Mario Strikers: Battle League
Mario Strikers: Battle League | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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For alternate box art, see the game's gallery. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Developer | Next Level Games[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Publisher | Nintendo | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Platform(s) | Nintendo Switch | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Release date | Template:Release[?] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Language(s) | English (United Kingdom) English (United States) French (France) French (Canada) German Spanish (Spain) Spanish (Latin America) Italian Dutch Portuguese (Portugal) Portuguese (Brazil) Russian Japanese Simplified Chinese Traditional Chinese Korean | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Genre | Soccer | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Rating(s) |
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Mode(s) | Single player, multiplayer | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Input | Nintendo Switch:
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Mario Strikers: Battle League (known in European languages as Mario Strikers: Battle League Football)[2][3] is a game for the Nintendo Switch. It is the third game in the Mario Strikers series and the first one since Mario Strikers Charged over 15 years prior, featuring new gear, items, and moves. Up to eight players can play the game in multiplayer. The game also features an online Strikers Club mode where players can host clubs with up to 20 players and compete against other clubs to earn points and increase their rankings. The game released worldwide on June 10, 2022[4] and received three free post-launch updates before the end of 2022 that included new playable characters, stadiums, and gear sets.[5][6]
Opening cutscene
The game's opening begins with the Mushroom Hill and Lava Castle stages combining to one field in space. The camera moves across the soccer field to then show two portals appearing, one for Bowser's team (consisting of Yoshi, Donkey Kong, and Rosalina) and one for Mario's (consisting of Luigi, Toad, and Peach), both transitioning to a cel-shaded style. Once both teams landed, Mario and Bowser stare at each other, the latter manages to get the soccer ball first, and the game begins.
Mario passes the ball to Luigi, where the latter soon dodges a tackle from Yoshi. Rosalina walks in sight, stares at Luigi, and then tackles him with a dash, which throws the ball away from Luigi. The ball bounces as Bowser and Peach try to get it, with the Peach throwing a Bob-omb right to Bowser before he could get ball and has him flying off the stadium. Peach dribbles the ball out of the explosion and gets to the Lava Castle part of the field, passing the ball to Toad, which he then shoots it. Bowser's Boom Boom goalie blocks the ball, and the camera moves to Bowser getting upset and breathing fire from his mouth upwards.
The fire makes a transition to Luigi passing the ball to Toad, but Bowser does a Team Tackle with Donkey Kong, launching and punching Mario and Toad out and throwing the ball to Yoshi, who does a few twirl moves before passing it to Donkey Kong. Donkey Kong performs his Hyper Strike, knocking out Mario and Peach, but the team's Boom Boom goalie manages to block the soccer ball from scoring. The ball then reaches Bowser, who breathes fire toward the ball and then tries to throw it, but Luigi slides and tackles him, losing the ball in the process. The ball goes back to the ground as the fire burns out and Luigi passes it to Mario. He then executes his Hyper Strike, and while preparing to kick it, gets flames in his eyes. Mario then kicks the ball as Bowser's goalie prepares to block it, and the ball circles across the air towards the goal, leading to the title screen.
Gameplay
The gameplay is similar to that of previous Mario Strikers games, where two teams of five (four players and a goalie) compete for points by getting the ball into the opposing team's net. Following the rules of street soccer, there are no penalties like fouls, meaning that players are able to tackle their opponents around the field. Like previous games, items and special moves are used to the turn the tide of gameplay. When playing offensively, players focus on getting the ball to the goal by passing or lobbing it to their teammates, and performing combos with their teammates to make powerful shots. When playing defensively, players will use various techniques to get the ball back, including items as well as tackling them. Some moves, such as free passes, charged shots, and tackling, have meters that indicate when they are most powerful, making timing necessary to have the best in-game performance. There is also the ability to dodge, which will allow players to quickly evade an approaching attacker. Perfectly timing a dodge from a tackle will reward the player with a slight speed boost.
A new technique introduced in this game is called the Team Tackle. If a player tackles their own teammate, they send the teammate quickly across the stage. This can be used both defensively, by using Team Tackle at an opponent and stealing the ball from them, or offensively, by getting the teammate close to the goal.
Similar to the Super Strike from Super Mario Strikers and Mega Strike from Mario Strikers Charged, the new Hyper Strike acts as the game's special move, and is activated in a similar manner as the latter. Unlike those moves, however, Hyper Strikes must first be obtained by collecting a Strike Orb that occasionally appears on the field. Additionally, rather than just having aesthetic differences, each character's Hyper Strike has different gameplay-related properties, making them similar to that of the Special Shots from Mario Sports Mix. If perfectly timed, Hyper Strikes are able to bypass goalies, making a goal guaranteed.
Another new concept introduced in this game is customization. In addition to aesthetic customization options, like team color, gear can be purchased from the in-game shop with Coins, which allow the player to adjust various attributes such as their movement speed, curve shots, resistance to getting the ball stolen from them, and more. When selecting characters, the player can choose whether to equip their character with gear or not.
Controls
has the same function as .
Offensive
- Dual Joy-Con
- — move
- — dash
- — basic shot
- Hold then release — charged shot
- Tilt and tap — aimed shot
- Hold , tilt , then release — aimed shot
- — pass
- — lob pass
- , , shake — dodge
- — switch character
- or as soon as pass is received — combo pass
- as soon as pass is received — combo shot
- — use item
- Hold (after collecting Strike Orb) — charge Hyper Strike
- (when charging Hyper Meter) — stop needle
- Hold , then press / — free pass
- Hold , then hold / and release — charged free pass
- / while charging shot — cancel charged shot
- Solo Joy-Con
- — move
- — dash
- — basic shot
- Hold then release — charged shot
- Tilt and tap — Aimed shot
- Hold , tilt and tap — Aimed shot
- — pass
- — lob pass
- Shake — dodge
- — switch character
- or as soon as pass is received — combo pass
- as soon as pass is received — combo shot
- — use item
- Hold (after collecting Strike Orb) — charge Hyper Strike
- (when charging Hyper Meter) — stop needle
- Hold , then press / — free pass
- Hold , then hold / and release — charged free pass
- while charging shot — cancel charged shot
Defensive
- Dual Joy-Con
- — move
- — dash
- — cancel charged tackle
- — basic tackle
- Hold then release — charged tackle
- (towards a teammate) — team tackle
- , , shake — dodge
- — switch character
- — use item
- Solo Joy-Con
- — move
- — dash
- — cancel charged tackle
- — basic tackle
- Hold then release — charged tackle
- (towards a teammate) — team tackle
- Shake — dodge
- — switch character
- — use item
Items
Template:More images Items return from previous games, though this time, they are obtained from ? Blocks thrown from the audience stands like in other Mario spinoff games. There are both ? Blocks that can be collected by anyone, and ? Blocks that can only be collected by a certain team. Each team can hold up to two items.
Items | ||
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? Block | ||
Provides an item when touched. Spectators can throw two kinds of ? Blocks onto the field: - Rainbow-colored ? Blocks can be used by either team. Exciting plays and dangerous tackles make these appear more often. - Team-colored ? Blocks can be used only by the team matching its color. When a player who does not have the ball is tackled, regardless of which team they're on, their team will receive a team-colored ? Block. | ||
Mushroom |
Bob-omb |
Banana |
Greatly increases your speed for a short time when used. | Explodes when thrown, knocking away players on your opponent's team. | Causes any players who come in contact with it to fall over. |
Red Shell |
Green Shell |
Star |
Chases after a nearby opponent when thrown, hitting them and causing them to fall over. | Travels in a straight line when thrown and will bounce off of fences. Players hit by one will fall over. | Makes you invincible for a short amount of time and boosts all of your character's attributes. If you touch an opponent while it's active, you will knock them down. |
Game modes
Like with the previous games, Mario Strikers: Battle League has a large emphasis of multiplayer content, though there is some single-player content present.
Cup Battles
Template:More images Returning from the first game, up to four players can be compete on a tournament bracket as a team in six cups, the first five cups of which are named after different gear sets available, and the last one (the Championship Cup) can only be unlocked once the other five are beaten. The tournament is double elimination, meaning that if a team loses their initial match, they are sent to the loser's bracket where they have one last chance to survive and make it to the finals, but losing again will cause them to be eliminated. The player then will be offered a choice for a rematch, but would have to spend coins on doing so, and the amount of coins to spend will increase for every rematch. Once all six cups are beaten, the Galactic Mode is unlocked, which is the same as the normal cups but harder and grant higher rewards. Each normal cup rewards the player with 400 coins for beating it the first time and 50 coins for every subsequent time, while beating each of the Galactic Cups rewards 1000 coins for the first time.
Normal Cups
Galactic Cups
Quick Match
The player creates two teams with up to eight players along with picking an outfit and field of their choice to play in either offline, local play, or online matches. When playing offline, the player can configure the match length, CPU difficulty, enabling or disabling items and Hyper Strikes, and the time of day the match takes place. When playing online, players can either do matches with another person or compete by themselves.
Strikers Club
The newest mode included in the series, which has players creating or joining a club with up to 20 members to improve their division ranking across seasons by winning matches and gaining points for their club. Clubs can be named and customized with many options including team outfits, gear, and field designs to take online against other clubs. Seasons happen every other week that may sometimes feature custom rule sets, and clubs can gain special currency for more field designs. If certain conditions are done, then individual club members will be awarded with achievements which gives them more coins.
Striker Rankings
Added in the version 1.2.0 update, players can compete in a leaderboard and climb the ranks, with a rotation starting every off season and ending on the final day of a season. To qualify for the rankings, players would have to play at least five matches online in either Quick Battle or Strikers Club, which, depending on the win-lose ratio, will earn them a skill score to start out with. They will then be able to move up or down the ranks depending on their performance in matches.
Characters
This section is under construction. Therefore, please excuse its informal appearance while it is being worked on. We hope to have it completed as soon as possible.
There are 16 playable characters available in the game. Of those characters, Rosalina and Pauline are playable for the first time in the Mario Strikers series, while Toad, Shy Guy, and Birdo are now selectable as team captains after previously being sidekicks. Unlike in previous games, rather than having one captain and three generic sidekicks as teammates, teams in this game (apart from the goalie) are comprised entirely of main playable characters, though the player does have the option to include multiple Toads, Yoshis, or Shy Guys on a team, in a similar vein to sidekicks. Because of this, any character on a team can perform their Hyper Strike during a match, as opposed to previous games, where only the captain could perform special moves. Themes for each character when they shoot a goal make a return from Mario Strikers Charged, but unlike that game, they are all rock-and-roll-themed. Boom Booms are seen as goalies, taking over the role from Kritters in previous games. The game launched with 10 characters; the other 6 were included through 3 updates of 2 characters each, the first of which was released on July 21, 2022, the second on September 21, 2022, and the third on December 13, 2022.[5][7][8][9]
Every character has five different attributes:
Icon | Attribute | Description |
---|---|---|
Strength | This attribute determines the power of a character's tackle and their resistance to being tackled. | |
Speed | This attribute determines a character's running speed. | |
Shooting | This attribute determines the power of a shot and its speed. | |
Passing | This attribute determines the speed of a pass, as well as the range of a free pass. | |
Technique | This attribute determines a character's shot accuracy and curve, and it affects how the character dribbles the ball. It also affects the meter for the Hyper Strike and the timing of perfect moves, making both easier to execute if the attribute is high. |
Playable
The stats in the following table are the characters' default stats, without any gear applied.[10]
white | white | white | Peach | ||||
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Mario's high technique and shooting attributes make him a great choice for those seeking a balanced, capable character. | Luigi is a well-rounded team player who excels at setting up shots with his high passing attribute. | Bowser's powerful offense dominates the field with incredible shots and brutal tackles. | Quick and capable, Peach's high movement and technique attributes help her confuse and evade opponents. | ||||
Type | Technique | Type | Technique | Type | Physical | Type | Speed |
Default color | Red | Default color | Green | Default color | Dark gray | Default color | Pink |
Team number | 1 | Team number | 2 | Team number | 66 | Team number | 10 |
Hyper Strike | Fire Cyclone | Hyper Strike | Spin Tornado | Hyper Strike | Flame Cannon | Hyper Strike | Dance of Hearts |
Strength | 11/25 | Strength | 11/25 | Strength | 17/25 | Strength | 9/25 |
Speed | 12/25 | Speed | 11/25 | Speed | 9/25 | Speed | 17/25 |
Shooting | 14/25 | Shooting | 10/25 | Shooting | 17/25 | Shooting | 9/25 |
Passing | 10/25 | Passing | 14/25 | Passing | 11/25 | Passing | 13/25 |
Technique | 16/25 | Technique | 17/25 | Technique | 9/25 | Technique | 15/25 |
black black | white | white | black | ||||
A powerhouse on offense, Rosalina's mighty shooting ability will put any goalie to the test. | Toad’s high speed and passing attributes are perfect for any team looking to quickly set up a potent offense. In Quick Battle and Cup Battles, you can have more than one Toad on a team. | Yoshi is always ready to help out his team with excellent passing and strong shooting. In Quick Battle and Cup Battles, you can have more than one Yoshi on a team. | With his crushing tackle and skillful passing, Donkey Kong is a defensive barrier few can surmount. | ||||
Type | Offense | Type | Speed | Type | Offense | Type | Defense |
Default color | Cyan | Default color | Red | Default color | Green | Default color | Yellow |
Team number | 11 | Team number | 12 | Team number | 8 | Team number | 55 |
Hyper Strike | Orbital Burst | Hyper Strike | Drill Smash | Hyper Strike | Egg Stomp | Hyper Strike | Banana Blast |
Strength | 14/25 | Strength | 9/25 | Strength | 10/25 | Strength | 16/25 |
Speed | 9/25 | Speed | 17/25 | Speed | 10/25 | Speed | 9/25 |
Shooting | 17/25 | Shooting | 11/25 | Shooting | 17/25 | Shooting | 13/25 |
Passing | 10/25 | Passing | 15/25 | Passing | 17/25 | Passing | 16/25 |
Technique | 13/25 | Technique | 11/25 | Technique | 9/25 | Technique | 9/25 |
black | white | white white[7] | Daisy black[7] | ||||
Boasting high strength and fierce shooting power, Wario eagerly tackles his way to the front lines to take his shot. | A nimble defender, Waluigi uses his high speed and technique to rush over and knock opponents down with a punishing tackle. | An evenly-balanced player, Shy Guy is always eager to take the field, no matter the position. In Quick Battle and Cup Battles, you can have more than one Shy Guy on a team. | Whether on offense or defense, Daisy’s high technique and passing skills will keep opponents guessing. | ||||
Type | Physical | Type | Defense | Type | All-Rounder | Type | Technique |
Default color | Yellow | Default color | Purple | Default color | Red | Default color | Orange |
Team number | 00 | Team number | 0 | Team number | 3 | Team number | 9 |
Hyper Strike | Electric Ricochet | Hyper Strike | Thorn Barrier | Hyper Strike | Propeller Dive | Hyper Strike | Flower Spiral |
Strength | 17/25 | Strength | 15/25 | Strength | 13/25 | Strength | 13/25 |
Speed | 9/25 | Speed | 16/25 | Speed | 12/25 | Speed | 9/25 |
Shooting | 15/25 | Shooting | 9/25 | Shooting | 13/25 | Shooting | 10/25 |
Passing | 13/25 | Passing | 9/25 | Passing | 13/25 | Passing | 13/25 |
Technique | 9/25 | Technique | 14/25 | Technique | 12/25 | Technique | 18/25 |
white white[8] | black black[8] | black black[9] | black black[9] | ||||
Ready to roughhouse, Pauline's powerful strength and speed attributes mean opponents are never safe from her tackles. | Diddy Kong's balanced combo of speed, passing, and technique attributes makes him a dominant midfielder. | Bowser Jr. is a balanced type known for precise passes and invaluable assists. | Birdo is an offensive powerhouse whose powerful shots make scoring easy. | ||||
Type | Physical | Type | Speed | Type | All-Rounder | Type | Offense |
Default color | Red | Default color | Red | Default color | Orange | Default color | Pink |
Team number | 7 | Team number | 5 | Team number | 6 | Team number | 4 |
Hyper Strike | Swing Solo | Hyper Strike | Barrel Boom | Hyper Strike | Twisting Knuckleball | Hyper Strike | Jewel Dance |
Strength | 20/25 | Strength | 9/25 | Strength | 13/25 | Strength | 9/25 |
Speed | 16/25 | Speed | 16/25 | Speed | 13/25 | Speed | 10/25 |
Shooting | 9/25 | Shooting | 9/25 | Shooting | 11/25 | Shooting | 18/25 |
Passing | 9/25 | Passing | 16/25 | Passing | 17/25 | Passing | 9/25 |
Technique | 9/25 | Technique | 13/25 | Technique | 9/25 | Technique | 17/25 |
Goalie
white | ||
---|---|---|
Boom Boom is the goal keeper. He moves automatically and cannot be controlled by the player. Don't worry; he knows what he's doing. | ||
Type | Keeper |
Non-playable
Team customization
Quick Match and Cup Battles
In Quick Match, there are ten team names players can choose from, five on each side, depending on the side the player chooses. Each team has its own uniform design and color, as well as logo. When playing as Yoshi, Toad, or Shy Guy, the team colors will also change their overall color as well (though some colors are shared between each other). Additionally, when players dash, they leave behind trails matching their team color, except those in the purple/lavender and gray teams, who leave behind indigo and purple trails respectively.
In Cup Battles, the player is only able to choose from the left field teams, while the right field teams are used by the CPU opponents, along with original teams solely for the mode.
Left field teams | |||||||||
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Right field teams | |||||||||
Strikers Club
In Strikers Club, the club owner is able to customize their Striker's appearance based on their uniform design, their color (some of which are not usable in offline modes), and logo (some of which are used by CPU opponents in Cup Battles but cannot be used by the player offline). They are able to name their team whatever they want it to be. When playing online, the player can choose to either use a default team or use their club team design instead.
Pattern
Patterns | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Color
There are 12 different uniform colors the club owner can make their team, including lime green and white, which are exclusive to Strikers Club. Players select two different uniform colors, the first being for the left field team and the second being for the right field team.
First uniform | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Second uniform | |||||
Logo
The club owner is also able to select a logo for their team as well.
Stadiums
Unlike previous Mario Strikers games, the soccer fields now consist of two individual halves, each with a different theme, which can be combined into one stadium from either different or the same halves. This also changes what music is playing during the matches, with the same field halves playing one of two distinct songs (some of which are rearrangements of previous Mario songs), or entirely original music if the two halves are different. Like in Super Mario Strikers, aside from the electric fences that can shock players present around the perimeter of the field, the different fields designs are only aesthetic, rather than each one having any distinct hazards.
In Strikers Club, the player has the ability to visually upgrade the stage's appearance, adding more scenery around it, using tokens earned from season matches. There are four levels of upgrades the player can give the stage, with the first three costing 100,000 tokens and the fourth costing 2,500,000. In addition to the stage itself, there are also options customize the stage's turf, goal line, electric fence, and goal designs. However, none of these affect the stadiums' appearance in offline play.
Desert Ruin (version 1.1.0)[7]
- Nocoverart.png
Urban Rooftop (version 1.3.0)[9]
Gear
Template:More images A new feature to the Mario Strikers series is gear, allowing players to buy different outfits to change the characters' stats. Each piece of gear, when applied, will increase a particular stat by a certain amount while also decreasing another stat by a certain amount. There are seven sets of gear, with each increasing a particular stat. The Bushido set can only be unlocked after completing the normal Championship Cup. Each gear set contains four pieces, including a head, arms, body, and legs piece, which cost 100 coins per piece per character and 300 per Bushido, Knight, and Barrel piece.
Set | Head gear | Arms gear | Body gear | Legs gear |
---|---|---|---|---|
When equipped, this gear increases the strength attribute at the cost of another attribute. |
Muscle Helmet |
Muscle Gauntlets |
Muscle Chest |
Muscle Boots |
When equipped, this gear increases the speed attribute at the cost of another attribute. |
Turbo Helmet |
Turbo Gloves |
Turbo Pad |
Turbo Boots |
When equipped, this gear increases the shooting attribute at the cost of another attribute. |
Cannon Visor |
Cannon Gloves |
Cannon Plate |
Cannon Boots |
When equipped, this gear increases the passing attribute at the cost of another attribute. |
Chain Helmet |
Chain Gauntlets |
Chain Plate |
Chain Boots |
When equipped, this gear increases the technique attribute at the cost of another attribute. |
Trick Helmet |
Trick Gloves |
Trick Pad |
Trick Boots |
When equipped, this gear increases one attribute at the cost of the other four. |
Bushido Helmet |
Bushido Gloves |
Bushido Pad |
Bushido Boots |
When equipped, this gear mainly increases the strength and shooting attributes while the speed, passing and technique attributes slightly increase or decrease. |
Knight Helmet |
Knight Gauntlets |
Knight Plate |
Knight Boots |
When equipped, this gear mainly increases the passing and shooting attributes while the speed, strength and technique attributes slightly increase or decrease. |
Barrel Helmet |
Barrel Gloves |
Barrel Pad |
Barrel Boots |
Shellfish Helmet[9] |
||||
Promotion
- For video advertisements, see Mario Strikers: Battle League § External links.
On April 13, 2022, the Nintendo UK Twitter account announced that any pre-orders of the game made through the My Nintendo Store will receive a bonus Fan Scarf.[11] If a pre-order is made through Walmart, an exclusive decal sheet featuring the game's artwork is included.[12]
On May 16, 2022, Nintendo's German YouTube channel uploaded a gameplay video of a Mario Strikers: Battle League match commented by German sports announcer Frank Buschmann.[13]
On May 25, 2022, Nintendo of Japan revealed that Switch icons for the game that can be purchased with My Nintendo Platinum Points will be released on the Nintendo Switch Online app on June 10, the same day as the game's release.[14]
Demos
A free, limited time demo titled Mario Strikers: Battle League First Kick (known in European languages as Mario Strikers: Battle League Football First Kick), or simply Mario Strikers First Kick[15], was released prior to the game's full launch. The demo allowed online play via the Versus Everyone and Join Friends modes at set periods from June 3 through June 5, 2022 (Pacific Time), with single-player gameplay available at any time only through the Training mode. A Nintendo Switch Online membership was required to play online matches. The Strikers Club mode, Gear, and Strikers Rankings are not available.
The following was the schedule for the demo's active online sessions:[16]
- Friday, June 3 - 8:00–9:00 p.m. PT
- Saturday, June 4 - 4:00–5:00 a.m. PT
- Saturday, June 4 - 12:00–1:00 p.m. PT
- Saturday, June 4 - 8:00–9:00 p.m. PT
- Sunday, June 5 - 4:00–5:00 a.m. PT
- Sunday, June 5 - 12:00–1:00 p.m. PT
Five months after the game's initial release, a new, free demo available to be downloaded at any time was released for the game.[17] The demo allows players to play the game with a limited amount of characters (Mario, Luigi, Bowser, Peach, Toad, and Yoshi), with only the Quick Battle and Cup Battles modes available. Quick Battle can be played for a total of seven times, while only the Cannon Cup is available in Cup Battles and can be played once.
Staff
- Main article: List of Mario Strikers: Battle League staff
As with the previous two games in the Mario Strikers series, Mario Strikers: Battle League was developed by Next Level Games, though this is the company's first game since its full acquisition by Nintendo. The game was directed by Devon Blanchet, who previously served as a design director for Luigi's Mansion 3, while the music was composed by Chad York and Darren Radtke, who composed for every Mario game by Next Level Games since Mario Strikers Charged.
Update history
Ver. 1.1.0 (released July 21, 2022)
- Additional Content
- Added “Daisy” as a playable character.
- Added “Shy Guy” as a playable character.
- Added the “Desert Ruin” stadium.
- Added the “Knight” gear set.
- Added Features
- Increased how many items can be displayed in the Notifications ticker in Strikers Club.
- When choosing "Random" on the Character Selection screen, the geared version of the Character will be selected (if one exists).
- General
- Reduced the probability of scoring on a weak shot from far away.
- Reduced the probability of Stars appearing when you are losing by a 1 or 2 point difference.
- Revised the CPU behavior and opposing team composition in Cup Battles.
- Added visible trail to the ball when it’s not in active possession, making it easier to see.
- Made player numbers easier to see when playing online.
- Fixed an issue when playing as Waluigi and using a hyper strike in which the ball could hit a goal post and not go in.
- Made several other adjustments to game balance and fixed several other issues to improve the gameplay experience.
Ver. 1.1.1 (released August 15, 2022)
- Issues Fixed
- Fixed an issue where the goal keeper would sometimes fail to react to a free lob pass from certain positions, which would result in a goal being scored.
Ver. 1.2.0 (released September 21, 2022)
- Additional Content
- Added “Pauline” as a playable character.
- Added “Diddy Kong” as a playable character.
- Added the “Planetoid” stadium.
- Added the “Barrel” gear set.
- Added Features
- Added “Striker Rankings” to the Main Menu. Compete by comparing your individual ability over a fixed period of time with “Skill Score”, which varies with your performance in online matches (excluding Battle Friends).
- Added the following content to “Strikers Club”.
- You can now customize supporters in the stadium. Access this by going to “Club Management” → “Stadium” → “Supporters”.
- You can now use Coins to view fireworks and confetti when you score a goal or when you win a match. Access this by going to “Club Management” → “Match Celebration”.
- General
- Adjusted the behavior so that CPU teammates mark opponents more quickly.
- Adjusted the order of characters when you switch characters.
- Adjusted the charge time of Perfect Free Passes and Perfect Free Lob Passes.
- Increased the amount of Coins and tokens you earn depending on the results of a match.
- Changed the period of time for a rule in Strikers Club, which states that a Club will not be allowed to join a season if no member of a Club has been online within a certain amount of time, from 90 days to 30 days.
- Changed the number of ? Blocks that are thrown to the losing team at kickoff from 2 to 1 when the difference in score is 2 points.
- Adjusted the match-making system in online matches.
- Made several other adjustments to game balance and fixed several other issues to improve the gameplay experience.
Ver. 1.3.0 (released December 13, 2022)
- Additional Content
- Added “Bowser Jr.” as a playable character.
- Added “Birdo” as a playable character.
- Added the “Urban Rooftop” stadium.
- Added the “Shellfish” gear set.
- Added Features
- Added “Quick Chat” feature to online gameplay. You can now select from four preset messages during each of the onscreen phases to communicate with all players in the match.
- General
- Added a rule to “Match Settings” that limits ? Blocks that appear during a match to only Team-Colored ? Blocks.
- Made other adjustments to game balance and fixed other issues to improve the gameplay experience.
Ver. 1.3.1 (released January 24, 2023)
- Issues Fixed
- Fixed an issue in which Rainbow-colored ? Blocks would not appear during Strikers Club Season Matches.
Reception
Mario Strikers: Battle League generally received mixed to positive reception from critics, for similar reasons as the first two games. The gameplay, presentation, and visuals were very well received; much praise was directed towards the level of depth added to the core mechanics while still being accessible to casual players, but the lack of characters and stadiums at launch received criticism.
Reviews | |||
---|---|---|---|
Reviewer, Publication | Score | Comment | |
Alex Olney, Nintendo Life | 9/10 | "Mario Strikers: Battle League is a masterclass in competitive game design. What it lacks in options is more than made up by just how much fun the game is, and it’s absolutely gorgeous to boot. As it stands it already feels like a complete product, but the promise of future updates down the line gives us even more to get excited about. If arcade sport action isn’t your bag, it’ll likely do nothing to sway your opinion, but if you have even a passing interest in this kind of caper, Mario Strikers: Battle League is the best sports game on Switch right now." | |
Travis Northup, IGN | 8/10 | "Mario Strikers: Battle League is part skillful soccer game, part ruthless brawler, and almost always a complete blast to play. If you’ve played any games in the series before, there won’t be many surprises in store for you and the small roster of characters and game modes is definitely disappointing, but what’s there is incredibly fun and replayable. I’m impressed by the online mode in the time I’ve had with it so far too, as it sets the stage for a ranked playlist that I look forward to grinding my way to the top of." | |
Steve Watts, GameSpot | 7/10 | "Mario Strikers: Battle League is a thin package, without very much variety in terms of game modes and options. But it is a more technically complex game than many of the Mario sports titles, which may give it legs for dedicated players. Sports are all about proving your skill in head-to-head match-ups, and that will have to be enough, because there isn't much else to it." | |
Alex Stadnik, Game Informer | 7.5/10 | "Mario Strikers: Battle League may not be the ultimate version of the world's most popular sport, but its strategic matches, fun online modes, and energetic animations make for an enjoyable experience. While the single-player crowd may find the game a bit lacking, Nintendo's return to the pitch is bound to create the same triumphant highs, and friendship-ending lows the company's suite of other party titles is known for." | |
Aggregators | |||
Compiler | Template:Nowrap | ||
Metacritic | 73 |
Sales
In the UK, Battle League took the #1 spot in weekly physical software sales in its first week on the market,[18] and in under 3 weeks, became the best selling physical game in June in Europe, beating Mario Golf: Super Rush's lifetime sales in the continent.[19] As of September 30, 2022, it has sold 2.17 million copies worldwide[20], surpassing Super Mario Strikers' lifetime sales[21] and having the best launch out of any Mario sports game to date.[22] By December 31, 2022, the game had sold 2.47 million copies. [23]
Pre-release and unused content
- In the initial reveal trailer, the lighting and character models were much more simplified than in the final game.
- In the overview trailer for the game, Purple Yoshi could be seen as part of a purple-colored team. Purple Yoshi did not return in either the First Kick demo or the final game, as Blue Yoshi replaces Purple Yoshi.[24]
Gallery
Gallery
- For this subject's image gallery, see Gallery:Mario Strikers: Battle League.
Mario performing a slide kick
Mario and Bowser
Mario performing a Hyper Strike
References to other media
- Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3: Wario's dribble animation with him carrying the ball references his ability to do the same towards enemies in the game, along with his Shoulder Bash being used for his animation when tackling.
- Donkey Kong Country: An arrangement of "DK Island Swing" plays on the Jungle Retreat stage.[25]
- Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island: Yoshi's dash animation references his run cycle in this game.
- Paper Mario: Shy Guy's match victory animation with him floating using three colored balloons is a reference to Sky Guys.
- Luigi's Mansion: An arrangement of the main theme of this game plays on the Spooky Mansion stage.[25]
- Super Mario Strikers: Bowser, Donkey Kong, and Waluigi's artwork is based on their respective artwork from this game.
- New Super Mario Bros.: The Mushroom Hill stage is centered around the grass world, and the Main Theme has been rearranged as one of the themes for the stage.[25]
- Mario Strikers Charged: The Cup Battles mode features arrangements of both Road to the Strikers Cup themes that play in that respective mode, along with the cup victory theme. Yoshi and Birdo's themes have also been rearranged, a part of Bowser's theme shows up in the track for Lava Castle, and the Golden Goal plays an arrangement of the Sudden Death theme, this time including the parts from the opening version of the theme. The main leitmotif also plays in the beginning of the opening movie. The Cannon Gear Set is based off of the characters' outfits from this game. Waluigi's Hyper Strike involving vines going through opponents is taken from his Mega Strike, where he uses a vine whip to shoot the ball, and Daisy's Hyper Strike in the freeze frame has her in a similar position to her artwork, along with the flowers crystalizing, which references her Mega Strike of gathering crystals to punch the ball.[25]
- Mario Party DS: One of Waluigi's animations in the Cup Battles victory ceremony has him in a pose taken from his render in this game.
- Donkey Kong Country Returns: The decorations of the Jungle Retreat court resemble DK's Tree House as seen in this game.
- Mario Sports Mix: Some voice clips are taken from this game.
- Super Mario 3D Land: Boom Boom's voice clips are taken from this game.
- Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon: The decorations of the Spooky Mansion court reference Gloomy Manor and the Dark Moon, and the game features an arrangement of Gloomy Manor's music.[25]
- Super Mario 3D World: Super Bell Hill's theme is arranged as one of the tracks that play on the Mushroom Hill stage.[25]
- Mario Kart 8: The majority of the characters' voice clips are taken from this game. One of the club decorations for Planetoid has a statue of a Toad in a space suit similar to the ones found in the game's online menu.
- Super Mario Odyssey: Jump Up, Super Star! is arranged for Pauline's theme.
- Mario Kart Tour: Some of Pauline's voice clips are taken from this game.
- One of Waluigi's victory animations when he scores a goal has him strike the same pose as Template:Media link of him that was seen in Nintendo Minute's blue Nintendo Switch Lite unboxing video (albeit with his rose in his mouth, rather than in his hand while sticking his tongue out).
Names in other languages
Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Japanese | マリオストライカーズ: バトルリーグ[26] Mario Sutoraikāzu: Batoru Rīgu |
Mario Strikers: Battle League | |
Chinese (simplified) | 马力欧激战前锋 战斗联赛[27] Mǎlì'ōu Jīzhàn Qiánfēng Zhàndòu Liánsài |
Mario Fierce Battle Strikers: Battle League Match | |
Chinese (traditional) | 瑪利歐激戰前鋒 戰鬥聯賽[28] Mǎlì'ōu Jīzhàn Qiánfēng Zhàndòu Liánsài |
Mario Fierce Battle Strikers: Battle League Match | |
Korean | 마리오 스트라이커즈 배틀 리그[?] Mario Seuteulaikeojeu Baeteul Ligeu |
Mario Strikers Battle League |
Trivia
It has been requested that this section be rewritten and expanded to include more information. Reason: the second main trivia point needs to be elaborated; for instance, which of Waluigi's in-game animations mimic his past renders?
- This is the first game in the Mario Strikers series where almost all voice lines are reused from other Mario games, rather than being newly recorded.
- It also does not reuse voice lines from the previous entries, with one exception being when Mario wants the ball to be passed to him, as well as most of Birdo's voice lines.
- Some animations and poses that the characters have resemble various past promotional artwork and renders, particularly with Waluigi.
External links
- Official websites
- Advertisements
- "Hyper Strikes" advertisement
- "So Much Fun It Hurts" advertisement
- "So Much Fun It Hurts" advertisement (unlisted version)
- "Customize With Gear" advertisement
- "Online Play" advertisement
- "Here We Go" launch trailer
- "1st Free Update" trailer
References
- ^ Theriault, Donald. (February 14, 2022). Next Level Games Confirmed To Be Developing Mario Strikers: Battle League. Nintendo World Report. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
- ^ Cite error: Invalid
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- ^ a b NintendoAmerica (May 27, 2022). Be ready for more no-holds-barred Strike action following the launch of #MarioStrikers: Battle League, as there are free post-launch updates coming, including new characters! Keep an eye out for more details on updates in the future. Twitter. Retrieved May 27, 2022. (Archived May 27, 2022, 13:20:39 UTC via Wayback Machine.)
- ^ @NintendoAmerica (July 19, 2022). "Good news, Strikers! There are two more free updates arriving before the end of 2022. Look forward to additional characters, gear, and stadiums!" Twitter. Retrieved July 19, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e Nintendo (July 19, 2022). Mario Strikers: Battle League - 1st Free Update - Nintendo Switch. YouTube. Retrieved July 19, 2022.
- ^ a b c d Nintendo (September 13, 2022). Mario Strikers: Battle League 2nd Free Update – Nintendo Direct 9.13.22 – Nintendo Switch. YouTube. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f Nintendo (December 12, 2022). Mario Strikers: Battle League - 3rd Free Update - Nintendo Switch. YouTube. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
- ^ Nintendo JP (May 6, 2022). Mario Strikers: Battle League Strategy Page. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
- ^ @NintendoUK (April 13, 2022). Take the ball and go for goal when Mario Strikers: Battle League Football comes to Nintendo Switch on June 10th. Pre-order now on My Nintendo Store and receive a bonus Fan Scarf! Already pre-ordered? Your order will automatically be upgraded. Twitter. Retrieved April 13, 2022. (Archived April 13, 2022 18:49:44 UTC via Internet Archive: Wayback Machine.)
- ^ @ESportsArena (May 28, 2022). Lace up your cleats & prepare to get gritty! Tackle, pass & score with the Mushroom Kingdom gang in Strike, a 5-on-5 sport where anything goes. Preorder Mario Strikers: Battle League & receive an exclusive decal set free. Twitter. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
- ^ Nintendo DE (May 16, 2022). Mario Strikers: Battle League Football – Vollständiges Match – kommentiert von Frank Buschmann. YouTube. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
- ^ Japanese Nintendo website (May 27, 2022). Nintendo Switch『マリオストライカーズ バトルリーグ』開幕直前オンライン体験イベント「ファーストキック」の開催が決定。試合に勝つためのテクニックを紹介する映像も公開。 Article on the Nintendo Japanese website. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
- ^ NintendoEurope (June 2, 2022). Don't forget, the #MarioStrikers First Kick takes place this weekend for #NintendoSwitchOnline members. Play the tutorial now ahead of the online multiplayer events across Saturday and Sunday. Twitter. Retrieved June 9, 2022. (Archived June 2, 2022, 10:01:13 UTC via Wayback Machine.)
- ^ Mario Strikers™: Battle League First Kick. nintendo.com. Archived May 27, 2022, 13:16:57 UTC from the original via Wayback Machine. Retrieved June 4, 2022.
- ^ NintendoAmerica (November 9, 2022). Tested your grit out on the Strike field yet? Now’s your chance! The #MarioStrikers: Battle League free demo is available now on Nintendo #eShop! Twitter. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
- ^ GameIndustry. Mario Strikers: Battle League shoots straight to No.1 | UK Boxed Charts. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
- ^ GameIndustry. F1 22 and Mario Strikers deliver big sales numbers across Europe | European Monthly Report. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
- ^ https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2022/221108_8e.pdf
- ^ Pierre485 (August 3, 2022). Mario Strikers: Battle League shipped 1.91m units in 3 weeks. Already surpassing the original total sales.. Retrieved August 3, 2022.
- ^ OJ - PlayerEssence (August 3, 2022). Mario Strikers Battle League sold 1.91 million units in a little less than a month on Switch. It had the 'best launch for any Mario Sports title in history'. Retrieved August 3, 2022.
- ^ https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2023/230207_5e.pdf
- ^ https://youtu.be/_UmjcJT6nuQ?t=48
- ^ a b c d e f Mario Strikers: Battle League OST. YouTube. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
- ^ Cite error: Invalid
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- ^ (February 10, 2022). 《Nintendo Switch 运动》、《异度神剑3》和《马力欧激战前锋 战斗联赛》等 Nintendo Switch专用游戏软件最新资讯公开! 多款支持中文作品预定发售! Nintendo HK. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
- ^ Cite error: Invalid
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Mario Strikers: Battle League | ||
---|---|---|
Players | Playable characters | Birdoc • Bowser • Bowser Jr.c • Daisya • Diddy Kongb • Donkey Kong • Luigi • Mario • Paulineb • Peach • Rosalina • Shy Guya • Toad • Waluigi • Wario • Yoshi |
Goalie | Boom Boom | |
Non-playable | Fly Guy • Fútbot • Koopa Troopa • Shy Guys • Toads • Yoshis | |
Hyper Strikes | Banana Blast • Barrel Boom • Dance of Hearts • Drill Smash • Egg Stomp • Electric Ricochet • Fire Cyclone • Flame Cannon • Flower Spiral • Jewel Dance • Orbital Burst • Propeller Dive • Spin Tornado • Swing Solo • Thorn Barrier • Twisting Knuckleball | |
Fields | Desert Ruina • Jungle Retreat • Lava Castle • Mushroom Hill • Planetoidb • Royal Castle • Spooky Mansion • Urban Rooftopc | |
Cups | Cannon Cup • Chain Cup • Turbo Cup • Muscle Cup • Trick Cup • Championship Cup | |
Items | Banana • Bob-omb • Green Shell • Mushroom • Red Shell • Strike Orb • Star | |
Miscellaneous | Gallery • Staff • Strike | |