Mario Strikers: Battle League makes soccer both simpler and more chaotic

theverge.com:

There are few things in life that aren’t improved with the addition of destructive red shells and slippery banana peels. It turns out that soccer is no exception. Mario Strikers: Battle League is Nintendo’s latest attempt at an arcade-style soccer game, and it’s an experience that’s both streamlined and chaotic. That means that it’s easy to pick up and play but also that there’s a lot going on, offering both depth for skilled players and some shortcuts for newbies. It follows much of the same ethos as Mario Kart, only you’re kicking a ball around instead of hugging the curves on Rainbow Road. It’s an incredible amount of fun — but to get the most out of it, you’ll definitely need to bring some friends along.

At its core, Strikers is a stripped-down version of regular soccer. The field is much smaller, more in line with a basketball court than a soccer pitch, and matches are five vs. five. (You can control the four players in the field, while the goalies are always handled by AI.) Typical matches last just four minutes, and they can’t end in a tie; if that happens, the game shifts to a “golden goal” mode where the first goal wins the game.

Of course, this is Nintendo we’re talking about, so there’s a lot more to it than just regular soccer on a smaller scale. Much like in Mario Kart, there are items that can turn the tide of the match, from the aforementioned banana peels and shells to Bob-ombs that temporarily leave a huge crater on the pitch. Strikers is also much more violent than real soccer. Not only can you blow up your opponents or knock them out with a red shell, but there are no fouls in the game, so you can tackle them without fear of repercussions. In fact, there aren’t many rules at all, so don’t expect soccer