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.