Fun and easy soccer title dragged down by little character options and an absence of minigames or gimmick fields.
Good:
Easy-to-learn soccer
Mario
Multiplayer = Up to 4
Bad:
No Gimmick fields
No Minigames
Power Shots can become too easy
Although Nintendo has been pretty weak through 2005; especially in the summer; Mario has not. 2005 seems to be the Year of the Mushroom, as Super Mario Strikers’ release makes three Mario titles for the ‘Cube alone (Mario Baseball and Mario Party 7 being the other two).
Mario has done very well in the past, but how does this soccer installment compare?
The three most important factors of Mario sports are as follows: easy-to-learn, fun, and filled with Mario elements. This game is incredibly easy to learn, which makes it perfect for your average gamer and the little kids who are as obsessed with Mario as anyone else. Strikers is definitely fun; but to a degree. The matches are quick and exciting. It always feels great to make a goal, whether it’s by a super strike or an aerial backflip shot.
Why, then, is this soccer game not completely fun? Well, for starters, the gameplay can get repetitive after awhile. There are several gametypes; your standard quick match, the obligatory Mario Cup Tournaments, and a create-your-own tournament function. Unfortunately, none of different types really changes much to the gameplay to mean anything.
Also, there just isn’t enough Mario. After all, it is a Mario game. There are many fields to be played, all with cool names, textures, and designs. However, gimmicks are completely absent from any of them. No ghosts to fly across the mansion grounds and attack you, no Thwomps, no Piranha Plants. That’s the thing - many Mario sports titles have established very cool gimmicks, so designing them wouldn’t be too difficult. Yet gimmicks; an essential element to Mario sports; are missing. Also, the number of selectable characters is a little disappointing. There are nine captains (one is locked at start) and four minor character groups (once again, another unlocked later). Unfortunately, this just isn’t enough. With Hammer Bros., Birdos, Toads, and Koopas making up most of your team, a good deal of Mario characters are lost. The system of Captain + Minor Characters + Klap Trap Goalie works well, but more selection would be nice. Where are the Shy Guys? Boos? Goombas? (Sure, the last two would look really weird playing this game, but if they can play Baseball…)
Everything else about this game is average and better. The graphics are better than most of the other Mario sports titles, but perhaps not as perfect as Power Tennis’. The cut scenes, especially some of the after-goal ones, look good and can be really cool at times (I’m thinking of Koopas’). However, there are few, so get used to pressing the A button a lot to skip it.
The sound compares just as well. The characters have a little more variety to their voices than the other titles, and sound great for the most part. What is really done well are the assist moves. When you have the ball another player is in a good position to score, they’ll tell you; whether it’s Luigi calling you to pass or a grunt from a Koopa. This is really great, as it adds to the feel of an actual game of soccer and can mean more points for your team.
It’s really great that the multiplayer was fixed nicely for four players, something which would have been nice for Superstar Baseball (they could have figured a way). However, much of the time that means you’re fighting for ball control with the other human players. Overall, the ability to play up to four is certainly better than not being able to.
Speaking of four players: If up to four people can play, don’t you think they might want to play some minigames? Except that this game has none. Forget that minigames are quickly becoming a trend in Mario sports titles, and ignore the fact that Baseball and Power Tennis’ minigames were lots of fun. There is nothing here. That, of course, contributes to the fact that the other gametypes (gametype, actually) gets old fast.
As a venture into a new sport, Super Mario Strikers does pretty good. After all, baseball and soccer are quite different from golf and tennis. Overall, if anyone has any interest in Mario or soccer, they need to check this out. Be prepared though: it isn’t as good as other Mario sports games. However, don’t let the lack of gimmicks or minigames deter you from an easy, fun soccer game. It’s too bad this console cycle is over; a remake of this game would be in order if there were a few more years left in the Gamecube’s life. Plus we’ll miss out on ‘Cube renditions of Mario’s hockey, bowling, or polo. You know they’re coming. Especially the polo one. Yoshi’s all the way.