Mario Strikers: Battle League Demo Shows Promise

Based on its demo, Battle League seems to be worth the wait.

Over time we gain experiences, learn concepts, and formulate thoughts that shape us into the beings we turn out to be. There have been various moments in my life that I would consider core to creating the man I am today: Realizing on my first day of school that my parents wouldn't be joining me, having that same realization the day I moved to college, and of course, rediscovering Mario Strikers.

I originally delved into the beautifully brutal Strikers series in my pre-teen years with Mario Strikers Charged for the wii. I found it absolutely addicting with its fierce mechanics, grungy tone, and unique characters. Eventually, my brother and I purchased a gamecube, and when I saw the original Strikers sitting on a store shelf I couldn’t help but buy it. My cousins, brother, and I then proceeded to play that game to no end, only reluctantly turning off the console when my cousins had to fly back to their home state. Fast forward to me being almost twenty sitting in my empty apartment with my roommate I’ve known since middle school, and I found solace once again on the pitch with Nintendo’s greatest, and apparently most aggressive, characters. You can now most likely find my roommate and I inches from the tv on any given night screaming and hollering at the absolutely frenetic frenzy that is Mario Strikers for the gamecube.

Naturally, after returning to what is now one of my favorite games ever, I simply had to try my long time friend Mario Strikers Charged once again, and re-experience the sheer bliss that comes with slamming Mario characters into electric fences and pools of lava while diving for a metallic ball. After a quick trip home to snag my Wii U and Strikers Charged, my roommate and I plopped onto the couch, expectations high, ready for anything…except for what we actually got.

Ok, this is where I actually start talking about the games. Mario Strikers Charged was a complete disappointment, the opposite of everything I remembered, and showed me the beauty of the original Strikers: Simplicity. Charged introduced noticeable differences between the characters in the form of unique stats, an evolved super-strike system that pauses the main game so whichever player is being shot on can indulge in a sloppy blocking mini-game, individualized powers for each side kick, and stage hazards. In my opinion, every single addition to the game made it much worse. The first problem was the overemphasis of stats and the dramatic effect they had on the game. When choosing our captains, Donkey Kong and Peach, my roommate and I were stunned by the fact Peach couldn’t even shoot the ball hard enough to reach the goalie due to her low strength stat. Similarly, Donkey Kong moved at a pace so slow he was difficult to even use. In other words, the stats made the game boring and at times legitimately impossible to play the actual sport of soccer. It is baffling to me that Nintendo believed stats should have an effect so drastic that it causes the leader of a team to be unable to shoot the ball into the goal. Subsequently, the game is much slower due to characters being unable to effectively shoot the ball or move, and the new super-strike mini-game only dulls the pace even more. If one player manages to get off this super powered kick, the game screeches to a halt and pauses for the goalie to block upwards of six shots. At worst it’s tedious and boring, and at best it makes the game hilariously unfair when the opposing player is up eighteen to zero after a few well timed strikes. While the introduction of unique sidekick moves and the ability to mix and match these characters seems to add more skill, the moves replace the universal dodge that makes strikers so quick. In the original, a well timed spin dodge gives the player a speed boost, thereby quickening the pace even more. In Charged, there are no dodges or speed boosts, instead replaced by character specific moves that has some characters literally staying in the same spot. Worst yet, if you can even manage to have a fun time despite the agonizing pace of the game, stage hazards add an element of randomness that, by the time you realize you aren’t having fun, becomes incredibly frustrating. Meaning, Charged felt slow, heavy, unnecessarily frustrating, and at some times difficult to even execute the fundamentals of soccer, the complete opposite of the quick, violent, and energetic original.

Meaning, while I was ecstatic to hear a new entry was being made despite nearly a decade long hiatus (seriously, the timing of this reveal made it seem Nintendo had camera’s in my apartment), I immediately became scared the Charged sequel would be too complicated, slow, and overbearing with its stats, so when the demo recently came out I had to give it a shot. After multiple matches that gave me a similar Strikers feeling, I can happily say I’m not nearly as worried as I once was despite some flaws.

I’d like to start with the positives, because there are far more than I was expecting. Firstly, the presentation is fantastic. Based on the art style depicted in the trailers and title screens seen in the demo, it finally seems as though Strikers has found a unified aesthetic. In previous games there were looped songs that felt tacky, strangely upbeat for a game where Peach screams bloody murder when slammed into an electric fence. The opening menu for Charged is set in a dark purple sky that simply feels weird; not aggressive, not uniquely violent, just out of place. However, there is nothing that sticks out in Battle League, the animation, music, and art style all have that signature edgy style but slightly toned down. Although I wish it went as hard as the previous games, I can at least appreciate the way the game finally feels whole in terms of its presentation.

Then there’s the gameplay, which fits Nintendo’s easy to pick up hard to master mantra they’re known for. There’s the same techniques seen in Strikers: dashing, shooting, charged shots, tackles, slide tackles, super-strikes, dodges, and passes both on the ground and in air (a cross as the professionals call it). In fact, Battle League smartly gets rid of the character individual powers, as everyone is back to having a simple dodge roll instead of hammer bro conjuring a gigantic hammer or monty mole burrowing underground, and it is glorious. Finally everyone is not only back on the same playing field, but utilizing moves that have a quick pace, which has been greatly improved since Charge. Battle League has also done away with the ridiculous six shot super-strike that slows the game to a detrimental degree and has returned to a two shot max. Meaning, in terms of Charged content brought back, two of the major mechanic flops have rightly been left in the past, while the other mechanic, stats, has been displayed as a major draw for the game in trailers. While this initially made me nervous, and although the stats certainly play a roll and have an effect on more animations and moves, they aren’t so strong that Peach was unable to shoot the ball. Stats will effect how hard one shoots, how long it takes an opponent to rise from a tackle, how much a tackle must be charged to knock someone down or to be knocked down, and many other movements that were neglected in Charged. While this seems a bit overwhelming, and some parts of this game are, the stats don’t appear to be so significant that it will keep a player from performing fundamental soccer techniques as seen in Charged, and I appreciate the level of depth in which stats can effect the character without making the game boring. And, worst case scenario, it’s possible to change these stats, which will surely satisfy any frustrations I’d have with how players feel during the game. Meaning, so far Battle League has manipulated or dispelled all of Charged’s mechanics to make the game of soccer actually playable, and better yet, enjoyable.

It’s not just the stats that have been balanced and treated with more nuance, but nearly every mechanic seen in previous games have been evolved to a degree where it was genuinely difficult to juggle them all at once, and I could not be happier. Firstly, shots, passes, and tackles all have normal and charged variants where in previous games one could only charge shots. These aren’t just for a dramatic flare either, as especially the charged tackle has drastically different effects when compared to the normal tackle. While I’m worried this will make it harder to pummel characters, it’s ultimately a positive change as in Strikers I would cause a chain of tackles that would be impossible for any opponent to break. Adding another layer of depth to the shooting mechanics, one can finally aim their shots, which I have been dreaming of for years. Then there’s the perfectly timed versions of tackles, passes, and shots that make passes impenetrable and shots much more powerful, while also applying a slow motion effect that provides an intrinsic goal for players. If all of these added nuances weren’t enough, then there’s expert moves such as free passing and team tackles. While team tackles felt rather situational, my roommate and I have been craving a free pass mechanic to allow for more strategic play. Meaning, I would say Battle League has provided satisfying advancements for every mechanic seen in previous entries, allowing for more in depth gameplay with timing based mechanics, an increased amount of moment to moment decision making, and opportunities to plan ahead all while not sacrificing the quick pace of the game itself. Keep in mind, all of these mechanics then work in tandem, as a charged timed pass to a charged timed shot has even more power than a typical charged timed shot. Furthermore, one must be thinking about all of these moves while simultaneously micromanaging the placement of players to make sure the characters with the best shot stat are the ones consistently shooting, those with strong defense will stay in the backfield, etc. Another stat is ones stamina, which means some characters won’t be able to dash as long as others. All in all, if it is not already obvious, Battle League is the most in depth Strikers game by a mile, and I couldn’t be happier for it.

In fact, I’m so pleased with the mechanics that I only have a few complaints. In previous games dashing didn’t make one lose possession of the ball, but rather just more difficult to control. Meaning, a character who is dashing would be able to shoot or pass as soon as they caught up to the ball, but in Battle League this isn’t the case. I would start dashing and press the pass button to plan ahead and anticipate a pass, but because that button is also tackling on offense, my character would tackle immediately instead of passing when catching up to the ball. While not a dealbreaker, it is something I, and other Strikers enthusiasts, will have to get used to.

My only other concern with the game has nothing to do with how it actually plays, but rather the state of the meta. Many have complained about the lack of characters, and while it isn’t a pathetically small roster, I can’t explain the level of disappointment I’d feel if new characters and maps were added down the road, as it would only further solidify Nintendo’s completely backwards and anti-consumer mindset of sending out unfinished games and “fixing them” over time. While I don’t believe this game feels unfinished, I sadly wouldn’t be surprised if it ended up being a much weaker product on its release day than it will be in a year or two.

In the grand scheme of things, these complaints are minor in comparison to the amount that this game does right. Unified and pleasing presentation, evolved gameplay mechanics, a perfect pace, scrapping flawed aspects of old games, and a level of depth I simply didn’t expect, Battle League has the potential to easily be the best game in the series.