Occasionally we get to cover Nintendo Directs on Sports Gamers Online. It’s rare, but it’s always something I am personally excited about. Today was no exception. In a surprisingly sports-heavy Direct, Nintendo announced Mario Strikers: Battle League, the first Strikers game since 2007.
Mario Strikers: Battle League Crosses on to the Nintendo Switch
Mario Strikers: Battle League is the third game in the Mario soccer series. It’s been 15 years since the previous game, Mario Strikers Charged, came out on the Nintendo Wii. I would call the Strikers series a bit of a cult classic. The games never got the same level of fame as the favorite son Mario Golf. Now, though, the people are ready. We need a game where Wario throws the ball into the goal.
The trailer calls Battle League a “5 on 5 sport like soccer,” which is one more player per team than Charged. Why don’t they just call it soccer? Bowser is allowed to just pick up the ball, so I guess they have to use the term loosely.
The game can be played alone, or with up to 8 players in a 4-on-4 battle. Nintendo shows a lot of gameplay for a first look, showing off a few different mechanics coming to Battle League.
New Gear, New Kicks
First, a new gear system lets you customize your character’s stats. You have five basic attributes: Strength, Speed, Shooting, Passing, and Technique. Different pieces of gear will improve different stats. Need strength? Put on some armor. Looking to pass better? Wear this targeting visor.
Second, the trailer talks about the Hyper Strike, your character’s unique shot. You can charge your kicks to unleash a powerful shot, like Luigi’s tornado kick.
Mario Strikers Charged had a similar mechanic, but it’s good to see it return. Finally, the trailer reveals the inclusion of Online Clubs, a crew of up to 20 players that can assemble squads of 4 to play other Clubs online. Seems neat!
Personally, I loved playing Mario Strikers Charged. So it’s no surprise that I am really looking forward to Mario Strikers: Battle League. Mario Strikers: Battle League launches on the Nintendo Switch on June 10.