Super Mario Strikers

GamePro

It's easily the Mario Kart of soccer games and that should tell you a lot. Even if you think you're a confirmed soccer hater, Super Mario Strikers just might rock your world.

GameSpy

The multiplayer more than covers the bases, though, as Strikers will join Super Smash Bros. Melee, the Super Monkey Ball series, and the Mario Party games as one of the 'Cube's best titles for armchair warfare.

Armchair Empire

A no-brainer as a family purchase... Great stuff.

eToychest

The game is fast and fun, and while far from annoyance free, it is the best sports title to star Nintendo’s familiar mascots to come along in a good long while, if not ever.

Play Magazine

This is by far the craziest Mario sports title yet and I had a blast with it. [Jan 2006, p.49]

Da Gameboyz

With solid graphics, good sound and a really addictive multiplayer component, this game should be rated for what it is, an arcade soccer game that is meant to be played with others.

GameZone

Play it, beat it, and get away from it for a while. Then come back with a few friends to see what the multiplayer mode is made of.

G4 TV

No matter the party size, the controls are fluidly responsive, which makes using tackles irresistible.

Gamer 2.0

There are so many things that might have been implemented that would have taken it from being a very good game, to an excellent one. Nonetheless, the game is still a very good one.

Adrenaline Vault

Perhaps it’s the beat-em-up aspect, and maybe it is the satisfaction of pulling off the difficult power shots, but the game seems to have gone an extra step beyond some of the other titles.

Nintendojo

The fact that the atmosphere is the most notable part of the game means that it also fails in some respects.

Pelit (Finland)

A simple arcade soccer. Fun for multiplayer sessions, but the lack of depth limits its longevity. Next Level guys come from the team behind Sega Soccer Slam, and it really shows. [Jan 2006]

NintendoWorldReport

With friends, the action is fierce and the competition is intense. The single player isn’t worth it on its own, but multiplayer is definitely worth the investment.

Eurogamer

It's charmingly designed from the ground up to be as fun and accessible as possible, yet despite its astonishing simplicity, it still managed to hold our interest well beyond our expectations.

BonusStage

One of those classic videogame cases in which the gameplay and overall design is handled extremely well, but the experience itself is so short-lived that even the great gameplay can’t keep it from growing stale over a pretty short period of time.

IGN

The quintessential arcade sports game. It's short on options, lacks depth, but when you jump in and play it, you're bound to have a really good time. It delivers both intuitively learned and mastered control mechanics and that rare multiplayer experience that is incredibly hard to put down.

Nintendo Power

It doesn't have all the bells and whistles of a well-established franchise, but the core gameplay is nearly spot-on. [Jan 2006, p.111]

Cheat Code Central

You're only going to get your money's worth out of this game if you plan on getting a lot of use out of the multi-player mode.

GameBrink

It's a great multi-player game, but single player can get very tedious.

GameSpot

It's soccer starring Mario and friends, but the problem is, there just isn't enough "Mario" in Super Mario Strikers.

Total Video Games

Its emphasis on fun football gameplay with a heavy dose of Mario power-ups including Koopa Shells, Stars, Mushrooms, and BobOmbs ensure that the title (and the player) never takes itself too seriously. It has instant playability.

Kombo

If you can get together four people that enjoy Mario sports games or soccer titles in general, you’ll find plenty of fun to be had. If you can’t, then don’t even bother.

Yahoo! Games

It does right by the arcade sports genre in that respect, and has great control to boot. What it's lacking in other respects, however -- stats, modes, and variety -- keeps Super Mario Strikers from pulling off the hat-trick.

GamerFeed

Playing Strikers against others is a total blast, but the single player is mind numbingly boring.

Electronic Gaming Monthly

Once you suss the A.I.'s intricacies, the game holds little mystery or reason for replay. [Jan 2006, p.125]

NTSC-uk

Super Mario Strikers is an evolutionary step beyond Soccer Slam, and gives the small-team football game a new breath of life, trumping its predecessor and stamping other similar games such as FIFA Street into the ground.

AceGamez

Mario Smash Football isn't trying to be a simulator, it's an all-out arcade style game that's huge fun while it lasts, and while it will make a great addition to your collection, the novelty and fun might wear thin a little sooner than you'd hoped.

N-Insanity

A decent arcade soccer game with too little Mario. The developers could have put considerably more Mario-elements into the game other than the characters and the title.

Games Radar

Invite some pals over and you'll have a multiplayer dream session.

N-Europe

Yet another brilliantly ironic Mario Sports title which once again proves that everyones favorite portly plumber can indeed kick it with style.

Maxim Online

With matches of five-on-five taking place on small fields with really basic controls, Strikers is classic arcade-style soccer, but the game gets an extra kick from power-ups, random Bowser attacks, and a Telemundo-style announcer.

Sydney Morning Herald

The game is immediately likeable. The presentation is cheerful and anyone can pick up the joypad and have fun.

My Gamer

With no real depth, like a true league mode with player stats, trades, and so on, it almost feels like it should be a mini game inside the next, inevitable "Mario Party."

Game Informer

The fact that the gameplay never evolves and the defensive stops are too powerful means this game's legs aren't very long - just like Mario's stubby little limbs. [Dec 2005, p.178]

PALGN

It’s a real surprise that the single player portion of the game is so under baked, despite the wealth of content featured in the baseball, tennis and golf games – it’s almost like the game is worthless without a few friends.

netjak

Super Mario Strikers both surprised me and disappointed me at the same time: it looks good, it plays good, and it takes the dreadfully boring sport of soccer and makes it somewhat enjoyable.

games(TM)

Essentially you’re probably going to hate Mario Smash Football if you enjoy football games. Conversely, if you were a fan of "Sega Soccer Slam" you’ll love it. [Christmas 2005, p.108]

Games Radar UK (Pre-2006)

Mario hasn't starred in something this weak since his pinball effort on GBA. [GamesMaster]

Game Revolution

Nintendo didn't include enough extra fuel to give this otherwise fun endeavor the appeal of a "Mario Kart."