Mario Strikers Charged
Encyclopedia
Mario Strikers Charged, known in Europe and Australia as Mario Strikers Charged Football, is a sports
video game developed by Canadian
developer Next Level Games
and published by Nintendo
for the Wii
. This game was announced at the 2006 Games Convention
in Leipzig
, Germany
as the sequel to Super Mario Strikers
for the Nintendo GameCube
. It was released on May 25, 2007 in Europe
, June 7, 2007 in Australia
and July 30, 2007 in North America
.
The game supports the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection
, through which players can participate in online matches and tournaments. Upon its European release, it became the first Wii online game to be available outside of Japan
. It was also the first Mario
Game Released on the Wii
and the first Mario game to be given a rating higher than E by the ESRB.
may use his ability to remove other players from the field or Princess Daisy may knock out all players in a large radius.
If the character is a captain, the shot will be a Mega Strike. The Mega Strike splits up into 3-6 individual shots which all fly toward the goal at a certain speed. The number of balls and their speed depend on the player's timing in executing the Mega Strike. To defend against the shots, the opposing goalie (if a human player) will enter a minigame where the player must target and block the balls with the goalie, depending on the speed of the mega strike the player may have some time or almost no time at all to block the balls. For every shot the mega striking player successfully makes, a goal is awarded to their side.
on the Wii Remote
. To deke in that direction when in possession of the ball, a character will perform a specific move instead of tackling.
Characters such as Mario
, Luigi
or Toad
will jump or roll forward a short distance. Other characters, such as Waluigi
, Dry Bones and Princess Daisy can teleport
, to avoid being tackled. These characters are mostly used to perform a trick shot. Others will damage their opponent. Characters like Birdo
and Hammer Bros. will hit their foes, usually when another player is attempting to tackle them.
game to use the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection
features (with Pokémon Battle Revolution
being the first). In Europe, it is the first Wii game to use the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. The online modes feature ranked random matches and unranked friendly matches.
Ranked matches puts players up against a random opponent and are restricted to players in the same region in order to maintain connection stability. A billboard showing the player's Mii
will be shown along with the "Striker of the Day". The Striker of the Day is the player who earns the most points in one day. Players earn 10 points for winning a match or 1 point for losing a match, and also 1 point per goal scored, with a limit of 10 points earned for goals making a total limit of 20 points. The ranked matches do not use friend codes, are region specific, and support 1 vs. 1 and 2 vs. 2 player matches.
Friendly matches are casual matches in which players can go up against their friends. Unlike the ranked matches, the unranked matches use the friend code
system and there is no points system. While originally planned to support worldwide play, support for friend code matches was later restricted to local regions due to concerns about lag and playability. Players are able to import their Mii
; each Mii has its own friend code so that each user can have a separate friend list. The unranked matches support 1 vs. 1, 2 vs. 1, 2 vs. 2, and 3 vs. 1 player matches.
. Official Nintendo Magazine praised the pick-up and play feel of the game, giving the game 91%. Eurogamer
also favored the added strategy and feel to game, giving it an 8/10. UK
magazine NGamer
criticized the game for its low amount of game modes, but overall felt that it was a definite improvement over the Nintendo GameCube original, giving it 78%. Edge
magazine was concerned about the overwhelming power of the Mega Strike feature, also citing "The eventful, minute-long matches and frantic to-and-fro make Mario Strikers a suitable curtain-raiser for online gaming on the Wii, but a balanced and deep extreme sports game this is not.", giving it 6/10. IGN
UK gave the game an 8.7 out of 10 and an editor's choice award. UK based website Mansized scored Mario Strikers Charged a full 5 out of 5 stars, particularly praising the game's enjoyable multiplayer options. GameSpot gave the game a score of 7.5 out 10. Hyper
s Rico Shavez commends the game for its "great net code and immediately fun". However, he criticises it for its "lack of options, being shallow and its lightweight single player".
GameTap stated "The reason why it’s not fun at times isn’t because it doesn’t replicate the craziness--but rather that the AI becomes so incredibly cheap in the later tournaments and that there really isn’t much to the overall game aside from just beating the crap out of everyone to make way for a shot on goal", giving the game 7/10.
GamingTarget gave the game 7/10,citing: "To sum things up, Mario Strikers Charged is a fun, yet brutal anti-soccer game for all ages, but unfortunately the graphics leave something to be desired".
GameTrailers
gave the game 7.4/10 citing the game was the first great Wi-fi game for Wii
in America.
Nintendo Power
gave the US edition 8.5 out of 10, criticizing the limited single player modes while praising its online and offline multiplayer capabilities.
GamePro
gave Mario Strikers Charged 5 out of 5, praising the great online support, lots of game modes, and its fun battles.
As of March 31, 2008, 1.77 million copies of the game have been sold worldwide, with 240,000 being sold in Japan.
Sports game
A sports game is a computer or video game that simulates the practice of traditional sports. Most sports have been recreated with a game, including team sports, athletics and extreme sports. Some games emphasize actually playing the sport , whilst others emphasize strategy and organization...
video game developed by Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
developer Next Level Games
Next Level Games
Next Level Games Inc. is an independent video game developer based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Founded in October 2002, Next Level Games specializes in creating console video games. Its first project was NHL Hitz Pro, which was published by Midway Games. Since then, it has worked with...
and published by Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
for the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
. This game was announced at the 2006 Games Convention
Games Convention
The Games Convention, sometimes called the Leipzig Games Convention and abbreviated as GC, was an annual video game event held in Leipzig, Germany, first held in 2002. Besides video games, the event also covers Infotainment, Hardware, and Edutainment...
in Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
as the sequel to Super Mario Strikers
Super Mario Strikers
Super Mario Strikers, known as Mario Smash Football in Europe and Australia, is a five-a-side football game developed by Next Level Games for the Nintendo GameCube. The game was released in Europe and North America in late 2005, and in Japan and Australia in 2006...
for the Nintendo GameCube
Nintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
. It was released on May 25, 2007 in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, June 7, 2007 in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and July 30, 2007 in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
.
The game supports the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection
Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection
The is an online multiplayer gaming service run by Nintendo to provide free online play in compatible Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS and Wii games. The service includes the company's Wii Shop Channel, DSi Shop, and Nintendo eShop game download services...
, through which players can participate in online matches and tournaments. Upon its European release, it became the first Wii online game to be available outside of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. It was also the first Mario
Mario (series)
The video game series, alternatively called the series or simply the series, is a series of highly popular and critically acclaimed video games by Nintendo, featuring Nintendo's mascot Mario and, in many games, his brother Luigi. Gameplay in the series often centers around jumping on and...
Game Released on the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
and the first Mario game to be given a rating higher than E by the ESRB.
Gameplay
Two teams of four players each play a round of association football, battling for the possession of a metallic soccer ball. The player controls the character with the ball, if his/her team has possession, or may switch between characters if it does not. At its weakest the ball is a purple color, however the ball quickens and brightens in color as it is passed around the field, eventually becoming bright white. A brighter ball has a better chance of scoring a goal when shot to the net. Opponents can attempt to hit or slide tackle the player with the ball to gain possession.Items
When a character is hit without the ball, or when a character charges the ball to a blue ring shot, that character's team gets an item. These perform various functions, such as knocking out other players or giving a temporary boost of speed. All items from the previous game, such as the various Koopa Shells and the Chain Chomp reappear, except for Bowser, who is now a playable character. Captains may get a special, "Super Ability" item that creates a unique effect, for example Diddy KongDiddy Kong
, originally known as Donkey Diddy, is a fictional character in the Donkey Kong series of video games, first appearing in the 1994 game Donkey Kong Country. He lives on Donkey Kong Island in the Kongo Jungle, and is identified by his red hat, which has a Nintendo logo on it, and shirt...
may use his ability to remove other players from the field or Princess Daisy may knock out all players in a large radius.
Mega Strikes and Skillshots
If a player holds the "shoot" button, a shot will charge up and if near the opposing team's goal, become a special shot. If the character is a sidekick, he or she will perform a Skillshot. Each sidekick has their own unique Skillshot, but all have the ability to either disable or bypass the goalie, making a goal much more likely.If the character is a captain, the shot will be a Mega Strike. The Mega Strike splits up into 3-6 individual shots which all fly toward the goal at a certain speed. The number of balls and their speed depend on the player's timing in executing the Mega Strike. To defend against the shots, the opposing goalie (if a human player) will enter a minigame where the player must target and block the balls with the goalie, depending on the speed of the mega strike the player may have some time or almost no time at all to block the balls. For every shot the mega striking player successfully makes, a goal is awarded to their side.
Dekes
A deke is performed by using the D-PadD-pad
A D-pad is a flat, usually thumb-operated directional control with one button on each point, found on nearly all modern video game console gamepads, game controllers, on the remote control units of some television and DVD players, and smart phones...
on the Wii Remote
Wii Remote
The , also known as the Wiimote, is the primary controller for Nintendo's Wii console. A main feature of the Wii Remote is its motion sensing capability, which allows the user to interact with and manipulate items on screen via gesture recognition and pointing through the use of accelerometer and...
. To deke in that direction when in possession of the ball, a character will perform a specific move instead of tackling.
Characters such as Mario
Mario
is a fictional character in his video game series, created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. Serving as Nintendo's mascot and the main protagonist of the series, Mario has appeared in over 200 video games since his creation...
, Luigi
Luigi
is a fictional character, featured in video games and related media released by Nintendo. Created by prominent game designer Shigeru Miyamoto, Luigi is portrayed as the slightly younger fraternal twin brother of Nintendo's mascot Mario, and appears in many games throughout the Mario series,...
or Toad
Toad (Mario)
Toad, known in Japan as , is a fictional character belonging to an anthropomorphic mushroom-like species of the same name in the Mario series, created by Shigeru Miyamoto. A citizen of the Mushroom Kingdom, Toad is one of Princess Peach's most loyal attendants and is constantly working on her behalf...
will jump or roll forward a short distance. Other characters, such as Waluigi
Waluigi
is a fictional character in the Mario series of video games. He accompanies Wario in spin-offs from the main Mario series, oftentimes for the sake of causing mischief...
, Dry Bones and Princess Daisy can teleport
Teleportation
Teleportation is the fictional or imagined process by which matter is instantaneously transferred from one place to another.Teleportation may also refer to:*Quantum teleportation, a method of transmitting quantum data...
, to avoid being tackled. These characters are mostly used to perform a trick shot. Others will damage their opponent. Characters like Birdo
Birdo
Birdo, known in Japan as , is a fictional character in the Mario series of video games, who first appeared in Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic, which was localized for English audiences as Super Mario Bros. 2 and is an enemy to Mario...
and Hammer Bros. will hit their foes, usually when another player is attempting to tackle them.
Online features
This is the second WiiWii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
game to use the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection
Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection
The is an online multiplayer gaming service run by Nintendo to provide free online play in compatible Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS and Wii games. The service includes the company's Wii Shop Channel, DSi Shop, and Nintendo eShop game download services...
features (with Pokémon Battle Revolution
Pokémon Battle Revolution
is the first Wii incarnation of the Pokémon video game franchise. It is also the first Wii game to use the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection in North America and Japan and the first Wii game to wirelessly interact with the Nintendo DS handheld....
being the first). In Europe, it is the first Wii game to use the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. The online modes feature ranked random matches and unranked friendly matches.
Ranked matches puts players up against a random opponent and are restricted to players in the same region in order to maintain connection stability. A billboard showing the player's Mii
Mii
A is a digital avatar used in Nintendo's Wii and Nintendo 3DS gaming consoles. They allow users to capture a likeness of themselves and others. After creating one using the Wii's Mii Channel or the Nintendo 3DS's Mii Maker, they can be used as playable characters in various titles for the...
will be shown along with the "Striker of the Day". The Striker of the Day is the player who earns the most points in one day. Players earn 10 points for winning a match or 1 point for losing a match, and also 1 point per goal scored, with a limit of 10 points earned for goals making a total limit of 20 points. The ranked matches do not use friend codes, are region specific, and support 1 vs. 1 and 2 vs. 2 player matches.
Friendly matches are casual matches in which players can go up against their friends. Unlike the ranked matches, the unranked matches use the friend code
Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection
The is an online multiplayer gaming service run by Nintendo to provide free online play in compatible Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS and Wii games. The service includes the company's Wii Shop Channel, DSi Shop, and Nintendo eShop game download services...
system and there is no points system. While originally planned to support worldwide play, support for friend code matches was later restricted to local regions due to concerns about lag and playability. Players are able to import their Mii
Mii
A is a digital avatar used in Nintendo's Wii and Nintendo 3DS gaming consoles. They allow users to capture a likeness of themselves and others. After creating one using the Wii's Mii Channel or the Nintendo 3DS's Mii Maker, they can be used as playable characters in various titles for the...
; each Mii has its own friend code so that each user can have a separate friend list. The unranked matches support 1 vs. 1, 2 vs. 1, 2 vs. 2, and 3 vs. 1 player matches.
Characters
There are a total of 12 captains and 8 sidekicks to choose from to form a five-player team, which consists of a captain, three sidekicks, and a goalie. All characters, except for the goalies, are separated into 5 categories: Balanced (balanced in all areas), Playmaker (speedy with good passing ability), Power (good shooting and defensive ability), Offensive (good shooting and passing ability), and Defensive (speedy with good defensive ability). A team may consist of any combination of different sidekicks (e.g. 2 Koopa Troopas and a Shy Guy).Reception
Currently, reviews of the game have been generally positive with an average critic score of 80% at Game Rankings and 79% at MetacriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
. Official Nintendo Magazine praised the pick-up and play feel of the game, giving the game 91%. Eurogamer
Eurogamer
Eurogamer is a Brighton-based website focused on video games news, reviews, previews and interviews. It is operated by Eurogamer Network Ltd., which was formed in 1999 by brothers Rupert and Nick Loman. Eurogamer has grown to become one of the most important European-based websites focused on...
also favored the added strategy and feel to game, giving it an 8/10. UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
magazine NGamer
NGamer
NGamer is a British magazine which mainly covers Nintendo video game consoles and software, and also to a much lesser extent, Sony and Microsoft consoles. The first issue was released on 13 July 2006...
criticized the game for its low amount of game modes, but overall felt that it was a definite improvement over the Nintendo GameCube original, giving it 78%. Edge
Edge (magazine)
Edge is a multi-format computer and video game magazine published by Future Publishing in the United Kingdom. It is known for its industry contacts, editorial stance, distinctive anonymous third-person writing style, yearly awards and longevity....
magazine was concerned about the overwhelming power of the Mega Strike feature, also citing "The eventful, minute-long matches and frantic to-and-fro make Mario Strikers a suitable curtain-raiser for online gaming on the Wii, but a balanced and deep extreme sports game this is not.", giving it 6/10. IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
UK gave the game an 8.7 out of 10 and an editor's choice award. UK based website Mansized scored Mario Strikers Charged a full 5 out of 5 stars, particularly praising the game's enjoyable multiplayer options. GameSpot gave the game a score of 7.5 out 10. Hyper
Hyper (magazine)
Hyper is a multi-platform Australian video game magazine. Australia's longest running gaming magazine, it has been in publication since 1993, and was released the same month as the better known UK magazine Edge...
s Rico Shavez commends the game for its "great net code and immediately fun". However, he criticises it for its "lack of options, being shallow and its lightweight single player".
GameTap stated "The reason why it’s not fun at times isn’t because it doesn’t replicate the craziness--but rather that the AI becomes so incredibly cheap in the later tournaments and that there really isn’t much to the overall game aside from just beating the crap out of everyone to make way for a shot on goal", giving the game 7/10.
GamingTarget gave the game 7/10,citing: "To sum things up, Mario Strikers Charged is a fun, yet brutal anti-soccer game for all ages, but unfortunately the graphics leave something to be desired".
GameTrailers
GameTrailers
GameTrailers is a media website that specializes in video game related content. It provides free access to original programming , game trailers and recorded game play. Along with standard definition , many of the video clips are offered in a higher resolution .Users can upload videos, create...
gave the game 7.4/10 citing the game was the first great Wi-fi game for Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
in America.
Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power magazine is a monthly news and strategy magazine formerly published in-house by Nintendo of America, but now run independently. As of issue #222 , Nintendo contracted publishing duties to Future US, the U.S. subsidiary of British publisher Future.The first issue published was...
gave the US edition 8.5 out of 10, criticizing the limited single player modes while praising its online and offline multiplayer capabilities.
GamePro
GamePro
GamePro Media was a United States gaming media company publishing online and print content on the video game industry, video game hardware, and video game software developed for a video game console , a computer, and/or a mobile device . GamePro Media properties include GamePro magazine and...
gave Mario Strikers Charged 5 out of 5, praising the great online support, lots of game modes, and its fun battles.
As of March 31, 2008, 1.77 million copies of the game have been sold worldwide, with 240,000 being sold in Japan.
External links
- Mario Strikers Charged Football at Official European Site
- Mario Strikers Charged page at www.nintendo.com
- Mario Strikers Charged at Wii.com
- Mario Strikers Charged at MetacriticMetacriticMetacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
- Mario Strikers Charged at GameSpotGameSpotGameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...