Lots of franchises have been making surprise comebacks in the last few years, from Metroid to Perfect Dark. Mario Strikers: Battle League belongs to that cadre of unexpected arrivals. Although it was only announced in February, fans can look forward to some high-octane Super Mario soccer action within 2022. Mario Strikers: Battle League looks like it preserves a lot of the intensity and low-rules gameplay of the originals, in spite of releasing 15 years after the last Mario Strikers installation, while bringing a lot of modern ideas like a detailed competitive online multiplayer system that make it a fresh look for the series.
As one might expect, the roster of playable characters in Mario Strikers: Battle League looks a little different from past games. Battle League appears to do away with the traditional captain-centric team structure of past games, instead placing each team member on similar levels of importance and encouraging players to frequently switch between characters. The specific list of Battle League characters is composed of the usual suspects in terms of Super Mario spin-off character rosters, although it does appear smaller than some players might have hoped. Still, Battle League's cast looks well-rounded enough to start off the game's life while leaving room for expansion in the future.
Mario Strikers: Battle League's Characters
The latest trailer for Mario Strikers: Battle League confirms ten playable characters: Mario, Luigi, Bowser, Peach, Rosalina, Toad, Yoshi, Donkey Kong, Wario, and Waluigi. For each match of Battle League, players compose a team by picking four of these characters, and they'll have to choose wisely, since they all have drastically different statistics. For instance, Donkey Kong's high Strength makes him resistant to enemy tackles, while Peach's high Speed can help her outrun and outmaneuver her opponents. Carefully balanced teams will serve Mario Strikers fans well as they play for keeps in Battle League's ranked multiplayer.
The Battle League roster covers plenty of tactical ground, but it omits a couple notable Super Mario characters, including some previous playable Mario Strikers stars. Daisy hasn't made the cut into Battle League's starting roster, nor have Diddy Kong and Bowser Jr. Additionally, since sidekicks aren't a core mechanic in Battle League, Super Mario figures like Monty Moles, Boos, and Birdo aren't playable either. While this means Battle League has a majorly slimmed down roster, Nintendo and Next Level Games have seemingly attempted to make up for it through Battle League's equipment system; stat-adjusting gear makes every Battle League character more flexible than usual.
Possible Growth in Mario Strikers
While lots of characters have been omitted from Mario Strikers, Nintendo and Next Level Games may revisit these characters through free updates or paid DLC for Mario Strikers: Battle League in the future. Nintendo's frequent use of DLC in recent years makes it seem likely that Daisy, Diddy Kong, and other past characters will join the game later. Mario Strikers: Battle League could even extend invitations to characters like Kamek who have never been a part of the Mario Strikers roster.
Fans may still be waiting on new core Mario games like a hypothetical Super Mario Odyssey sequel, but Super Mario spinoffs are thriving thanks to Mario Strikers: Battle League and recent releases such as Mario Party Superstars. The stars of Nintendo's beloved platforming franchise seem to find themselves right at home no matter what sport or party activity they try. If Super Mario Odyssey 2 isn't right around the corner, then at least Mario Strikers: Battle League will push the Super Mario franchise forward in its own way. Battle League is built around a small but reliable list of characters who will serve the Mario Strikers revival well, showcasing the game's innovations and pointing toward other changes that could come to the series down the line.
Mario Strikers: Battle League releases June 10, 2022 for Nintendo Switch.