Mario Strikers: Battle League

 Switch
User Score
4.4

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 415 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 106 out of 415
  2. Mixed: 77 out of 415
  3. Negative: 232 out of 415
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  1. Guntherino
    Jun 17, 2022
    2
    fun to play in local with friend but other than that it's really not as good as mario striker charged. The game has no personality, poor gameplay customization ,no content and terrible teammate Ai .
  2. MarioSwaggersU
    Jun 13, 2022
    1
    This is a pathetic excuse of a game. People are praising it because of the Mario name on it. The game barely have as much content as it's WII counterpart, half the character roster and no more fields with gimmicks. This have barely more content than the free demo they offered. Compared to the 2 first entry, it's toned down in everything, from speed to characters being far more boring withThis is a pathetic excuse of a game. People are praising it because of the Mario name on it. The game barely have as much content as it's WII counterpart, half the character roster and no more fields with gimmicks. This have barely more content than the free demo they offered. Compared to the 2 first entry, it's toned down in everything, from speed to characters being far more boring with boring animation. Nintendo ruined a duology that I loved and I hope they never touch F-Zero or the Mother series in the future, i want good games not cash grab. This game is unfinished. Free updates are a **** practice when the bad game is barely finished.… Expand
  3. Guzmant
    Jun 13, 2022
    3
    The gameplay is mixed, many gimmicks and items from the previous game are gone, it's unbalanced and the controls desperately need remap options, the OST has zero variety and most importantly, the game has little to no content especially if you didn't purchase the mediocre online deal, 10 characters and 5 courts for a 4 vs 4 game you play on 2 courts at once is inexcusable. don't letThe gameplay is mixed, many gimmicks and items from the previous game are gone, it's unbalanced and the controls desperately need remap options, the OST has zero variety and most importantly, the game has little to no content especially if you didn't purchase the mediocre online deal, 10 characters and 5 courts for a 4 vs 4 game you play on 2 courts at once is inexcusable. don't let Nintendo's hardcore fans trick you, the game is far from good.… Expand
  4. Jofe
    Jun 12, 2022
    3
    Another unfinished game by Nintendo, again. The game has absolutely no content. As soon as the online game ends, nothing will remain of this empty shell. The gameplay is good, but is not enough to mask the abyssal vacuum of the cartridge.
  5. Los_Bags
    Jun 11, 2022
    4
    This is a demo right? I remember playing strikers on wii and gamecube , those games felt light years ahead of this sad excuse of 80$. This is one of those games that I thank gamespot for their return policy. No technique involved, the game is just a mess. This is another mario tennis but with less quality to it. The game play is pinball on grass. The shots make no sense. Goals go in go forThis is a demo right? I remember playing strikers on wii and gamecube , those games felt light years ahead of this sad excuse of 80$. This is one of those games that I thank gamespot for their return policy. No technique involved, the game is just a mess. This is another mario tennis but with less quality to it. The game play is pinball on grass. The shots make no sense. Goals go in go for random reasons because the goalies are useless. I played a friend and honestly… we were both sad at the end of it. This is simply not a fun game. Nintendo seems to be throwing games out with little - to no effort. The only ppl that seem to be working hard at nintendo are their media and advertisements departments. Very disappointing…i gave this a 4/10 cuz yes it’s a mario soccer game… but you dont get anything else from it.… Expand
  6. HoneyFox
    Jun 12, 2022
    2
    Nice Gameplay but the Game have no content. For 60 Euro you get a Game with no Content. Yes it can be make fun, but not for long time. This game is the badest Mario Striker, i want to play more the older games.
  7. Zski
    Jul 20, 2022
    4
    Not sure why Nintendo has such a hard time with these sports games. The core gameplay is very solid, I can’t really find anything negative to say about the game itself. It’s that perfect medium between simple and chaotic but technical and skill based. I had a lot of fun playing with friends, and playing against random opponents online was also fun. As expected, it’s a bit less entertainingNot sure why Nintendo has such a hard time with these sports games. The core gameplay is very solid, I can’t really find anything negative to say about the game itself. It’s that perfect medium between simple and chaotic but technical and skill based. I had a lot of fun playing with friends, and playing against random opponents online was also fun. As expected, it’s a bit less entertaining playing against the AI.

    However, the game really struggles with the content. This game feels just as bare as the Mario Gold and Mario Tennis games that came out for the Switch. It’s pretty clear they intend on adding more content as time goes on, but this makes me wonder - why? Surely this has to do with sales in some way, because it’s the third Mario sports game to do the same thing. The amount of characters, stages, and modes is extremely limited. Sometimes it feels as if this is a $20-30 game with the amount of content that is included. Unless you have a group of friends that you will regularly play this game with, it’s not going to hold your attention long. Nintendo made some very odd choices as well. They added a gear system to the game, which allows you to equip gear that changes the stats of your character. In a way, this is a good idea because it adds for variety in the characters you face. On the other hand, being able to customize the stats to such a huge extent on this limited of a roster makes you realize that almost all of the characters are exactly the same. That’s stupid and is not well thought out. The other major issue is that the AI can be pretty stupid. This could be remedied by allowing it to be a full eight player online (4 vs 4) matchup, however online can only be four players (2 per team). This limits the complexity of the gameplay, and makes you rely on the AI which makes really dumb mistakes or just locks into one position on the field, further limiting your attack.

    It’s a decent game, but as with the other Mario sports games, the content is so limited that it hurts the experience and really prevents you from spending a lot of time on it. It’s a fun pick up and play a couple matches game, but I can see it collecting dust pretty quickly. I hope Nintendo figures it out, they are dropping the ball on games that could be fun for years. It’s a soulless effort.    … Expand
  8. Julian2003
    Jun 12, 2022
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Me pareció un gran juego y espero con ansias a que lleguen más personajes nuevos.… Expand
  9. eroenR8knight
    Jun 12, 2022
    6
    The core gameplay is really fun but the lack of content is dissapointing. While we know more content is one the way I feel like they should have waited a bit longer to release with some more characters and/or stadiums. Maybe even include new modes.
  10. Kgan
    Jun 12, 2022
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I wish I could say the game was just unplayable garbage, but in all honesty the core mechanics are very engaging and fun. It's just a very lackluster title.

    New features:

    Mario Strikers Battle League excels with it's new ideas, which almost all revolve around the game's mechanics. The movement options feel fresh and genuinely like a significant amount of effort was put into them to keep the game interesting. One of my favorite moments in my experience was playing through the game's training courses because it explains how a lot the mechanics that seem random to new players are in the player's control based on a precise timing and a series of inputs. The new gear system is also a great addition that really makes your team building experience feel unique and tailored to your playstyle. That is about everything nice anyone can say about the game. Where Battle League Falls Short:

    The amount of single player content is pathetic. I saw the staff credits in two hours, and the only unlockable content is a set of gear and a harder mode for the cups. Even when you beat the "galactic mode", you unlock nothing other than some coins, which you can use to buy gear. If you want to buy every piece of gear in the game like a true completionist, it will cost you 32,000 coins. To put that into perspective, winning an online match will reward you with 20 coins, so good luck earning 1,600 matches of coins without dying of boredom. Obviously, the online, being within a Nintendo service, is susceptible to lag; however, unless you have a friend paired with you or are willing to tolerate a random stranger who is probably playing on a joycon, you can literally get matched against up to four people, which isn't even remotely fair or fun for that matter. Once you're done with all the single player content, which is maybe 6 hours if you do do the training courses and all the cups (including Galactic Mode), this is all you can do, play the same exact mode either against friends or strangers. This isn't even remotely close to the amount of content the previous entries had. There's no milestones, no additional/unlockable settings, no unlockable characters or fields, and every field is exactly the same other than the aesthetics. There aren't any unique gimmicks that keep the fields fresh. It's just "oh that one looks cool I guess". Even with that, there are only five fields, so it feels about as repetitive as it gets. Every character has access to the same 6 sets of gear, which I think is enough, but the amount of characters is just... how? Mario Strikers on the Gamecube had 13 characters when you include sidekicks and Strikers Charged had 20. You would expect this game to have maybe 25. Maybe they'd go crazy and hit 30? No, there are 10 characters. All of the sidekicks have been cut and Toad has now earned his spot as a first-class citizen. This would've been a great opportunity to add really interesting characters like Pauline or King K. Rool. Maybe we'd get a rep that extends outside the Mario franchise. Instead, we can't even get an obvious character like Daisy. This game is simply an example of "it's evolving but backwards". I'm someone who appreciates all the intricate game mechanics, so it's extremely difficult for me to see how any casual player would view a game with this little content as an upgrade to the series, even after a wait of fifteen years.

    Presentation:

    A lot of people said they stripped this game of its personality, and I partially agree. The game has become more of a Mario game and less of a Strikers game. I think the best example of this is the replacement of the Kritter goalies, which have now become Boom Boom. That being said, there's still a lot of Strikers left. The characters still have their own interesting personalities, the artstyle is still much of the same, and the soundtrack goes quite hard. I'm satisfied with what we got. It's amazing to me that Nintendo greenlit something like Strikers Charged fifteen years ago where Waluigi crotch chops after scoring and Wario tries to commit suicide with a Bob-omb after a tough loss, so I appreciate what we got.

    Final thoughts:

    There's one mode I haven't commented on and that's ranked mode. Why? Because it's not available yet. I feel like when get a $60 game, you should be able to feel like you get the full experience on launch day. I don't care if ranked mode significantly improves the quality of the game in a week. There's no reason why anyone should not be able to write a full review of a full-priced game before waiting ten days after the game's launch. I have no faith in the future DLC updates either. Am I really supposed to get excited for a new character every two months or so when the game is already becoming stale after one weekend? This business practice is horrible. It's crazy that the biggest competition to Nintendo today is their retro games that actually have effort put into them.    … Expand
  11. Padzzz88
    Jun 13, 2022
    0
    Can't play online with 3+ friends.... online system is really bad. Advertised to be able to play with multiple friends at a time, but can't be on the same team, unless you are in the same room.
  12. NickT102
    Jun 13, 2022
    0
    You can only play with a max of 2 consoles online. I have 3 other friends with the game and we can't even play together. For a game that has basically zero story mode and is all online game play they really **** up the online modes. There is 4 characters per team but only 2 consoles are allowed to connect so the other 2 characters just get randomized. Me and friends will be returning the game.
  13. JoRi
    Jun 12, 2022
    6
    Positive:
    Quality of character animations is very very good. Cool cut scenes after a goal. The game play feels ok, when you have the ball.
    Negative: For a full price title, it's just not enough polished in every other aspect except animations. The game play is often very random, shooting lacks feedback. Some reasonable markers for the players would have been better to track the    Positive:
    Quality of character animations is very very good. Cool cut scenes after a goal. The game play feels ok, when you have the ball.

    Negative:
    For a full price title, it's just not enough polished in every other aspect except animations. The game play is often very random, shooting lacks feedback. Some reasonable markers for the players would have been better to track the players better. It happens often that you lose track of the ball, especially when the goal keeper has the ball. It lacks a bit strategic variation and the cups are a bit boring. The selections before the game are annoyingly long, with gears without gears, some characters can be used multiple some only once, always four time.

    Music is ok, if you like light rock/metal, else it could be rather meh.

    I prefer Dash Cup Kickers, the demo even has more stadiums than battle league and plays faster and lighter with only 2 players, also dashing and shooting is way more fun.    … Expand
  14. CrispChum
    Jun 13, 2022
    3
    It is a fun game, but it is a terrible value. The gameplay itself is solid, but the game lacks content. Most of the game will likely be played online since the game lacks single player content .

    The online gameplay is very laggy, which ruins it since the game relies heavily on precise inputs.

    The game also lacks characters
  15. GodDeLike
    Jun 13, 2022
    0
    It's a disgusting game. Goals are the same, matches are random, super shots for some reason give 2 points. Long-range shots are easier to score than point-blank shots. Two players just rape one player. **** mario kart boxes. Goalkeeper is just random garbage. Tactics in the game are zero, assists are unnecessary. Not much variability. Total **** don't buy this game.
  16. Djkeebz
    Jun 14, 2022
    0
    There's no game here. It's a half baked soccer "idea" at best. You can't follow anything happening on the screen, you can't control the goalie, the AI spikes all over the place, and the tutorial is literally garbage, the tutorial doesn't even make sense in a few places. I've never felt ripped off by a Mario title, ever. I guess there's a first time for everything. This title is horrible.
  17. Awrora
    Jun 14, 2022
    0
    Lo encontré un juego pobre con muy pocos personajes el cual quizás lo único destacable eran sus animaciones que nos mostraban en el trailer (celebraciones, ataques especiales,etc) pero al poco tiempo se torna todo muy repetitivo y aburrido. Su banda sonora también muy pobre siendo un título de Mario que por general tienen una increíble y amplia banda sonora en sus otros títulos. Es unLo encontré un juego pobre con muy pocos personajes el cual quizás lo único destacable eran sus animaciones que nos mostraban en el trailer (celebraciones, ataques especiales,etc) pero al poco tiempo se torna todo muy repetitivo y aburrido. Su banda sonora también muy pobre siendo un título de Mario que por general tienen una increíble y amplia banda sonora en sus otros títulos. Es un juego que pareciera no estar terminado y que sinceramente no vale la pena por nada en el mundo. Lo mejor: las expresión de sus personajes y su caja, presentación donde viene el cartucho.
    Lo peor: muy pobre de contenido en todo el cual lo torna repetitivo y aburrido.    … Expand
  18. THE_COCONUT_MAN
    Jun 15, 2022
    0
    Me and three friends each pre-ordered the game and took holiday from work to play on launch day. It was then disappointing to find out that there is no 4v4 player multiplayer - you can only team up with one other console!!.....in a 4 aside football game....in 2022...

    This was an absolute deal breaker and needless to say each copy went on eBay the same day.
  19. cynic69
    Jun 16, 2022
    1
    I play Switch for the nintendo exclusive games but there isnt much to play. Games are unfinished reruns without a soul. I stayed loyal for many years but i think i will switch to a steam deck and have some fun again.
  20. nofx911
    Jun 14, 2022
    4
    Kind of disappointed that Nintendo would release such a limited game!

    The positives are the gameplay and how they did a good job of making it fun to pick up and play while still being something that takes to master all of the special moves. The negatives, however, outweigh the positives since after you have played a dozen or so games you quickly realize there is nothing to do in the    Kind of disappointed that Nintendo would release such a limited game!

    The positives are the gameplay and how they did a good job of making it fun to pick up and play while still being something that takes to master all of the special moves.

    The negatives, however, outweigh the positives since after you have played a dozen or so games you quickly realize there is nothing to do in the game! If you try and play online with your friends - that is capped at two players per game so you are stuck with the cpu for the other 2 players. There seems to be no way that I can find to control the goalie so you are often stuck with lackluster performance from the cpu. And, if you play locally there is nothing really to do as it is just the same cup over and over again. There is no story, no engagement, nothing to do in the game! Seems like something that would be released for $30-$40 USD as a party game. Definitely not a full $60 title!

    In 5-6 days the leagues are going to start. Maybe that will fix the online play, but then again there is nothing in the game to keep me playing for the next 5-6 days so I will probably return the game to Gamefly and never look back.

    Hopefully everyone else tries a rental before buying since it seems like it will only appeal to a very niche audience and for most people not worth the $60 asking price!    … Expand
  21. GameReviewer293
    Jun 14, 2022
    0
    This game sucks. Come on Nintendo make better games I know you can, you have it in yourself. Put some content in games for once. If it’s not Mario Zelda or Pokemon it’s not worth your while nowadays.
  22. nintendofan721
    Jun 13, 2022
    3
    Here we go, yet another underwhelming Mario sports game on the switch. It’s been over a decade since we had a Mario strikers and this game had a lot of potential but they f*cked it up! The character roster is horrible with only ten characters and many big names missing like Bowser Jr, Diddy Kong, Birdo, Koopa Troopa, Dry Bones and worst of all, Daisy! How could you have a Mario sports gameHere we go, yet another underwhelming Mario sports game on the switch. It’s been over a decade since we had a Mario strikers and this game had a lot of potential but they f*cked it up! The character roster is horrible with only ten characters and many big names missing like Bowser Jr, Diddy Kong, Birdo, Koopa Troopa, Dry Bones and worst of all, Daisy! How could you have a Mario sports game today and not include her? Yes I know there are more coming later but that’s the problem. Nintendo will release their games unfinished and “fix it later” which is a disgusting strategy that they need to stop. There is only one stadium but you can change the background and they all look too similar and uninteresting. I personally do not like the character customization feature, since you can change your character’s stats and that is wrong since it defeats that whole purpose, and I think it’s just an excuse to have less characters. The core gameplay isn’t all that great and feels very cluttered. The character animations are quite charming and probably the best thing about this game, which is not good. The hyperstrikes are okay but I prefer the megastrikes from the previous game as they are more dramatic and satisfying. There aren’t any extra modes in this game which is a big part of what makes Mario sports games so fun. I would strongly recommend you do not buy this game at $60, and Nintendo is doing more to make me embarrassed to be a fan of them. Honestly, they should just hold off on baseball until they get new management.… Expand
  23. Tomhakkuh
    Jun 14, 2022
    2
    Wow its incredible how less game you can get for 60 bucks.
    The gameplay itself is very well made, cant say otherwise. Its fun to play, but not for long since there is literally nothing todo besides of some tournaments. Compared to mario golf this is a joke. Im not expecting as much gameplay as in smash bros. But this was really a dissapointment. Coming from a Mario fan.
  24. patnott
    Jun 14, 2022
    0
    Don’t buy this game unless you have Nintendo switch online, plan to play online or have friends to play with. I don’t play games online for personal reasons and don’t have friends that have a Switch. Single player is unplayable. The so called AI is a joke. Your fellow AI team mates won’t do anything except give the ball away. The game doesn’t change the character you are controllingDon’t buy this game unless you have Nintendo switch online, plan to play online or have friends to play with. I don’t play games online for personal reasons and don’t have friends that have a Switch. Single player is unplayable. The so called AI is a joke. Your fellow AI team mates won’t do anything except give the ball away. The game doesn’t change the character you are controlling automatically. You have to do that while remembering which button does what. Perhaps it’s good when playing with actual people but not for single players. I returned the game after a day. Absolute waste of money.… Expand
  25. D-Raj
    Jun 14, 2022
    0
    Nintendo with dirty marketing strategies, False advertising the online multiplayer. You CANNOT play 4v4 online on separate switches. You can only connect 2 switches on your team in the online mode, so it’s 2v2. Unless you have two players playing on the SAME switch, and connect two of those switches, you will not be able to play online 4v4.

    It’s archaic and disgusting that they misled    Nintendo with dirty marketing strategies, False advertising the online multiplayer. You CANNOT play 4v4 online on separate switches. You can only connect 2 switches on your team in the online mode, so it’s 2v2. Unless you have two players playing on the SAME switch, and connect two of those switches, you will not be able to play online 4v4.

    It’s archaic and disgusting that they misled everyone in the trailers for this game. Review sites are not taking this into account. This is essentially a two player co op game for online, not the fifa pro clubs type game everyone thought    … Expand
  26. brybry315
    Jun 13, 2022
    5
    The gameplay is good and can be a lot of fun, but there is nothing here! A 4 hour single player experience with the cups and then it's just quick play. There's not even online ranked available at launch! No unlockable characters or stages, barely any progression, and a lack of game modes. Nintendo sold us the beta version of the game for $60.
  27. Silentdog95
    Jun 13, 2022
    5
    Really disappointed. Lacking in content, online features are horrid! Was hoping for more online functionality, as we are now PAYING for an online subscription, but it’s as limited as it was on the Wii. I really hope future updates will fix the lack of content but I doubt it.
  28. KingOleh
    Jun 16, 2022
    7
    The core gameplay is really fun, but there's really not a lot to do. No actual single-player campaign or anything, just regular matches against other people or CPUs. The lack of characters, stage variety and modes make this feel kind of like a demo.

    We shouldn't let Nintendo release unfinished games and ask $60 for them
  29. SAQzak
    Jun 20, 2022
    0
    قيم بلاي فاشل

    غبي AI الجزء القديم احسن بمراحل من ناحية كل شيء الجرافيكس الحسنة الوحيدة
  30. mattverity
    Jun 27, 2022
    0
    Unfinished and lacking in any content. No idea what's going on with mario sports here, but this was by far the most disappointing one. Nintendo needs to wake up and learn that this is not acceptable.
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Awards & Rankings

7
#7 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2022

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
73

Mixed or average reviews - based on 113 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 57 out of 113
  2. Mixed: 54 out of 113
  3. Negative: 2 out of 113
  1. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Jan 29, 2024
    80
    It's a great game if you don't want to play too long against a pretty erratic AI. It's disappointing to not be able to control the goalie as well. The online features are excellent. Plus there's the promise of an expanding range of available Nintendo characters for free. A perfect choice for parties. [Issue#320]
  2. Pure Nintendo
    Sep 1, 2022
    80
    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.
    Read full review
  3. Het Nieuwsblad
    Aug 26, 2022
    40
    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.
    Read full review
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