Mario is no stranger to competition. From his exploits on the golf course to the tennis court, the character and his friends have been at the center of many sports titles; many of them being hits among fans. Mario Strikers: Battle League, announced at a Nintendo Direct event in February 2022, is the next game to feature the Mushroom Kingdom's inhabitants, and it should aim to avoid the fate of Mario Tennis Aces or Mario Golf: Super Rush. Those Switch games were well-received by critics, but lacked the content to have any kind of real staying power.
Rocket League has never faced that issue. Psyonix's game is still receiving new content to this day, and since release in summer 2015 it has amassed a huge following thanks to its simple yet intuitive gameplay. It's a title that has yet to receive a sequel, unlike the litany of EA and 2K projects of recent years. Rocket League is a game that so many other developers can look to for inspiration, as it has performed far beyond the expectations of the industry, players, and Psyonix itself. Mario's sports ventures have always lacked what Rocket League excels in, so Nintendo would do well to replicate its winning formula.
Mario Sports' Shortcomings
Mario Strikers: Battle League is the first in the Mario Strikers series since its 2007 outing on Wii. Existing fans will be excited at the thought of returning after 15 years, and new players will be forged as Mario's sports games never lack quality. However, when there isn't enough variety to justify the gameplay mechanics, no matter how good they may be, a game can become old quickly. This has happened on numerous occasions for Nintendo as Mario Tennis Aces, Mario & Sonic and the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, and Mario Golf: Super Rush are largely forgotten despite their quality.
Online play has been confirmed for Mario Strikers: Battle League, which could help provide much-needed longevity to Mario's next sports offerings. More players mean more competition, and crucially, more of a chance that it will stand the test of time. As was proven by Rocket League, a satisfying gameplay loop and stable servers can make for something truly great, and with Twitch being a significant driving force in popularity, Mario Strikers: Battle League's success could be reliant on how much fun it offers - and for how long.
Rocket League's Resounding Success
Rocket League was one of the biggest surprises of last generation. Being a free game at launch with a PlayStation Plus subscription worked wonders in bringing it to the masses. Its engaging gameplay and short match times has resulted in many sleepless nights for those who can't get enough. In 2022 the game is still going strong, with Patch 2.10 providing more content and bug fixes to keep players happy. It has outlived the likes of Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash, Mario Tennis Aces, and Mario Golf: Super Rush despite being developed by a largely unknown company compared to the industry titan that is Nintendo.
It is continuing to build on its fantastic foundations, taking the same approach Nintendo has used for years with its Super Smash Bros. series. But when it comes to family-friendly sports games, that philosophy goes out of the window. Offering crossover DLC like Mario Kart 8 and Super Smash Bros. would be a great way to build the replayability of Mario Strikers: Battle League. It's something that Psyonix got right, likely taking inspiration from the aforementioned Nintendo games.
The sports genre will undoubtedly be dominated by EA and 2K Games in the years to come, but with FIFA 22 coming to PlayStation Plus in May, even the former is following in the footsteps of Rocket League's successful release. Psyonix' 2015 title is a trailblazer, and Nintendo should take a page out of its book if it wants any of Mario's sports games to succeed in the long-run.
Mario Strikers: Battle League releases June 10 for Nintendo Switch.