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Is the first Mario sports title on Wii a crowd-pleasing goal or just a lot of back-and-forth running? Find out in our full review.
July 27, 2007 | 2:33 PM PSTWhen Nintendo first unveiled that it would be bringing a sequel to Super Mario Strikers out on its new-generation Wii console, we have to admit we were a bit surprised, not to mention puzzled. The original GameCube game released to see good reviews, but not great ones. Why had Nintendo green lighted another Strikers game so soon when the original game scored 7s across the board? Moreover, the Mario Strikers franchise is not exactly the first one to jump into our minds when it comes to games that could be revolutionized by the Wii-mote.
Whatever the reason, it doesn’t really matter because Mario Strikers Charged is a step up over its predecessor and is an exciting multiplayer title. Next Level Games has polished the template from its first game – fast, “arcadey” soccer – and added several new modes, characters, stadiums and, more importantly, more options. For instance, in the first Mario Strikers, you picked your team captain and three sidekicks, but those sidekicks had no definable skills, strengths or weaknesses. This time around, each character has its own skills set, so you’ll need to employ a bit of strategy and forward-thinking when you create your four-man team.
Whether or not you like soccer in real life, Charged ends up being a lot of fun to play – especially with friends. This is no doubt owed to the game’s tight, responsive controls. Although the game doesn’t really utilize the Wii-mote’s motion capabilities in any groundbreaking fashions, what’s here is appreciated. Rather than tapping a button to slam into opponents, you simply shake the Wii remote to jolt your character forward. However, it’s surprisingly satisfying to swing your hand forward and see your on-screen character react, usually violently slugging the opposing character. The physical interaction the remote allows with the game adds a lot to the experience. The title uses the Wii-mote’s special powers in at least one other way, which is also a nice addition to control: when defending from a Megastrike (super powerful, charged shots), the game swings into a first-person mode, in which you control the goalie’s hands with the Wii-mote, defending from incoming balls.
As a single-player game, Charged offers more depth and entertainment than its older brother, thanks to the added Challenge mode. That said, single-player quickly becomes frustrating in part thanks to calculated, un-beatable AI. It’s seemingly impossible to score against the CPU in higher difficulties, which results in prolonged periods of running back and forth in a vexing stalemate.
Ultimately, it doesn’t matter because the draw to Mario Strikers Charged lies not in its standard single-player mode but in its offline and online multiplayer. The up-to-four-player multiplayer can quickly become a competitive blast. Playing offline multiplayer is as expected, but it’s the game’s online mode that will get the most attention from gamers. Unfortunately, there are some noteworthy shortcomings in regards to online play, the most important of which is the game’s latency issues. During our testing of its online mode, the majority of games played suffered from bothersome lag, even when the title said we were connecting to a “4-star connection.” This seems to be a problem whether you are hosting a game or simply joining a friend’s. During these sluggish games, controlling your characters becomes difficult, especially in tight situations, where a second’s difference in a button press can be the difference between successfully passing or being kicked in the knees. Of course, if your online match doesn’t suffer from lag, the game is, as expected, fun.
Readers should note that it is possible these latency issues are not widespread and could be corrected by Nintendo in the future.
The lack of voice chat – and a headset – is disappointing, as you cannot communicate with other online players. What’s more, friend codes are once again here to ruin the day. You’ll have to enter a new friend code even if you already have a sizable friends list on your Wii itself. As a whole, Mario Striker’s use of Nintendo WFC feels decidedly last-generation, but even so, it’s better than no online support at all.
If you can ignore some of these limiting design choices, you’re bound to have fun with the multiplayer modes in the game. Simply put, this is one of Wii’s best multiplayer efforts. Matches quickly become competitive games of smack-talk. Next Level Games has done an impressive job balancing the game, too. The new Megastrikes are, no surprise, the number-one choice for trying to score, but it’s still possible (although hopelessly difficult on higher difficulties) to score without them. Every time you pass the ball to a team mate, it begins to build up a charge, so constant passing is encouraged. After four or five uninterrupted passes back and forth between team members, the ball will be ready for a powered kick, which increases the chances of it successfully making its way past the opposing goalie and into the goal.
Thankfully, unlike traditional Mario sports titles, Mario Strikers doesn’t harass you with an annoying, forced storyline. However, at the start of each match, you are forced to sit through sometimes lengthy intro cut-scenes. For example, when Mario is the captain on the home team, you’ll have to watch him freefall from the sky and into the stadium every time – and you can’t skip the scene, which over time becomes exasperating.
Charged features a solid 17 stadiums to choose from, each of which features its own distinct, visual theme and gimmicks. For example, one stadium will occasionally illuminate the ground with bolts of electricity, stunning all players caught in its wrath. Another level, set high atop a windswept cliff, features gusts of wind that will occasionally carry across the field random objects and even a cow or two for good measure. While the random obstacles can be fun, they can also become frustrating, but thankfully the game features a fair share of normal maps, where you don’t have to worry about a farm animal wiping out your entire team.
The title's presentation is impressive, all thanks to clean, smartly designed menus, a great soundtrack of techno-esque beats, and an edgy, describably angry art-direction. This is one great-looking Wii game, too.
Mario Strikers Charged is a very fun multiplayer game that features some design choices that limit it, such as the primitive online mode. However, when it gets down to the core experience it offers, it’s undeniably fun. The single-player mode offers enough content to keep you playing for a while, but it’s the multiplayer that’s the real attraction here. Whether you’re a soccer fan, a Mario fan or a fan of neither, you’re bound to enjoy this one.
Whatever the reason, it doesn’t really matter because Mario Strikers Charged is a step up over its predecessor and is an exciting multiplayer title. Next Level Games has polished the template from its first game – fast, “arcadey” soccer – and added several new modes, characters, stadiums and, more importantly, more options. For instance, in the first Mario Strikers, you picked your team captain and three sidekicks, but those sidekicks had no definable skills, strengths or weaknesses. This time around, each character has its own skills set, so you’ll need to employ a bit of strategy and forward-thinking when you create your four-man team.
Whether or not you like soccer in real life, Charged ends up being a lot of fun to play – especially with friends. This is no doubt owed to the game’s tight, responsive controls. Although the game doesn’t really utilize the Wii-mote’s motion capabilities in any groundbreaking fashions, what’s here is appreciated. Rather than tapping a button to slam into opponents, you simply shake the Wii remote to jolt your character forward. However, it’s surprisingly satisfying to swing your hand forward and see your on-screen character react, usually violently slugging the opposing character. The physical interaction the remote allows with the game adds a lot to the experience. The title uses the Wii-mote’s special powers in at least one other way, which is also a nice addition to control: when defending from a Megastrike (super powerful, charged shots), the game swings into a first-person mode, in which you control the goalie’s hands with the Wii-mote, defending from incoming balls.
As a single-player game, Charged offers more depth and entertainment than its older brother, thanks to the added Challenge mode. That said, single-player quickly becomes frustrating in part thanks to calculated, un-beatable AI. It’s seemingly impossible to score against the CPU in higher difficulties, which results in prolonged periods of running back and forth in a vexing stalemate.
Ultimately, it doesn’t matter because the draw to Mario Strikers Charged lies not in its standard single-player mode but in its offline and online multiplayer. The up-to-four-player multiplayer can quickly become a competitive blast. Playing offline multiplayer is as expected, but it’s the game’s online mode that will get the most attention from gamers. Unfortunately, there are some noteworthy shortcomings in regards to online play, the most important of which is the game’s latency issues. During our testing of its online mode, the majority of games played suffered from bothersome lag, even when the title said we were connecting to a “4-star connection.” This seems to be a problem whether you are hosting a game or simply joining a friend’s. During these sluggish games, controlling your characters becomes difficult, especially in tight situations, where a second’s difference in a button press can be the difference between successfully passing or being kicked in the knees. Of course, if your online match doesn’t suffer from lag, the game is, as expected, fun.
Readers should note that it is possible these latency issues are not widespread and could be corrected by Nintendo in the future.
The lack of voice chat – and a headset – is disappointing, as you cannot communicate with other online players. What’s more, friend codes are once again here to ruin the day. You’ll have to enter a new friend code even if you already have a sizable friends list on your Wii itself. As a whole, Mario Striker’s use of Nintendo WFC feels decidedly last-generation, but even so, it’s better than no online support at all.
If you can ignore some of these limiting design choices, you’re bound to have fun with the multiplayer modes in the game. Simply put, this is one of Wii’s best multiplayer efforts. Matches quickly become competitive games of smack-talk. Next Level Games has done an impressive job balancing the game, too. The new Megastrikes are, no surprise, the number-one choice for trying to score, but it’s still possible (although hopelessly difficult on higher difficulties) to score without them. Every time you pass the ball to a team mate, it begins to build up a charge, so constant passing is encouraged. After four or five uninterrupted passes back and forth between team members, the ball will be ready for a powered kick, which increases the chances of it successfully making its way past the opposing goalie and into the goal.
Thankfully, unlike traditional Mario sports titles, Mario Strikers doesn’t harass you with an annoying, forced storyline. However, at the start of each match, you are forced to sit through sometimes lengthy intro cut-scenes. For example, when Mario is the captain on the home team, you’ll have to watch him freefall from the sky and into the stadium every time – and you can’t skip the scene, which over time becomes exasperating.
Charged features a solid 17 stadiums to choose from, each of which features its own distinct, visual theme and gimmicks. For example, one stadium will occasionally illuminate the ground with bolts of electricity, stunning all players caught in its wrath. Another level, set high atop a windswept cliff, features gusts of wind that will occasionally carry across the field random objects and even a cow or two for good measure. While the random obstacles can be fun, they can also become frustrating, but thankfully the game features a fair share of normal maps, where you don’t have to worry about a farm animal wiping out your entire team.
The title's presentation is impressive, all thanks to clean, smartly designed menus, a great soundtrack of techno-esque beats, and an edgy, describably angry art-direction. This is one great-looking Wii game, too.
Mario Strikers Charged is a very fun multiplayer game that features some design choices that limit it, such as the primitive online mode. However, when it gets down to the core experience it offers, it’s undeniably fun. The single-player mode offers enough content to keep you playing for a while, but it’s the multiplayer that’s the real attraction here. Whether you’re a soccer fan, a Mario fan or a fan of neither, you’re bound to enjoy this one.
November 20, 2009
