Rumors are pointing towards an upcoming release of a Mario Baseball game for the Nintendo Switch, but getting excited about the title doesn't seem like a good idea. Although Nintendo's Mario sports games have a long and storied legacy behind them, recent years haven't pointed toward the same promise. If Mario does step up to the plate once again, he might be more likely to strike out than hit a home run.

The GameCube's Mario Superstar Baseball was followed by Mario Super Sluggers on the Wii, which increased both the number of playable characters and the amount of stadiums seen in-game. The series has since seen a long dormancy, without the Mario sports game receiving even a remaster, only baseball's inclusion in the 3DS title Mario Sports Superstars standing as Mario's only return to the sport since the Wii. Mario Baseball is overdue for a comeback, but an upcoming appearance may not live up to these titles.

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Mario Sports Games Haven't Thrived On The Nintendo Switch

Toad, Mario, Peach, and Luigi lining up on the pitch in anticipation of a Mario Strikers: Battle League match starting.

According to ComicBook, the new reports of a Mario Baseball title come by way of a reliable insider, giving some substance to rumors of the game. If it's anything like the most recent Mario sports titles, however, a Mario Baseball game for the Switch may struggle to match the reception of entries on prior systems. Mario Golf: Super Rush features solid golf mechanics, but launched with fewer courses than the prior peaks of the series, making the game feel like a step backward. Mario Strikers: Battle League likewise lacks content, abandoning prior features like arena effects and losing some of the variety that Mario Strikers Charged offered in items and dribbles.

Mario Baseball For The Switch Isn't Likely To Break The Curse

Mario holding a baseball bat outstretched in front of a Nintendo Switch.

Mario Tennis Aces marks the most complete Mario sports release on the Switch, losing some of the flavor of prior entries but delivering on mechanical depth. With both Super Rush and Battle League releasing after it, however, placing faith in it as a barometer of quality for a potential Mario Baseball title seems unwise. An upcoming Mario sports game is likely to suffer from the same issues that the most recent releases have, meaning that a Switch version of Mario Baseball might well have fewer characters and stadiums than Super Sluggers did on the Wii. Although these titles should represent flagships in sports gaming, the record speaks otherwise.

It's not impossible that a Switch Mario Baseball game could learn from the lessons of Nintendo's best Mario sports games, but fans getting their hopes up from leaks would do best to temper their expectations. Mario has seen some fantastic Switch outings, jumping and kicking to creative peaks in Super Mario Odyssey and speeding to 200CC frenzy in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Mario sports games, however, do not seem likely to meet the same treatment. A solid Mario Baseball game might seem like an easy pitch, but with Mario Golf: Super Rush and Mario Strikers: Battle League, Nintendo's already racked up two strikes.

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Sources: ComicBook, Akshon Esports/YouTube