Super Mario Strikers Charged Football

[elkatas]

Well, I got this baby today, and have been playing it for an hour. Some early impressions:

- Game is more complex than I personally excepted it to be. Although game looks simple, mechanics have reasonable depth (I will write description of mechanics later this day). Closest counterpart that I can think for this game is SEGA's wonderful Soccer Slam.
- Megastrikes aren't so powerful as you could believe from reviews / trailers. Launching them takes long time, and you are extremely easy target for tackles. Furthermore, blocking them is laughably easy (I only missed one ball during my first hour).
- Controls work well. Waggle is only used to tackle, and to block balls in megastrike minigame.
- Music is actually pretty cool, ranging from funk to 70's disco music. Some songs sound like they are directly from golden days of Amiga 500, which isn't bad thing by any means.
- Game is pleasant looking, although doesn't really push Wii by any means. Some minor framerate problems in cut-scenes (actual game is silky smooth). Loading times are also longer than I excepted.
- I haven't tried online gaming yet.

[AllYourBase]

I'll be really interested to hear how the online play works on this. I wasn't bowled over by the Gamecube original tbh.

[Mayhem]

Don't know if you've read my review of the Cube version on here...

http://www.ntsc-uk.com/review.php?platform=ngc&game=SuperMarioStrikers

Would be interested to hear what you thought by comparison on the Wii version to the original, as I am definitely considering this again because of the online play.

[hudson]

This is fun and it reminds me of Speedball quite a bit. I'd say this is a side scrolling speed ball, but better. The Megastrikes seem too easy to pull off when you're going through tutorials or playing an early cup comp against the CPU, but play online and you'll find them a bit of a rarity. They can turn the game around big time just when you need it too.

The use of waving the remote is kept to a minimum and works well. A quick swipe will cause your player to charge at a ball pocessing opponent. Controls in general work well also, although I kept getting mixed up with remembering that the chip button was in my other hand whereas pass/shoot and slide tackle are all in the other hand.

Needs a fair few plays to appreciate it I think. Make sure you go through the tutorials first (ABC mode) and the maybe do some Fire Cup.

I like the way you can tactically choose sidekicks that suit your play i.e. have a slow but hard hitting character in defense and have a great passing playmaker in mid field or just jib it and have all speedy player all over the shop

Scoring can seem difficult. Passing a couple of times then shooting mostly doesn't cut it. However, if you pass/knock about until the ball charges white an normal shot has a better chance of going in. Doing that and then having a player in space with enough time to hold the B trigger for bit will increase your chances even more. Pull off a Megastrike and you could be in multi-goal business, providing you land it properly in the guage bar otherwise Mr non-CPU guy is gonna find it pretty easy to save.

When you play online ranked it is best out of 3 games.

It's ace. As long as you don't approach it as a Pro Evo contender lol, think more Speedballish.

[gizmo1990]

The mere mention of Speedball gives me tingles.

I seriously considering this now having read fairly positive reviews so far. Any other owners wish to tempt me more?

[Yoshimax]

Speedball comparisons ?

I'll need to get me ass down the post office quickstyle tomorrow.

[hudson]

Don't take the Speedball comparison too literally. It's the only game I that came too mind when playing it. If someone can just verify that I'm getting that comparison right that would be cool (been a long yime since I played Brutal Deluxe lol).

[EDIT] Okay it's not just me (Random quote found with Google) >>>

This is hugely daft, incredibly fast-paced cartoon five-a-side football at its very best. If you can imagine Sensible Soccer meets Speedball meets Mario Kart, then you are almost there.

[figflair]

Don't take the Speedball comparison too literally. It's the only game I that came too mind when playing it. If someone can just verify that I'm getting that comparison right that would be cool (been a long yime since I played Brutal Deluxe lol).

[EDIT] Okay it's not just me (Random quote found with Google) >>>

That sounds like the description of the best game ever!

[Dezm0nd]

Been playing this at work and it's an absolute riot in multiplayer. It's like the cube version but tweaked to near perfection.

The game could do with a bit more atmosphere though

[hudson]

Yeah it could, but the chants are nice and the music is funkadelic at times They've ripped off Diana Ross's Upside Down there I think

[Stuart Smith]

Having just had a 2-player maraton on this, I'm completely sold. Easily the most immediately gripping Wii game yet, and is it just me, or is it a bit of a graphical step forward too?

[elkatas]

...and is it just me, or is it a bit of a graphical step forward too?

Most of the games graphical improvements are quite subtle, but graphics have truly taken step forward from Gamecube era. Most important graphical changes are that the audience is fully polygonal during replays, and "depth of field" is used constantly*.

* ...effect that wasn't practically possible on Gamecube without heavy drop in performance

[merf]

went thru the tutorials and a quick match last night.

not 'getting' this yet, forget about calling it football, its not. I can really see the speedball comparisons made, especially when you have the 'sidekicks' who in some cases have no feet so its seem like they are throwing the ball around.

seems like a cross between pinball and speedball to me.

gonna go back and have another bash today but at the moment its not in the same league as Sega Soccer Slam for me.

[Yoshimax]

Fng brilliant - absolutely brilliant. It's one of those examples of a 3rd party dev'd game which absolutely nails the Nintendo way of doing things.

It's not called "football" so there's no point calling it or comparing it to a football game

You want football go get pro evo - You want a right good multiplayer laugh on or offline you must own this.

Graphics are amazing - looks superb on my LCD !!!!

Couldn't get a game online for the life of me though "Unable to retrieve stats"

[hudson]

I'm finding a little difficult againt the cpu in Crystal Cup, gulp. I can't seem to get the hang of long chip passes to pull off overhead kicks or headers. Ball always seems to go into no mans land. Done 1 overhead and 1 header so far. lol