It's been a long wait for Mario Strikers: Battle League, the latest entry into the soccer-based sports title from Nintendo's Mario lineup. Whereas other titles like Mario Tennis and Mario Golf feel like they've found their footing already, Mario Strikers is oft-forgotten alongside those. While the latest game does a lot of work to establish what a current-gen Mario Strikers experience should feel like, it's also strayed furthest from its soccer roots as a result, creating a fun sports experience that doesn't really pay homage to its inspiration in the same way the other Mario sports titles do.
Mario Strikers: Battle League features 5-on-5 team battles, with each team made up of recognizable fan favorites from the Mario franchise. One of the most immediately noticeable elements is the lack of character unlocks in the game's progression system, which seems to be saving these for DLC. It's a little surprising, since part of the replayability in these types of games comes from character unlocks, and it definitely hurts the title's appeal to have so much of the total roster available from the start.
That said, the roster players get is full of the staples of the Mario franchise, with those not making the initial cut being less prominent characters like Boo or Shy Guy. There's also stat attributes associated with each character, which makes designing a team a little bit more involved - some character, like Waluigi, are fast but not technically proficient, which means he's better off setting up plays while better finishers, like Mario, should be on the end of them.
Those who want to put characters together that don't mesh well aren't without options thanks to the Gear customization options present, which allow players to mix and match pieces of equipment to boost/neuter certain stats. There's always a trade-off, like enhancing strength at the detriment of speed, but it does allow for basically any roster to work with enough attention paid to stats.
Mario Strikers: Battle League stadiums are a big part of the appeal of the title, since they're so aesthetically striking. Another draw is the sporadic appearance of items, which function almost identically to their Mario Kart counterparts - there are even Green and Red Shells to hurl at opponents to interrupt potential playmakers. Hyper Strike is more akin to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate finishers, where players can acquire an orb on the soccer field and then unleash a special move unique to each character for the chance at 2 points instead of 1.
Mario Strikers: Battle League features game modes that are expected at this point, with scrimmages and tournaments aplenty and gold coins on offer to unlock more Gear Customization options. Striker's Club is the most interesting element of the new title in this regard, allowing players to go online, create their own team (including uniforms), and join up with up to 19 other members to do battle against other clubs worldwide. It's an intriguing addition and one that is clearly inspired by the FIFA series, but given the game's more simplistic view of sport, it seems unlikely to catch on in the same way.
All of these features are fun, but many of them also directly conflict with the inspiration of soccer as the sport Mario Strikers: Battle League is based on. Whereas Mario Tennis and Mario Kart feel in harmony with the genre's they're borrowing from, Mario Strikers feels more trapped by its reliance on a soccer aesthetic. Characters will pick up and simply throw the ball; double points are awarded for Hyper Strikes, which are difficult to prevent once learned; items and tackling make the game feel much more rugby-esque in spots than the more strict soccer physicality.
While that's not necessarily a problem for those just looking for a good time, it does make me wonder why Mario Strikers: Battle League can't just invent its own sport and be done with it. The significant changes to design in terms of gameplay make it feel utterly unfamiliar to those who enjoy soccer, while it's adherence to some of the elements of soccer make it less ambitious than it could have been. In a lot of ways, Battle League feels like the blueprint for Nintendo to expand its sports offerings into its own inventions, rather than continuing to pair up its characters with an existing pastime. Mario Strikers: Battle League is a good game with fun to be had, but a lack of identity and some lackluster roster variety means its one that won't stand shoulder-to-shoulder with other greats in the Mario sports catalog.
Mario Strikers: Battle League releases on June 10 for Nintendo Switch. Screen Rant was provided with a digital download code for the purpose of this review.