Mario Strikers Battle League is headed to the Nintendo Switch on June 10th. Ahead of launch, I was given the opportunity for a virtual first-look including a preview of the game with representatives from Nintendo.
Come with me as I share what I learned about Mario Strikers Battle League during this exciting virtual event!
Mario Strikers Battle League Details
Platform(s): Nintendo Switch
Release Date: June 10, 2022
Developer(s): Next Level Games and Nintendo EPD
Publisher(s): Nintendo
Genre: Sports
Modes: Single-player, multiplayer
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10+)
First new entry in the series in 15 years
Mario Strikers Battle League is the first new entry in the Mario Strikers series in 15 years. The first game was released on the Nintendo GameCube and the follow up in 2007 on the Nintendo Wii.
A quick refresher for those who may be new to the series. Mario Strikers Battle League is a 5v5 sports game where the sport is called strike, a blend of soccer and battle elements with no rules at all. Your “goal” is simple, score the most points in the time allotted.
10 characters to choose from, including Mario, Toad, Bowser and more. Toad and Yoshi fans will be happy to know that because both characters are species, you can select multiple Toads and Yoshis on the same team. Each of the characters in the game have their own unique stats such as strength, speed, shooting, passing and technique.
Fast paced action on the field
Mario Strikers Battle League features many elements from soccer such as lob passes, which allow you to pass the ball over opposing characters to your teammates. Additionally, there are 2 types of shots, a regular shot and a more powerful shot that allows you to charge it up.
Where the game separates itself from soccer is in its battle elements. Battle League allows you to tackle, charge tackle and tackle your opponent into the electrified wall surrounding the playfield. This sends a jolt of electricity through your opponent that gives you an opportunity to seal the ball.
Strike orbs allow you to perform a special shot called a hyper strike, scoring using a hyper strike allows you to get two points instead of just one. Since this is a Mario sports game there are items you can obtain via Mario question blocks that appear on the field. Items such as turtle shells, banana peels, bombs and more can be used to knock down your opponent.
Customize your characters with gear
After every game you play you are rewarded with coins, win or lose. These in-game coins allow you to customize your character’s looks and stats with gear. There are 5 sets of gear: muscle, turbo, trick, chain and cannon sets.
Each set includes items for your head, arms, body and legs. You’re not limited to using just one set, you can mix and match gear from each set. Any gear that you purchase and equip, carry over to all of the different modes in the game.
Gameplay modes
There are 3 gameplay modes in Mario Strikers Battle League. The folks at Nintendo went through each of the modes to show me what they offered. Here’s a quick breakdown of each.
Quick Battle
In this mode you can play up to 8 players on a single Nintendo Switch in a one off match with local wireless or online play. In this mode you can select match length, the computer’s skill level, toggle items and hyper strikes on and off and set the day or night settings.
Cup Battles
This is a tournament mode where you can play offline only with 1 to 4 players on a single Nintendo Switch. In this mode there are various cups that allow you to play against a computer controlled team. Winning a tournament nets you coins to purchase more gear and a trophy to show off to your friends.
Strikers Club
This is an online only club mode and the reason why the game was named Mario Strikers Battle League. The Strikers club mode works very similar to that of a soccer league. In this mode you can either create or join a club that fits up to 20 players. Clubs contain seasons that allow you to play representing your club and accumulating season points.
Getting the most points in a season within your club allows you to get promoted. There are 7 divisions and all teams start from the very bottom division. Your goal is to keep getting promoted until you are in the top division and keep on ranking high.
Online play allows up to 2 players to play on each Nintendo Switch. Additionally, you have the option to pair up and battle with someone else in the same club as you and compete together against a different club. Or, you can battle without pairing up where the remaining slots are filled by computer controlled players.
After each match you are given 2 sets of rewards: coins and tokens, which is in game currency that is only in the Strikers Club. These tokens are put into a pool within the club that everyone is contributing to, which allows you to customize your club.
Pre-launch opportunities to play Mario Strikers Battle League
Starting today, Nintendo Switch Online members can participate in a Mario Strikers Battle League test kick. This test kick allows you to play the training section of the game, which allows you to experience the game’s soccer and battle mechanics. Head on over to the Nintendo eShop on your Switch for more details and to download the test kick.
Furthermore, closer to the game’s June 10th launch there will be online multiplayer sessions.
Mario Strikers Battle League launches June 10, 2022
Mario Strikers Battle League launches June 10, 2022 on Nintendo Switch. During my virtual preview of the game, Nintendo confirmed that there will be multiple post launch content drops that will be free for owners of the game which include additional characters and other content.
After getting an early preview of the game, I can’t wait to get my hands on it! The high speed action combined with no holds barred rules makes this one of the must have games for this summer. I’m really excited to create my own club in Strikers Club and play with friends online.
As always, you can count on the Best Buy Blog to have a review. Let us know in the comments if you are a fan of the franchise and if you will be picking up this game.
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