At a time when football in video games is still chasing ultra-realism, when brands are seeking to renew themselves, when the business model is in full mutation, Nintendo is not taking the lead and is coming back with a formula as old as the world: the arcade game. In Mario Strikers Battle League Football, as in the previous two episodes of the series, it's fun that comes first! Here, there are no rules (or very few), it is possible to do anything and everything, even abuse your opponents, to score as many goals as possible. Each team is made up of 5 players, including the goalkeeper, knowing that the latter is imposed from the outset. The rest is composed according to your convenience according to the characters that are available at the start of the game. There are only ten for the moment (Mario, Luigi, Bowser, Peach, Harmony, Toad, Yoshi, Donkey Kong, Wario, Waluigi), which is obviously too light, but Nintendo has confirmed that others will be added to the roster through updates and DLC to come.
Between the simple shot, the targeted shot, the charged shot, accelerations, dribbles, dodges, simple or charged tackles, the possibility of canceling a charged tackle to feint the opponent (and yes, the mind game is present in the game), the use of items and hyper typing which requires a sense of timing and speed of execution, there is really something to get tangled up in the controls.
As usual, the Bowser, Wario and Donkey Kong are slow in their movements, but they possess a superior punching power than the others. It's the opposite for other characters like Toad, Peach or Harmonie, knowing that for the latter, you have to deal with the fact that she doesn't run on the ground, but floats, which is quite initially destabilizing. Each of its characters has its own characteristics and behavior on the field, and the composition of your team will indeed have to be done according to your affinities and their performance. They are broken down as follows: strength, speed, shooting, passing and technique, knowing that it is possible to change each parameter through equipment to be added later. Indeed, before being able to assign them new skill points (which will be reflected on the screen by reinforcements in the head, arms, torso and legs), you will have to earn a few coins by chaining the matches. , cuts and different workouts.
SIMPLE, BUT NOT SIMPLIST
In this regard, Mario Strikers Battle League Football may be an arcade football game without established rules, we strongly suggest that you go through the "Training" box before jumping into the bath, the game offering multiple subtleties that will be useful once in the field. Between the simple shot, the targeted shot, the charged shot, accelerations, dribbles, dodges, simple or charged tackles, the possibility of canceling a charged tackle to feint the opponent (and yes, the mind game is present in the game), the use of items and hyper typing which requires a sense of timing and speed of execution, there is really something to get tangled up in the controls. Anyway, like all Nintendo games, the training is accompanied (here, Futbot will give you the tips) and is done in stages, which is really didactic. So obviously, when you are alone managing a team of 5 players, you quickly lose your means at the start, especially since the game seems to have been designed for multi / coop, whether on your sofa or online, but nothing is obviously insurmountable. Anyway, Mario Strikers Battle League Football has a nice margin of progress, knowing that everything will be played on the timing and the rhythm that you will put in your exchanges. It is also by playing thoroughly on the team-mate that it is possible to surprise the opponent, knowing that it is not necessarily by perfectly executing a hyper strike that you will systematically score. The goalkeeper can indeed defend himself when he intercepts the ball, with the possibility of pushing it back by hammering the key requested during the action. Often, it's through strategy and the right placements that we manage to surprise the goalkeeper (whom we never control by the way) and thus score a goal, often with a simple shot, without any frills.
Anyway, triggering a hyper strike is not so simple, you must first collect a power orb that falls on the field and can then be collected by any team, which is not the case items, accessible to the team according to its color and especially its skills on the ground. For example, if you are weak and your score is against you, you will have more items that will help you on the field. This is also one of the novelties of this Mario Strikers Battle League Football, and this 2022 addition comes to spice up a formula that was already rolling mechanics. But we're not going to lie to you, this Mario Football on Nintendo Switch essentially takes up the basics of the gameplay of previous episodes, without any real revolution, but it seriously gains in game depth with all these new parameters that have been added. Between the composition of the team which can really make the difference, the statistics which it is possible to make evolve through the equipment, the subtleties of gameplay added, the timing which prove to be very important and which will make it possible to make the real difference. ' between a beginner player and an expert, there is really a lot of fun.
Between the composition of the team which can really make the difference, the statistics which it is possible to make evolve through the equipment, the subtleties of gameplay added, the timing which prove to be very important and which will make it possible to make the real difference. ' between a beginner player and an expert, there is really a lot of fun.
So certainly, the matches seem rough at first, and it will take a little time to adapt, especially since the game seems built for multiplayer and coop in the first place, but the promises are there. For now, only the content is poor at launch. Between a weak roster (only 10 characters – it's clearly abused), ultra-limited game modes too, the content is poor, we have to be honest. We will obviously trust Nintendo to enrich its game once it is released and knowing the publisher's practices with previous sports games, such as Mario Tennis or Mario Golf, we are not super worried. It will just be necessary that the rhythm of the updates is well programmed. When we tell you that it's all about timing...
