオストライカーズ チャージド[?] Mario Sutoraikāzu Chājido	Mario Strikers Charged
Chinese (traditional)	瑪利歐足球前鋒CHARGED Mǎlìōu Zúqiú Qiánfēng CHARGED	Mario Football Forward Charged
Korean	마리오 파워 사커[?] Mario Pawo Sakeo	Mario Power Soccer

Trivia

Mario's card

• A set of eleven tear out cards were released on Nintendo Power to promote the game. The cards were all the Captains, excluding Petey Piranha.
• The loading screen before a match is different between versions. The Japanese, American, and Korean versions show the mugshot for the captain while the European/Australian version shows only the captain's head.
• Mario Strikers Charged was the first game starring Mario to be rated E10+ by the ESRB.
• The music in this game that plays on the Home Menu and during replays sounds very similar to the melody of "Hella Good", the 2002 single by American rock band No Doubt.

External links

• Official UK website
• Official wensite
• Official Korean subsite
• North American manual