The original Super Mario Strikers was released in 2005 on GameCube to much acclaim. In a world where soccer games were slow, serious affairs, the off-the-wall nature of Mario's take on the genre was a breath of fresh air. The series received one more entry in 2007, Mario Strikers Charged on the Nintendo Wii, and then it went dark.
Nearly 15 years to the day since that release, soccer returns to the world of Super Mario with Next Level Games' Mario Strikers: Battle League. The new entry receives a graphical update and a swath of new mechanics that launch the series into the modern era of gaming. While the game's tutorial covers the basics, there are plenty of hidden tricks and techniques that can take players from feeling like a rookie to playing like a Premier League Champion (or Mario Strikers: Battle League Champion, as the case may be).
10 Dodging Is Important, But There's An Easier Way
The game's tutorial teaches players about the value of dodging pretty succinctly. It can help avoid a tackle and, if timed correctly, the controlled character will get an extra burst of speed as a reward.
What the tutorial doesn't mention is that, while pushing the R button is one way to dodge, it can also be performed by flicking the Right Analog Stick, which allows players to maintain the direction they're running while executing the dodge. The timing is a bit different, so practice with this technique before taking it out on the field.
9 There's No Penalty For Missed Interceptions
Tackling in Mario Strikers: Battle League brings with it some significant risk. There is the aforementioned dodge ability where players can avoid an incoming tackle, leaving the tackler in the dust and giving their intended victim a speed boost. Then there's the fact that, if a player without the ball is tackled, they'll receive an item, which are powerful abilities in the right hands.
Instead, players should be inclined toward interceptions over tackles whenever possible. If someone sees a pass coming, they should simply stand near the receiver and press A or B. Players will intercept the pass without risking any negative consequences if the interception is mistimed.
8 Pass Through Opposing Players
Everyone wants to be a star, that lone player who carves through the opposing team to score a spectacular goal. It's a great feeling, but there's a reason these moments are so exciting: they're a rarity.
In the end, passing wins games. It may not be the flashiest way to rack up goals, but spreading the team around the field and passing back and forth is the best way to pull defenders out of position. Eventually, players will learn to spot lanes that open up in the opposing team's defense, and once that happens, one last pass to an open teammate can be volleyed into the back of the net.
7 Equipping Gear Isn't Necessary
As players progress through the game, they will unlock coins that can be spent on gear. Gear can be equipped to characters to improve certain stats, but it always comes at a cost.
In the end, the bonuses players will see from gear upgrades will be minimal, but the downsides can be a serious hindrance. No gear comes with stat upgrades exclusively, it will always decrease another stat as a trade-off. If players aren't careful, an upgrade that seems powerful will result in a character that is only effective at one aspect of the game. Sometimes, the default setup is simply the better choice.
6 Build A Super-Peach
With that said, building a specialist character through equipping gear can be a game-changer when done right. The best example of this is Peach. She starts out with an already high Technique stat, which can be boosted even further with gear upgrades.
Technique influences two things above all: tackling and Hyper Strikes. Hyper Strikes are a special charged-up shot that, when successful, counts as two goals instead of one. The Technique stat influences the difficulty of Hyper Strike timing; the higher it is, the easier a Hyper Strike is to pull off. Peach's technique can be cranked up to 23 through effective gear deployment, which is the second-highest of any character in the game. What makes Peach the best option for this is that she is also a naturally fast character, meaning she can be a Hyper Strike specialist and still get back to defend.
5 The Hyper Strike Mash
As mentioned earlier, Hyper Strikes can be devastating when timed correctly. To pull off a powerful Hyper Strike, players need to charge up their shot, which leaves them wide open for a tackle if they aren't careful.
One way to avoid this is to mash the A button rather than trying to time it perfectly. Mashing a Hyper Strike will result in a less powerful shot, but it's still better than no shot at all. It can also create rebounds for other characters to tap into the net, so don't be afraid to get off a quick Hyper Strike if a fully-powered one is too risky.
4 Use The Electric Fence
All around the outside of the playing field is an electric fence. Any character that collides with it will be electrocuted and stunned for a brief moment. Players can use this to their advantage.
When timing a tackle, players can make them even more effective by launching their opponent into the electric fence. Then, not only will their character gain possession of the ball, but their opponent will be down a man for a few moments. Similarly, a well-timed dodge can send a would-be tackler charging into the electric fence while the player's character moves on unhindered. This isn't always easy to pull off, but that just makes it more satisfying when it works.
3 Turn On Visual-Assist Mode
In the settings, Mario Strikers: Battle League offers something called "Visual-Assist Mode." This mode will put colored shapes above the characters on the field, making it easier to tell them apart.
This is particularly useful when playing on the handheld Switch, as all the action on the screen can become pretty chaotic at times. Even on a big TV screen, having the extra indicators of which characters are on which team, and where they are on the field, can shave precious seconds off of determining the best direction for the next pass.
2 Block Colors Mean Something
Mario Strikers: Battle League doesn't specifically state this, but the Question Blocks that appear on the field during the game are different colors for a reason.
The player's team and their opponent will have different colored uniforms, and these are important to pay attention to because players can only use the Blocks that match their team's color. Hitting the opposing team's Block will result in an animation but won't actually give the player anything. Meanwhile, Rainbow Blocks can be hit by either team, so rushing to hit them first is always a good idea.
1 Shoot From The Middle Of The Field
This isn't always easy to make happen, but the best place to shoot on the net to have the best chance of scoring is always from the middle of the field, rather than the top or bottom.
The reason for this has to do with angles. Soccer fans will know this already, but shooting from the side of the net creates a smaller target through which the ball can enter. Even more so with a goalie in the way, who will come out of the net to decrease the open area even further. From the middle of the field, both sides of the net will have some open space to shoot at, making a goal that much more likely.
Mario Strikers: Battle League was released on June 10th, 2022, on Nintendo Switch.