Mario Strikers: Battle League

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.

Battle League features a HUGE gap in content that Nintendo is promising to patch in with post-launch updates, but that really doesn’t help anyone who decided to buy the game at launch. Online play is just as you would expect from the Switch, replaying cups just isn’t enjoyable, and quickplay just kind of exists.

Mario Strikers: Battle League is a great game that suffers the same fate as its Switch sports brethren. It plays great, looks outstanding, but simply lacks content. I truly hope we see more characters, stadiums, and modes as the game goes on. There is a lot here to love, but it feels shallow in the content department for sure. Still if you love the arcade mentality of Mario sports this game is a no-brainer and yet another exclusive gem for Nintendo’s aging platform.

Mario Strikers: Battle League is more than just the Mario Kart equivalent of a soccer game. Next Level Games has showcased its talent through its amazing attention to detail and giving us a worthy sequel to its beloved franchise. The gear system is intuitive as it is easy to understand, while the fast-paced action can keep you coming back for more. The clunky player switching needs to be worked on, and a larger roster will greatly boost the longevity of this game. These may be things that could be fixed in a future update, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that Mario Strikers: Battle League is taking home the cup.

If you’re a fan of the Mario Strikers series — or just Mario sporting titles — then you’re going to love Mario Strikers: Battle League. The game offers a polished, fun, and problem-free gameplay experience for players of all levels of commitment.

Those who were starving for a new Mario Strikers game will likely get a lot of playtime out of Mario Strikers: Battle League despite its general lack of content, but those who need a little more meat on the bone will likely come away disappointed. The core gameplay is great, but there's not much to the game beyond that.