Super Mario Strikers
Available Platforms: Gamecube
If mindless, button mashing entertainment is what you seek, you often have to look no further than the plethora of arcade style Mario games for the Gamecube. Mario Strikers, the latest game that features Nintendo’s adventurous multi-talented plumber, is no exception. Strikers follows the mold of many other Mario titles, a thin storyline, a lackluster single player experience, but incredibly addictive when it comes to multi-player modes. There is also a very disappointing absence of the usual variety of gameplay found in other Mario titles. The only thing about the game that saves it from complete mediocrity is how good the multi-player aspect is.
The game’s visuals are decent at best. That’s not to say that the graphics look bad, even though there is the occasional blur. Some of the character animations are humorous and the characters themselves have a slightly edgier look to them. It’s hard to imagine how the developers were able to make Yoshi or Toad look even a little intimidating but they succeeded. The characters look good, as do the power up animations, but the stadiums are not up to par with the rest of the game. There are seven different arenas and the only real difference is the color of the floors. Other Mario games such as Mario Party and Mario Superstar Baseball offer levels that present unique obstacles and each stage plays very differently. The biggest variety you get in Strikers is on one level, where your feet make a clanking noise against the metal floor. Needless to say, not a ton of variety there. The stages all look very bland and there is no difference in how each arena plays.
Continuing with the theme of lack of variety, there are very limited options on who you can have on your team. Each team is comprised of one Mario superstar, three supporting players and a goalie. Your goalie is always an alligator in tights because we all know that the only thing alligators do better than dragging antelopes underwater and eating them is stopping soccer balls from going into a net. Being able to pick from a few different goalies would have been nice but it doesn’t hurt the game that much.
What does hurt the game is the fact that you can only choose between nine different main characters and only a paltry four supporting characters. All of the superstars play pretty much the same only varying in speed and size. There are no unique power shots like in other Mario titles, every character does the same Matrix style shot that counts as two goals instead of one. This is an interesting twist that adds an element of strategy to the game since only your captain can attempt a power shot. This leads to your generic supporting cast. You can only choose between four different characters and one of those characters clones itself twice and takes up the other three spots on your roster. There are slight differences in the way these supporting characters play, but it isn’t significant enough to make any difference as to which one you choose.
The saving grace of Mario Strikers is how damn fun it is to play with a few other people. There is no greater feeling than slamming your friend’s superstar into the electrified wall and scoring a goal as they curse at you and throw their controller against the floor. The gameplay is easy to learn and very fast paced. The game feels more like a hybrid of hockey and Street Fighter than soccer. Trash talking is a must during the game and it will be hard not to taunt your opponent or beat them over the head with your controller once you get into the game. Try some two on two matches for some very heated battles that very well might end friendships and send people to the hospital.
I can’t count the number of times the words “I want a rematch” have been screamed since Super Mario Strikers entered my house. The game is pure arcade style entertainment that is as addicting as some unholy combination of caffeine, cigarettes, and heroin but is not nearly as harmful. As good as the game is when more than person is involved, the flaws simply can not be overlooked. Everything else about the game is mediocre at best and lacks the originality and versatility of many other Mario titles. The single player mode gets boring and repetitive, and the more you play the game by yourself the more you notice how bland and uninspired all the backgrounds and supporting characters are. Super Mario Strikers would be a colossal flop if it wasn’t for the excellent multi-player mode so just make sure you have plenty of friends around before you even think about buying this one.
Grade: C
