Mario Strikers: Battle League

It took 15 years to get Battle League but we might not see the next one for another 15 since we’ll still be playing this entry for years to come!

A new contender for the best multiplayer title on Switch, Battle League is here to dispel any doubts you had about the future of Mario sports titles. With balanced gameplay that includes all the classic gimmicks, plenty of depth in character and world design, and a modernised online matchmaking system, Mario Strikers: Battle League is a red-letter day in the modern history of the moustachioed plumber.

Mario Strikers might come across as limited to some people, especially those that are only really going to get stuck into the single-player game. However, as a multiplayer experience, and whether you’re going to play locally or online, this thing excels in every way. It’s accessible, but also had a learning curve that more serious people will love. It’s laugh-out-loud hilarious for party sessions, while also having the feature set that it needs to get entire clubs to form around it. I can easily see this joining Smash Bros., Splatoon and Mario Kart as a standard part of any multiplayer rotation on the Switch. Most of all, though, this is a Mario Sports title that hasn’t lost the identity of the sport itself after implementing power-ups and Mario character specials. In this way, it stands apart from the Mario Tennis and Golf titles, and that’s a good thing.

Mario Strikers: Battle League is a masterclass in competitive game design. What it lacks in options is more than made up for by just how much fun the game is, and it’s absolutely gorgeous to boot. As it stands it already feels like a complete product, but the promise of future updates down the line gives us even more to get excited about. If arcade sport action isn’t your bag, it’ll likely do nothing to sway your opinion, but if you have even a passing interest in this kind of caper, Mario Strikers: Battle League is the best sports game on Switch right now.

Mario Strikers is back. Like Smash Bros. Ultimate this is an “easy to play, hard to master” game in which you'll find different levels of engagement and entertainment: from fast and furious rapid matches to seasonal multiplayer challenges... and that's only the tip of the iceberg of things to come.

Mario Strikers: Battle League Football is in fact yet another sensational goal by Next Level Games.

The best Mario sports game, despite Daisy's absence. It has one of the most fun multiplayer experiences that you can have on Nintendo Switch, both locally and online, that will deliver lots of healthy competition, despite losing some of the charm of the originals and having very few characters, stadiums and single player game modes.

Mario Strikers: Battle League Football feels like the best Mario sports game on Nintendo Switch. While a bit more complex (and therefore less accessible) than its siblings like Mario Tennis Aces and Mario Golf Super Rush, this new Mario Strikers shines with great gameplay, top-notch visuals, and a strong focus on online modes.

Mario Strikers: Battle League Football gloriously mixes football and side-scrolling beat’em up mechanics: it’s fun and deep. The low numbers of modalities and characters, and the uncertainties in the through balls, prevent it from reaching excellence. For sure, with Mario Tennis Aces, it’s the best Mario Sports game of the HD era.

The offered amount of playable characters, arenas and unique game modes could be better. But each match in Mario Strikers: Battle League Football plays differently, even against the AI. The game is easy to learn but difficult to master, why there is a natural long-term motivation, especially when you play it online. In addition to that, the equipment system gives you the chance to individualize your team heroes. A great fun-sport game for anyone, if you like soccer or not.

The content is a bit scarce on release, but gameplay-wise is magnificent. Mario Strikers: Battle League Football is definitely the best game in the series, and I believe it has the potential to become one of the top arcade competitive sports games. At the same time, it also has great potential as a game to play amongst family and friends.

Next Level Games has perfected the new Mario Strikers to feel fresher and funnier than ever, focusing on offline and online multiplayer modes. The original soundtracks aren't so good, although these little issues are not remarkable due to its cool art style.

I was really looking forward to Mario Strikers: Battle League, and for the most part it has been a worthy successor, but it’s a little hampered by the complexity of the gameplay. Even scoring goals can be a bit difficult overall. Soccer is definitely not known for high-scoring affairs but it is simply too difficult to score goals in the time allotted. This does seem to be different from what I remember in the previous games. It was a bit easier to score goals and that is definitely missed. There’s a balance that sports games need to strike, but Battle League does tend to be just a bit more difficult. Still, there is a lot to love about Mario Strikers: Battle League, but it almost made me want a remaster of the first two games more than anything.

Mario Strikers: Battle League is a great game that suffers the same fate as its Switch sports brethren. It plays great, looks outstanding, but simply lacks content. I truly hope we see more characters, stadiums, and modes as the game goes on. There is a lot here to love, but it feels shallow in the content department for sure. Still if you love the arcade mentality of Mario sports this game is a no-brainer and yet another exclusive gem for Nintendo’s aging platform.

While it isn't a perfect game, Mario Strikers: Battle League delivers as advertised.

I’m not a fan of the system at all. But, if you can round-up a few amigos, order in some food and drinks, and pop this sucker in, I can guarantee you’ll be jumping up out of your seats in excitement and screaming with laughter more than any other game you can think of. This doesn’t mean I forgive it for being so shallow mode-wise, but what is there is damn good.

If you’re interested in Mario Strikers: Battle League for multiplayer, you’ll likely be happy with what you get here. The core gameplay is fast and highly enjoyable, and the game has just about any kind of multiplayer set-up you’d want covered. Those looking to play alone will unfortunately find the game lacking in things to do, with its main solo content easily completed within an hour or two. Pair that with a light roster and very little in the way of interesting things to unlock, and you end up with a solid game that feels like it could have been so much more.

Really fun and enjoyable football game to enjoy with friends.

In the end Mario Strikers Battle League is an incredibly fun Mario sports game to play, with a quick pace to games and flashy visual aesthetics that add to the hype. There are some issues that hold the game back from being as good as it could be, most notably the small roster and limited online options. The ability to create a Rosalina who is the boogeyman haunting the goal-keepers’ nightmares is surprisingly fun, and the game’s Club feature allows you to use your friends’ wacky stat goblins for yourself if you so choose. Strikers is at its core still as fun as it ever was, and still outshining regular soccer at every avenue. Hopefully once more additions have been made to the game’s content some of the overall issues will have been addressed and Battle League can truly shine as bright as it is meant to.

Mario Strikers: Battle League is the most stylized and chaotic Mario sports game to date, with quick, intense matches that reward strategic and aggressive playstyles. Next Level Games’ adoration for each member of the roster shines through both mid-game and during cinematics, making each contest a joy to play and watch, even with the minor but apparent online issues and the modes and unlockable gear not being deep enough to justify the full-priced title. Longtime Mario Strikers fans will get a kick out of the refined and engaging gameplay, while casual soccer fans and first-time players won’t need long to understand the compelling mayhem of the Mushroom Kingdom’s take on soccer.

Mario Strikers: Battle League may be barebones, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t fun. More characters, customization options, and game modes could really help improve the game, but the package delivered on release still holds incredible replay value. It’s a game worth coming back to over and over again, whether with friends or by yourself. Over-the-top action and the stylized Mario look make Mario Strikers: Battle League one of the most fun sports game experiences, I just hope more is added soon so it doesn’t get stale after a few months.

A brilliant game for those willing to stomach a significantly tougher difficulty than usual Mario titles. Also make sure you’ve got enough friends or are willing to try out the online multiplayer - the content for singleplayer is very, very limited.

The ultimate test for these games is how they feel to just slog the ball around in, and how truly competitive one feels it can get without crossing into the realm of the serious. A lack of content takes the shine off just a little - but only barely, simply by virtue of the fact that I think if you're buying this game, you're primarily doing so knowing that multiplayer action is the main draw. Plus, I do believe that updates will come. Even if they don’t, I can see myself breaking this out at parties and playing the occasional online match for years to come. For Mario Soccer and developer Next Level Games, it’s the hat trick: a third great game.

Mario Strikers: Battle League pulls all the punches in providing an intense soccer-like gameplay experience that can only be achieved within something as special and whimsical as the world of Super Mario. Battle League is clearly a worthy successor to its GameCube and Wii counterparts, and is easily one of the best Mario sports titles in recent memory. Although it has a severe lack of single-player offerings, you’re sure to get a kick out of this undeniably excellent franchise revival, as long as you have friends and/or family that are willing to play with or against you either locally or online.

While the lack of single player content is a bit of a downer, but Mario Strikers: Battle League Football is a robust, hugely enjoyable, weird and wonderful multiplayer experience on the pitch, which let’s face it, is where it matters.

An experience that is both immediately fun and more technical for those who want it.

With such solid and explosive gameplay, Mario Strikers: Battle League Football represents a decisive step forward for the franchise.

Mario Strikers: Battle League is an over-the-top soccer game that’s wildly fun, even though it does very little new.

If you're looking for a football game that doesn't take itself too seriously, with more than enough of that zany Nintendo charm to delight, you really can't go wrong with Mario Strikers Battle League. It's an excellent multiplayer game if you can forgive the lack of content to keep you invested, but it's sure to be a summer hit for footie fans.

Mario Strikers Battle League Football takes a bit from the first game, a little more from the second and polishes it out into its own fresh thing. We talk about content in games, and on paper, there are fewer characters and stadiums here in Battle League; but there's more to do over a period of time, especially with the Strikers Club which will build communities. Mario Strikers Battle League Football is the best in the series so far.

I was shocked that Mario Strikers: Battle League had this much going on under the surface.

Mario Strikers: Battle League Football is great with others and offers plenty of opportunities to shoot, pass, and play the beautiful game despite there being few modes to choose from.

Although Mario's return to the soccer field does not reinvent the wheel... or should we say soccer ball, there are no auto-goals this time, so we have another fantastic Switch title in the row.

Mario Strikers makes its long-awaited return as a deliriously fun and accessible soccer game that's packed with character customization and online modes.

After a long wait, we got a new Mario Strikers game and it's a lot of fun. Action gameplay and variable character abilities will keep you entertained, local multiplayer for up to 8 players is really great. But the game critically lacks content.

Mario Strikers Battle League Football can be one of the most frantic and exhilarating games on Switch, but it also suffers from its lackluster AI and it really needs more communication tools for its online modes.

Mario Strikers: Battle League is an entertaining game but it lacks some content to make it perfect. It's still fun for Mario fans and of course the deep mechanics for this sports game make it very dynamic.

Mario Strikers: Battle League strikes an excellent gameplay balance to make every match exciting and action-packed. It may not take many risks when it comes to supplementary content but what's here is one solid soccer game nonetheless.

Thanks to fantastic gameplay and presentation by Next Level Games, Mario Strikers: Battle League is the installment that fans have been waiting for 15 years. However, a lack of content and an online mode that needs improvement hamper the experience.

More a fighting game than sport experience, a solid presentation somewhat compensates for its limited modes and roster.

It may not be all that much different to the previous two games in the series, but Mario Strikers: Battle League still manages to be an extremely fun game, especially when playing with multiple friends. The lack of content steals its potential shine, but for what it is – it does a great job at making you have some quality fun.

Mario Strikers: Battle League is best suited for players who'll have the time and inclination to put in enough practice to get good, and who will have similarly dedicated friends to play with and against. Solo players, or those with young kids? Probably safe to give this one a pass if the free demo doesn't click with you. [Issue #60 – July/August 2022, p. 71]

Mario Strikers: Battle League thankfully leans closer to original Strikers than Charged. While the changes to the gameplay does not necessarily shut out casual players, there’s some meat for those who want to take a more tactical approach. The game leans towards extensive online play, leaving more isolationist players a steeper hill to climb to unlock all the game has to offer. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to some drills so these online skirmishes won’t result in too lopsided defeats.

Although Mario Strikers Battle League performs poorly in terms of low playable character count and single player content, it is a great party game with great gameplay and local multiplayer support for up to 8 players.

Mario Strikers: Battle League tears up the rule book of what you might expect in a traditional soccer experience and injects personality, outlandish action and mischievous tactics into the gameplay - though it could have used more content.

Much of the fun that you will get from Mario Strikers: Battle League will be on the field mastering its tight controls, discovering the best ways to give certain characters various gear combinations to maximize their potential, and understanding the ins and outs of playing offense and defense. Its modes, however, are simple so but don’t expect too much right now in terms of extra features and characters. What you see is what you get.

Mario Strikers: Battle League presents a shockingly deep take on Soccer held up by some incredibly charming and expressive character animations. Sadly there’s not much to see outside of the core loop, and can quickly wear out its welcome as things start to feel too repetitive.

After 15 years of absence, Mario Strikers: Battle League returns with a competitive approach. The best part is its multiplayer mode and deep mechanics, which make every match a challenge. It's a shame that its content is sparse at launch day but it's a very fun and frantic game that can improve with future updates.

The core gameplay is fantastic, but the lack of substantial content and a reason to stay and keep playing the game via challenges, secrets and more game modes keep it from reaching it's status as the best Mario Strikers game.

Although Mario Strikers Battle League Football does come with some flaws, in the end it's a surprisingly fun multiplayer sports title. Gameplay is easy to learn, but hard to master with some nice deeper mechanics. Content wise the game falls short with only a few single player options to play through. The multiplayer aspect, on the other hand, works like a charm and delivers some classic chaotic Nintendo multiplayer fun. Mario Strikers succeeds in bringing that nostalgic fun to the Nintendo Switch.

Mario Strikers Battle League Football could be a strong contender to your other games for a summer of football. With its simplistic look hiding much more complex mechanics to master and an equipment system that can shape your characters, it can suit beginners who just want to have fun, but also more experienced players who are looking for a little more technical mastery with the controller in hand. In case you want to spend some time alone in your corner, this might not be the perfect title for you since it is focused on multiplayer and the Club Strikers mode which is the feature that can keep the game alive in the long run.

Mario Strikers: Battle League may not be the ultimate version of the world's most popular sport, but its strategic matches, fun online modes, and energetic animations make for an enjoyable experience. While the single-player crowd may find the game a bit lacking, Nintendo's return to the pitch is bound to create the same triumphant highs, and friendship-ending lows the company's suite of other party titles is known for.

Once I got past those first matches, Battle League was a lot more fun. Every match is tense, fast-paced, and packed with action. You've got a layer of strategy with the gear, and every character plays differently. If you're looking for some Mario-style soccer, this game delivers. On the other hand, it's a thin offering for solo players. Online matches will greatly extend the life of this game, if you're looking for more challenges. I wish the teammate switching system wasn't so clunky. I'd also love a larger roster to choose from. But if you've got enough opponents, Mario Strikers: Battle League is a pretty great time.

Mario Strikers: Battle League is a fun time that is easy enough for anybody to pickup and play but still without depth to mean it should keep an audience engaged for a long period of time. It's a little lacking in the single player department, but it's doing some interesting things in the online space to make up for it.

Mario Strikers Battle League is a lot of fun, but unless you commit to online play, it’s here for a good — but brief — time.

Mario Strikers Battle League is a game faithful to the term 'easy to learn, hard to master'. Everyone can enjoy it without any concerns due to its simple controls as well as the exciting visuals are easy on the eyes. However, the lack of game modes and characters can make the game easily tiresome for those who don't fancy sports that much.

Battle League is a game with fantastic gameplay and a worrying lack of content. We’re sure there’s a lot of free content coming, but for now it’s a very barebone experience.

Funny kick for in between, that runs out of breath too quickly due to its disappointing scope.

Mario Strikers: Battle League Football is another competitive sporting spin-off for the moustachioed plumber that’s mechanical nuance is only marred by its lack of truly compelling content.

After almost 15 years, the Mario Strikers franchise has returned in a big way with Battle League Football, an engaging arcade football experience that shines in local play. It could benefit from additional characters and an expanded single player offering but for those looking for a super accessible yet enjoyable sports game to play with others, this will satisfy that role nicely.

Although Battle League falls short of old games when it comes to gameplay, possibility of playing online matches make up for this flaw.

Nintendo has delivered a sports game far too light on content with Battle League, missing an opportunity for a memorable series revival. Thankfully, the top-tier animations and chaotic gameplay make for a great time regardless.

What Mario Strikers: Battle League Football does extremely well, and differentiates from the rest of the Mario sports games, is build on its predecessors’ gameplay and provide a traditional, yet refreshingly deep experience, enough to entertain and challenge the players. However, the lack of available characters, the cosmetic-only use of fields and the unnecessary need to grind for coins takes back much of the enjoyment and deprives the title of the opportunity to have been a stellar sports title for the Nintendo Switch.

Mario Strikers: Battle League is a bare-bones experience that facilitates tense competition but leaves behind casual players. The limited selection of game modes, stadiums and characters further limits its potential, leaving the title with good gameplay but almost no interesting ways to engage with it. The hope is that Nintendo has more to add via DLC, but what, when and how is still a mystery. As with previous Nintendo sports titles, you're better off waiting for the additional content to make a more informed purchase decision. In its current state, Battle League is fun and great to play, but it's hardly worth the full price tag.

Another example of Nintendo giving the players a game that seems interesting on the outside but is kind of empty inside. Mario Strikers has some updates planned, but I really hope that the big N understands one day that a full price should mean a complete game. Still, I won't lie - Mario Strikers provides lots of fun, because its core gameplay is good.

Mario Strikers Battle League Football does not disappoint in its gameplay. The controls seem basic but they are extremely deep in reality. But the game has serious problems which are its lack of content and a big concern for clarity on the ground. Online gaming has also been botched.

Some will love the surprising amount of depth that Mario Strikers: Battle League Football offers, but those expecting something they can easily pick up and play perhaps won’t be as enamoured. It’s the lack of modes that’s the real kicker here, though. In addition to some other minor issues, it makes for a game that just doesn’t fulfil on its potential. Still, if you’re after a game that serves up a variation of football that is full of over the top action, there’s little in the way of competition.

Mario Strikers: Battle League is a promising start to filling the football boots of the long awaited sequel. Solid, liquid smooth performance on the pitch and that signature cocktail of personality and gritty football fun from Next Level Games. Where the game falters, at time of review, is the significant lack of offline content, supporting characters and lack of basic online features found in similar multiplayer games. If these issues are patched in, the base game is a solid package that sets the foundations for what could grow to be a more complete package.

Mario Strikers Battle League is a worthy entry in an excellent series that takes the best aspects of the previous games and hones them to multiplayer perfection.

Mario Strikers: Battle League is a fun game, with the fluidity and magical animations you'd expect from the plumber-turned-sportsman, and a remarkable depth despite its apparent simplicity. The Next Level Games project makes a strong commitment to the online world, where the main game mode lives, but on the other hand, it is too scarce in single-player content, an exchange that we didn't ask for. If we had to choose, we'd probably stick with the couch co-op, anyways.

Solo players will complete everything Mario Strikers has to offer pretty quickly, the game is being focused on multi. It's a solid game, from the gameplay, technical and artistic point of view, but it still needs some content updates.

Mario Strikers: Battle League Football plays a mean game of soccer, proving to be just as much fun, chaotic and satisfying as its predecessors. Unfortunately, what surrounds it is a package that feels light on content and options limiting it from reaching the dizzying heights of the series’ best. As a result, Mario’s latest sports outing is a solid goal rather than a full-blown hattrick.

Mario Strikers: Battle League Football offers a fantastic and typical Nintendo spin on football, with thrilling gameplay and a high skill ceiling likely appealing to a large crowd. However, the lack of fleshed-out single player modes is a big disappointment, and so is only really worth the outlay if you’re willing to engage with the online multiplayer.

Mario Strikers Battle League Football is wild, chaotic and – because of that – a lot of fun. The gameplay is smooth and well balanced and the presentation is absolutely gorgeous. Sadly the content is ridiculous. Only 10 players to choose from, five stadiums that do not have any special effects on the game and three game modes are included. That is too little for a price of 60 Euros.

Mario Strikers: Battle League delivers the frantic fun the franchise is known for, but it feels like it’s only fielding half a team. It’s hard to overlook the missing characters, stadiums, modes, and mechanics from previous entries in the series, and new online modes and character customization options aren’t fleshed out enough to make up for what’s been left behind. Battle League will likely be worth it for hardcore fans with a good collection of friends to play with online or locally, but those hoping for more may find the game drifts just wide of the goalposts.

Mario Strikers: Battle League is a welcome return for the sub-series, with engaging gameplay that papers over the thin variety of modes.

Mario Strikers: Battle League is a thin package, without very much variety in terms of game modes and options. But it is a more technically complex game than many of the Mario sports titles, which may give it legs for dedicated players. Sports are all about proving your skill in head-to-head match-ups, and that will have to be enough, because there isn't much else to it.

There's no doubt that fans of the franchise will enjoy jumping back in. The promise of a gradual release of new content will likely keep diehards of the series drawn in with each new announcement. Overall, Mario: Strikers Battle League is a good game that needs more to do. It may be a much better game a year from now, but right now it is noticeably lacking content.

Mario Strikers: Battle League Football excels on the field, but it struggles to make a compelling offer for solo players or anyone not willing to invest time in forming and maintaining a Strikers Club. It's just pick-up-and-play enough to work as a party game with mates and it's compelling to watch in action, but the lack of embellishments is sure to hurt its long-term appeal.

Describing the game as chaotic in action is definitely apt, and for sheer speed this is one of the fastest ‘Mario Sports’ games to date. In a way, that goes against what you kind of expect to see from Nintendo, but in execution Mario Strikers goes all in on the fast and dirty game of Mushroom Kingdom soccer.

Mario Strikers: Battle League is a return to form for the series, and an excellent entry in Mario Sports. A title very easy to recommend for any Switch owner looking for a change of pace.

The core gameplay of Mario Strikers: Battle League is fast and frenetic, keeping your palms sweaty as you battle with your Nintendo favourites in an intense game of soccer. It’s flashy and well animated in all the best ways, with that trademark personality and charm carrying it a long way. It's also a wonderful example of "easy to learn, difficult to master", that starts simple but has some reasonable depth, even within the confines of its short matches. It’s a shame then that there just isn’t much more meat on the bone; with offline modes extremely limited with only quick play and tournaments, you’re going to have to truly love the mechanics to justify spending a lot of your time in competitive multiplayer. For those with a lot of mates to kick around with, that might be enough, but for everybody else, it’s a yellow card.

With a fiendishly fun formula, a production with the greatest of care, and more technical matches, Mario Strikers Battle League is the perfect game for intense parties with friends. Fun times, and mocking around between friends are guaranteed.

Like every other Mario sports game, realism is thrown out the window in favor of ridiculous gameplay. The final product is mostly fun, but overcomplicated systems feel destined to frustrate casual players.

The best and most balanced Mario Strikers title yet, undercut by limited modes and a lacklustre sense of progression.

Mario Strikers: Battle League is a good game with fun to be had, but a lack of identity and some lackluster roster variety means it's one that won't stand shoulder-to-shoulder with other greats in the Mario sports catalog.

However, the biggest downside to Battle League is that there just isn't more to it, because we've seen that Next Level is capable of delivering more. Even if there are DLC characters coming down the road (Daisy fans, I hope you don't think I forgot about you), it won't fix the relatively low number of items, the gimmick-free stadiums, or the lack of substantial unlockables. This package could and should be so much better than what it is.

Technically flawless bully kick, which is decent in terms of play, but not outstanding. In terms of scope, however, Nintendo urgently needs to improve.

Mario Strikers: Battle League Football requires more skill than its predecessors to get the ball and the game your way (or foot), but unfortunately that diminishes the party game potential. If there had been more characters, game modes and playing fields, Battle League would still have been a fantastic football game, but it falls terribly short in those areas.

Mario Strikers: Battle League is a game that, when viewed individually and making use of multiplayer and online can be quite fun. However, it arrives 15 years after Wii's Mario Football and hardly feels like that much of a leap forward. Not to mention the rampant lack of single-player content.

Mario Strikers Battle League is an excellent soccer game, however absolutely thin in it’s content considering the price tag. The game certainly puts more importance in it’s online mode, however, it doesn’t do enough to compete with other online titles for the player’s time.

Mario Strikers is - despite its so-called 'keraaazy' gameplay - one of the most generic, lightweight footies ever.

As far as control and action go, this chapter of Mario Strikers works very well and it knows how to introduce players to its mechanics. The game disappoints when it comes to its content, however, as it feels like it's been cut short with regards to characters and game modes. On top of that, while the online multiplayer experience is marvelous, despite the lack of some functionalities, the single player experience is rather limited in its scope and its appeal ends too quickly.

Mario Strikers: Battle League Football relies too heavily on whether you fall in love with the core gameplay. Because there’s not much else here, you can either consider it a highlight of the year, or a really mediocre entry in Next Level Games’ track record.

Those who were starving for a new Mario Strikers game will likely get a lot of playtime out of Mario Strikers: Battle League despite its general lack of content, but those who need a little more meat on the bone will likely come away disappointed. The core gameplay is great, but there's not much to the game beyond that.

Mario Strikers: Battle League is a fun and chaotic experience let down by a lack of content and personality.

Nintendo's boisterous take on our national sport is thrilling and hilarious, but doesn't offer enough options to play with.

While the multiplayer in Mario Strikers: Battle League is great at its core, the single-player and online content really fumbles the score.

Mario Strikers: Battle League’s core gameplay is fun, but it’s just not enough to justify the incredibly slim package offered. There’s little to do for online players and even less for those looking for a fun offline single-player game, with it for Mario sports games in general. Nintendo fans were hoping for a hat trick here for the third entry in the Mario Strikers series, but were instead left with an own goal.

Mario Strikers: Battle League is a game that’s carried mostly by its local multiplayer and gameplay. There was so much missed potential for this game to shine brighter than its predecessors. From the lack of single-player modes, content, and limitations to its online, it’s very tough to justify buying the game in its current state.

Mario Strikers: Battle League Football is a wonderfully chaotic and entertaining football game where violent kicks and punches are as important as good passes. Unfortunately, the lack of content dampens the fun for solo-players, so football-hungry friends or the ability to forgive the limited online mode is a must.

Ultimately, Mario Strikers: Battle League feels like Liverpool’s trophy cabinet this year. An FA Cup and a League Cup are nothing to sniff at, but it feels below par. With no cup final goals and two victories on penalties, they didn’t even underachieve with style. Battle League is very similar. It’s Mario Strikers again, and the football itself is pretty good, but the stuff of legends? Not even close.

Mario Strikers: Battle League feels like it will be an excellent single-player offering in a year, once much more content is added. At the moment, it’s incredibly thin, and while the online modes are fun, those looking to play alone will be left wanting.

Ultimately, Mario Strikers: Battle League reminded me a bit of last year's Mario Golf: Super Rush. Both games offer a fun core gameplay experience but are ultimately very thin in terms of content which hinders their replayability. If you don't have a dedicated group who wants to play Battle League on the regular, the game could end up collecting dust on the shelf. Next Level Games has promised additional roster updates and other content releases after release, so hopefully the game grows into a more robust experience after a few months.

Mario Strikers: Battle League is the latest in a long line of potentially great Switch games let down by sparse launch content. Strikers Club makes for a compelling competitive hook, but there’s very little to do in its off-seasons right now. That’s a shame, because the core soccer experience here is terrific. Matches are tense, team play is incredibly nuanced, and its Mushroom Kingdom cast shows more character than ever. Hopefully, a steady DLC rollout can liven the experience up over time, but Nintendo has yet to prove that it knows how to score with long-term support.

The game’s on-pitch rough and tumble makes it feel as much like Smash Bros. as a ‘proper’ football game, and slapstick animations help sell the bone-crunching tackles and electrified-fence frazzlings. But once you’ve the measure of the Mushroom Kingdom’s idea of a kickabout, the only thing that’ll really have you coming back to this is multiplayer.

Play soccer in a way that only Nintendo can, in Mario Strikers. Mario Strikers is a game that is especially fun to play with friends, thanks to the variety of moves and in-depth mechanics. Were it not that the field game does not work so well, because the emphasis is too much on tackles and items. Also, the content of the game is rather sparse and to make matters worse, the AI is also very inconsistent. There is certainly fun to be had in the game, but we had actually expected a bit more from this game.

By its publisher's standards, this is lower-division fodder. [Issue#374, p.123]

Though occasionally likable and basically inoffensive, Mario Strikers: Battle League struggles to build on its ideas and ends up feeling pretty undercooked as an experience.

Nostalgia is a dangerous thing. In our memories, 'Super Mario strikers' on our Gamecube was the best of the best, unmatched and wonderful. Fair is not fair, as it sets the bar extremely high for 'Mario strikers battle league'. But there's more: this game feels like it's not quite finished.