TechGamingMario Strikers: Battle League review - own goalMario, Luigi, Peach and friends make their long-awaited return to the world of football on Nintendo SwitchWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.(Image credit: Nintendo)T3 VerdictMario Strikers: Battle League’s hectic gameplay remains as fun as it was 15 years prior, however, its barebones package does very little else to justify its return, ultimately being another blight on the Mario sports catalogue for Switch.Reasons to buy+Matches are chaotic fun+Built for competitive multiplayer with friendsReasons to avoid-Not nearly enough content for the price-Poor choice of controls-Online severely lackingWhy you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
TechGamingMario Strikers: Battle League review - own goalMario, Luigi, Peach and friends make their long-awaited return to the world of football on Nintendo SwitchWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.(Image credit: Nintendo)T3 VerdictMario Strikers: Battle League’s hectic gameplay remains as fun as it was 15 years prior, however, its barebones package does very little else to justify its return, ultimately being another blight on the Mario sports catalogue for Switch.Reasons to buy+Matches are chaotic fun+Built for competitive multiplayer with friendsReasons to avoid-Not nearly enough content for the price-Poor choice of controls-Online severely lackingWhy you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
Mario, Luigi, Peach and friends make their long-awaited return to the world of football on Nintendo Switch
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Nintendo)T3 VerdictMario Strikers: Battle League’s hectic gameplay remains as fun as it was 15 years prior, however, its barebones package does very little else to justify its return, ultimately being another blight on the Mario sports catalogue for Switch.Reasons to buy+Matches are chaotic fun+Built for competitive multiplayer with friendsReasons to avoid-Not nearly enough content for the price-Poor choice of controls-Online severely lacking
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
T3 VerdictMario Strikers: Battle League’s hectic gameplay remains as fun as it was 15 years prior, however, its barebones package does very little else to justify its return, ultimately being another blight on the Mario sports catalogue for Switch.Reasons to buy+Matches are chaotic fun+Built for competitive multiplayer with friendsReasons to avoid-Not nearly enough content for the price-Poor choice of controls-Online severely lacking
T3 VerdictMario Strikers: Battle League’s hectic gameplay remains as fun as it was 15 years prior, however, its barebones package does very little else to justify its return, ultimately being another blight on the Mario sports catalogue for Switch.
T3 Verdict
Mario Strikers: Battle League’s hectic gameplay remains as fun as it was 15 years prior, however, its barebones package does very little else to justify its return, ultimately being another blight on the Mario sports catalogue for Switch.
Reasons to buy+Matches are chaotic fun+Built for competitive multiplayer with friendsReasons to avoid-Not nearly enough content for the price-Poor choice of controls-Online severely lacking
Reasons to buy+Matches are chaotic fun+Built for competitive multiplayer with friends
Matches are chaotic fun
Built for competitive multiplayer with friends
Reasons to avoid-Not nearly enough content for the price-Poor choice of controls-Online severely lacking
Not nearly enough content for the price
Poor choice of controls
Online severely lacking
Why you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
Why you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
Nintendo Mario Strikers: Battle League deals
$59.99$51.95ViewLow Stock$52.99View$59.99View
$59.99$51.95View
$59.99$51.95View
$59.99$51.95View
$59.99$51.95
$51.95
Low Stock$52.99View
Low Stock
Low Stock
Low Stock
Low Stock
Low Stock
$52.99View
$52.99View
$52.99
$52.99
$59.99View
$59.99View
$59.99View
$59.99
$59.99
Show More Deals
Show More Deals
We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Mario Strikers: Battle League (or Mario Strikers: Battle League Football in Europe) is a game I’ve waited 15 long years for. Who would have ever thought you would be able to shove Yoshi into an electric fence only to see Waluigi outrageously thrust towards the camera in celebration? This is Mario after all. Nintendo is theDisneyof the game’s world and likes to keep this image, so during the GameCube and Wii era, Strikers immediately stood out as something different.
What further helped Strikers shoot to the absolute pinnacle of the Mario sports series was its fun-filled competitive gameplay that essentially plays like FIFA Street with the madness of Mario Kart thrown in for good measure. This continues once again with the third entry in the series, now utilising the power and versatility of theNintendo Switch.
Mario Strikers: Battle League review: Price and Release Date
Mario Strikers: Battle League review: What is it?
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
Mario Strikers: Battle League is a five vs five football (or soccer for those in the US) video game that has the residents of the Mushroom Kingdom doing whatever it takes to win. With no referee, players can make heavy tackles or utilise items to take control of the ball. It’s as frantic as it sounds, with the average four-minute match frequently ending in high goal scores.
Each character has their own stats – Strength, Speed, Shooting, Passing and Technique – all of which need to be considered when picking your squad. For instance, the likes of Bowser and Donkey Kong have high strength while Peach and Toad possess the best speed. Regardless, each character can be altered to your preference via new unlockable gear. This was great for getting my Rosalina to be as clinical in front of goal as Lionel Messi, though it didn’t have quite the level of depth or eccentric nature you would expect fromMario, as it’s essentially the same American football-style gear for everyone.
Players select four characters, a kit colour and half a stadium (the opposition picks the other half that then slams together in dramatic fashion at the beginning of each match) to make up their team. Nintendo has promised downloadable content is on the way but that’s simply not good enough for a full-priced release, now becoming a repeating offence among Mario titles on Switch.
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
Battle League has 10 playable characters at launch (only two females, no unlockables) with sidekicks dropped altogether. Previously you would pick a Captain and then fill out your squad with either Koopa Troopas, Shy Guys or a choice of six more allies. This did wonders for variation, as now you play the same few characters over and over – also having two Marios on the pitch does take away from the magic.
The stadium choice is also very poor, offering five arenas with zero difference between any of them apart from the look. How come Boos don’t invade the pitch on Spooky Mansion or why does lava not spill onto the field in Lava Castle? All style over substance. In comparison, the Nintendo Wii version back in 2007 featured 12 characters, eight sidekicks, 17 stadiums and an additional challenge mode that is completely absent in Battle League.
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
Aside from Quick Battle mode (offline or online), Cup Battles is the closest comparison to an actual campaign. This is a tournament where players enter three to four matches and can be knocked out if they lose twice… and that’s it. Six cups based on different attributes becomes incredibly tedious with little challenge until another similar section that I am unable to talk about opens up.
Finally, we have Strikers Club, an online-only mode where you can create or join a club to compete in matches with others around the globe to be the best. Each week-long season teams play together or individually to accumulate points, move up a division and customise their home stadium. As online was limited during the review process, it’s hard to gauge how big of a draw it will be but again it feels very minimal.
Mario Strikers: Battle League review: How does it play?
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
Now onto what is undoubtedly the best thing about Mario Strikers: Battle League – the gameplay. It’s just as good as you remember, now tighter than ever with a few changes: some I like, some I loathe. The best thing about the gameplay experience is just being able to pick up and play reasonably quickly, especially on the go, with the basic controls being familiar to anyone that has ever tried FIFA or PES. A (lengthy) tutorial is available for those otherwise.
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
Similarly, the reduction in items and removal of a specific Super Ability per character feels like a step backwards. What we have in terms of items is fine, whether that be a banana skin or Bomb-omb, but no Chain Chomp to bulldoze all that stand in its way or Blue Shell to cause sweet revenge is unforgivable.
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
Up to eight people can take part at once in multiplayer (offline, local wireless or online), only further fuelling the madness. It’s no surprise then that this offers up the most fun, ideal for couch competitive play. Some better identifiers apart from numbers above characters' heads would be useful too, as it’s easy to lose yourself in the mayhem.
From the handful of games I played online, the server varied from adequate to agonising. My Switch was positioned next to my router and I never have any issues with myPlayStation 5orXbox One S. It’s not that surprising for anyone that has tried Nintendo’s online at any point over the last decade. Couple this with the lack of incentives for anything interesting to do in Strikers Club, alongside the fact that this service now requires payment, and it’s a substandard state of affairs.
Mario Strikers: Battle League review: How does it look and sound?
Image1of12(Image credit: Nintendo)(Image credit: Nintendo)(Image credit: Nintendo)(Image credit: Nintendo)(Image credit: Nintendo)(Image credit: Nintendo)(Image credit: Nintendo)(Image credit: Nintendo)(Image credit: Nintendo)(Image credit: Nintendo)(Image credit: Nintendo)(Image credit: Nintendo)
Image1of12(Image credit: Nintendo)(Image credit: Nintendo)(Image credit: Nintendo)(Image credit: Nintendo)(Image credit: Nintendo)(Image credit: Nintendo)(Image credit: Nintendo)(Image credit: Nintendo)(Image credit: Nintendo)(Image credit: Nintendo)(Image credit: Nintendo)(Image credit: Nintendo)
Image1of12
(Image credit: Nintendo)(Image credit: Nintendo)(Image credit: Nintendo)(Image credit: Nintendo)(Image credit: Nintendo)(Image credit: Nintendo)(Image credit: Nintendo)(Image credit: Nintendo)(Image credit: Nintendo)(Image credit: Nintendo)(Image credit: Nintendo)(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)(Image credit: Nintendo)(Image credit: Nintendo)(Image credit: Nintendo)(Image credit: Nintendo)(Image credit: Nintendo)(Image credit: Nintendo)(Image credit: Nintendo)(Image credit: Nintendo)(Image credit: Nintendo)(Image credit: Nintendo)(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
Now in HD for the first time ever, Mario Strikers: Battle League looks great on the seven-inchSwitch OLEDscreen. I spent the majority of my time playing on the go, amazed at how well it transitions and kind of surprised Nintendo never made a dedicated Strikers for one of its handheld devices. Once blown up on a big screen, the colours don’t really pop as much as I would have liked while the gameplay runs at 60fps and cutscenes drop to 30fps.
It’s just a shame that celebrations don’t receive the same treatment. As a result, I would often skip these rather than savouring the glory. Another missed opportunity is not having team celebrations, say if you had Mario and Luigi on the same side. It feels like there’s a lot of fun that could be had.
Mario Strikers: Battle League review: How long to beat?
(Image credit: Nintendo)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
You then have general multiplayer that, in theory, offers endless replayability. Strikers Club is an unusual one as progression depends on the squad you choose and how they perform online. Either way, the in-game currency needed to unlock further stadiums or pitch add-ons appears extremely high. This could take some considerable time, something only the most devoted will access.
Verdict
Mario Strikers: Battle League is the latest lacklustre addition to the Mario sports titles lineup on Nintendo Switch that offers very little for its full retail price. The frantic football gameplay remains solid – if not tighter than ever – but with very little else going for it and a frustrating control scheme, it’s hard to recommend something that has been done better twice over 15 years ago. I’m not mad, I’m just disappointed.
Also consider
(Image credit: Psyonix)
(Image credit: Psyonix)
If you’re looking for chaotic football action, I’d rather recommend the brilliantly addictive Rocket League. Originally starting life as Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars, aka the best title ever given to a video game, Rocket League then followed in 2015, accumulating a sizable audience. Taking control of rocket-powered vehicles, drivers must hit a giant football into the goal before the opponent. It’s fun, fast and now free-to-play. Otherwise, it might be worth consideringNintendo Switch Sports, which T3’s Yasmine Crossland awarded a positive review.
Nintendo Mario Strikers: Battle League: Price Comparison
$49.99View$59.99$51.95ViewLow Stock$52.99View$59.99View$59.99View
$49.99View
$49.99View
$49.99View
$49.99
$49.99
$59.99$51.95View
$59.99$51.95View
$59.99$51.95View
$59.99$51.95
$51.95
Low Stock$52.99View
Low Stock
Low Stock
Low Stock
Low Stock
Low Stock
$52.99View
$52.99View
$52.99
$52.99
$59.99View
$59.99View
$59.99View
$59.99
$59.99
$59.99View
$59.99View
$59.99View
$59.99
$59.99
Show More Deals
Show More Deals
We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Sign up to the T3 newsletter for smarter living straight to your inbox
Get all the latest news, reviews, deals and buying guides on gorgeous tech, home and active products from the T3 experts
Vollebak pushes the limits of outerwear with Double Graphene Puffer and Shielding SuitThe company continues to weave innovation into every thread
The company continues to weave innovation into every thread
Netflix is making a huge surprise change for hit spy show’s new seasonThe Recruit is taking a global trip this time out
The Recruit is taking a global trip this time out
This case turns your iPhone or Android phone into an e-reader, but there’s a catchActually, there are a couple…
Actually, there are a couple…
