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Mario Strikers Charged Preview - Page 2
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| - Luke, Staff Writer |
| Tuesday, September 19, 2006 |
| | Title:
Mario Strikers Charged
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System:
Nintendo Wii
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Genre:
Sports
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Publisher:
Nintendo
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Developer:
Next Level Games
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Release:
2007
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Online:
No
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ESRB:
Rating Pending (RP)
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Also included in the game are some nifty defensive options. By using the Wiimote again, you can shrug or tackle players off the ball by wiggling the hand which the Wiimote is placed in. Shrug too hard, and likely the player will be able to move away from you. But at a steady pace, you can successfully win the ball and use it to attack your opponents.
Of course, what would a Mario game be without the man himself, and to a lesser extent, those who are familiarized with him? All four main captains from the original will make a return, and are now more competitive then ever. Mario, Donkey Kong, Peach and Bowser are all there to be picked, and will all have their strengths and weaknesses. You can also select four other ‘sub-captains’ to take to the field, although, at the moment, these have not been revealed. One thing that sadly won’t be included in the sequel, like the original, is the option to make your own team. You can only select two main players, and after that three other standard players will be chosen for you. It’s nothing drastic, but a selection would have been nice. Even better would be a create-a-character option with upgradeable stats.
Although the game does not have a whole lot of depth, which, in a way, is understandable given the limited things you can do with the universe itself, it does have some pretty good options to select from. All the modes have returned from the original and now come with an added online functionality which is sure to prove a massive hit. Exhibition matches will, of course, be standard formalities when playing against friends, but you can also participate in the Super Cup Battles. Essentially, these are just glorified tournaments with special character options slapped on them, but this time a lot more options will be given, as well as the opportunity to completely modify the rules.
Multiplayer is where the game easily comes into it’s own, though, and from experience, the first game was by far one of the most fun sports titles I have ever played with a friend. Although barely anything is touched from playing the game with the AI, there is just something so captivating and majestic about scoring a goal and passing around with someone next to you. It honestly manages to eclipse the fun that soccer games such as FIFA have tried to provide for so many years. And now, with added online multiplayer support, the possibilities of fun really are endless.
Graphically, the game still isn’t much of a looker. In fact, judging from screenshots and footage, the game has barely been changed from the GameCube version. The decently-textured models are still there, but they just don’t have that certain shine or polish about them. That’s not to say the game is ugly, because it isn’t, but everywhere you look, the only word to sum it up is ‘mediocre’.
Mario Strikers Charged, although not looking radically or drastically different from the original, is a safe bet to provide the game that so many Wii fans have been waiting for. It is simple at its best, but it has an incredibly unique charm to it, and surely one that, in multiplayer, will shine through in many different ways. The game has become all around faster, tighter and more effective, and I for one cannot wait for its release.
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