Mario Strikers Charged

"Thanks a lot Nintendo. Now I've got another reason to stay up all night."

So, this is a review for Mario Strikers Charged for the Nintendo Wii. It is a sequel to Super Mario Strikers for the Nintendo Gamecube. This game, in essence, is Mario and his cohorts out on the pitch for a rousing game of football. And no, I'm not talking about Micheal Vick football, I'm talking about the most popular sport in the world with a little Nintendo FLAVA!

Gameplay
I wasn't to sure about how the controls would feel but, things flow pretty well with the Wiimote/Nunchuck combo. So, now more about the actual game! Basically, pick your captain and your sidekicks and a stage to play on. Also, they've added these new things called Megastrikes and Skillshots. Only captains can use Megastrikes and sidekick use Skillshots. This game starts out really easy. These early matches are basically for you to get the hang of the controls. As you move up on your Road To The Striker Cup, your opponents will go from being easy as pie to, rip your hair out, hard. If your easily frustrated, you might want to steer clear from some of the single player modes, in my opinion. But, where this game really shines is, the multiplayer and online features. You can play with up to 4 friends (you've got friends, right?) together or against each other. You can also play against your friends online via Nintendo Wifi Connection. You do have to exchange Friend Codes with that person though, which can be a little annoying. Also, in the Online Season Mode, you can compete with random people in your region to see who is the greatest Striker of them all...for that week, the seasons reset every week.

Story
There really isn't one. Mario and friends play soccer. That's it.

Graphics
I'm just gonna say it. This game has some nice animation. In particular, the Megastrike animations. They look pretty friggin' sweet. They make even Princess Peach look intimidating! The new stages look really nice and the old ones looks better too.

Sound
The music is pretty nice at first but, it gets old quick. That's just when your choosing modes, captains, stages, or whatever. The crowd on whatever stage you're on will sometimes cheer for either captain. I think this depends on what team is the home team, though.

The Bottom Line
This game will keep you hooked. The online and multiplayer aspects of this game will make sure of that. Buy it. You won't regret it.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 08/31/07

Game Release: Mario Strikers Charged (US, 07/30/07)