Product Description

Mario takes to the soccer pitch once more, bringing his own unique 'fighting football' style for the first time to Nintendo's Wii console, with Mario Strikers Charged Football. In this follow-up to Mario Smash Football, you use the skill provided by the Wii Remote and Nunchuk Controller to win the ball, score unstoppable goals and take control of the goalkeeper to perform spectacular saves Mario is joined by other famous Nintendo characters who take on the role of captain. Then select a host of popular team-mates to make up the rest of the team, before competing in one of the game's many modes. Anything goes in Mario Strikers Charged Football as you can utilise a variety of special techniques to clinch goals. Each captain has their own set of skills and Super Abilities as well as being able to perform special shots called MegaStrikes, where the ball splits into six and flies at the goal. The defending player must use the Wii Remote to aim at and shoot these balls out of the air before they concede a goal. You can also charge the ball with energy, making it more likely to find its target. Each of the stadiums in Mario Strikers Charged Football have various characteristics and contraptions, which you must learn to use to your advantage to truly dominate the pitch.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #276 in Computer & Video Games
• Brand: Nintendo
• Published on: 2007-07
• Released on: 2007-05-25
• Rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
• ESRB Rating: Everyone 10+
• Platform: Nintendo Wii
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: .75" h x 5.50" w x 7.50" l, .36 pounds

Amazon.co.uk Preview
If you don’t recognise the name, this is the sequel to Mario Smash Football on the GameCube (the name will likely change for the UK release). The original was one of the hidden gems on Nintendo’s previous console, but this new game is not planning to be quite so coy. For a start it will be one of, if not the, first Wii games to be fully playable online, as Mario and his usual company of heroes and villains take to the pitch for some truly bizarre 5-a-side action. Although the basic rules of football are observed this is no serious simulation, with special moves galore and lots of Mario Kart style power-ups to pick up along the way.

The game uses the analogue stick on the nunchuck to move, with the Wii remote itself being used to tackle by gesturing in the appropriate direction. There’s no such thing as a foul in this game so not only do you take possession via a range of painful looking barges but you can also try and push an opposing player off the side of the pitch and into an electrified fence. Other elements not usually featured in the beautiful game include the "mega strike", which is a special move unique to each captain and which creates an automatic shot on goal which the other player has to save with the Wii remote. With football games becoming ever more serious and complicated this should please both sports fans and those simply looking for the next big multiplayer hit.
HARRISON DENT

Manufacturer's Description
Mario Strikers: Charged Football is different from the average football game and is even more exciting and engaging than ever before, with a strong emphasis on each team’s captain. These star players each have unique abilities and enhanced skills, which allow them to really influence the outcome of a game. The team captains all feature a Super Ability which can be used to devastate their opponents, ranging from Mario growing to giant proportions and trampling other players, to Peach taking a photo and freezing the entire opposing team on the spot. Tactical use of these super abilities can break down even the most stubborn defence. To top this off, in Mario Strikers: Charged Football players can choose 3 side-kicks (from a total of 8) who each have their own unique features which allows for tactical team customisation.

The Wiimote brings a dynamic new element to Mario Strikers: Charged Football, encouraging the player to make instinctive physical movements to achieve the desired effect within the game. Basic movement and strikes are executed using the analogue stick and buttons on the Wiimote and Nunchuk, but when the pressure is on, players can use their instinctive movements to affect the gameplay. Flicking the Wiimote will cause the character to check their opponent, hopefully stealing the ball in the process. Players can also use the Wiimote to perform cat-like saves, defending their goal from Megastrikes by grabbing the balls out of the air.

In Mario Strikers: Charged Football the sense of fair play is thrown out the window along with the rulebook. Fouled players get special treats with which to avenge themselves, ranging from Red Spiky Shells, which knock everything out of their path, to the Chain Chomp that chases players from the opposing team around the pitch.

One of the many modes this game features is the multiplayer mode which can see up to four players in any one game (players must split between two teams). Players can also utilise Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection Service to take on players from across the globe. Multiplayer modes include Ranked mode where players can compete to climb up leaderboards and Unranked mode where they can quickly select and play friends.

The game’s main mode, Road to the Striker Cup, pits players against increasingly difficult opposition as they compete to win three different cups. For quicker pick-up and play action the game’s Domination Mode allows players to set-up a game to suit them, defining the rules as well as selecting stadium and cheats. With an in-depth main mode and a plethora of extra features you won’t take your eye off the ball in Mario Strikers: Charged Football. There is a wide and varied choice of 17 stadiums in which to defend your crown. Many of them have varying features and characteristics to put you off your game and challenge you to even greater heights.

Customer Reviews

Mario Strikers Charged Football
This is absolutely fantastic! I personally don't even like football but this game was an instant hit with me. The gameplay is fun and easy to pick up and the controls are creative and yet not too complex.

The characters include all of the old favourites from previous mario games and various spin-offs. Each with their own unique abilities and statistics. There is also a wide variety of pitches with different hazards to conquer, as well as pick ups such as speed enhancers, bombs, banana skins and ofcourse a range of coloured shells to batter your opponents with.

However, the multiplayer mode is where this game really gets fun. You and a buddy can go head to head in a single match or team up together in a tournament. This game is also the first to incorporate the Wii's WiFi Internet connection meaning that you can take on a friend or a random. You can also do this with a friend on your console meaning that you can play a 2 v 2 with anyone in the world. All you need is a WiFi connection.

I give this game a 5 star rating because not only is it highly addictive, it also puts a fantasy spin on a genre of game that I feel is played out(excuse the pun). Ontop of that they have taken the initiative to use the Wii's internet capabilities and hopefully opened the internet gaming floodgates for more popular franchises.

May cause Gaming Rage!
Mario Strikers Charged on the Wii is pretty much the same as Mario Smash Football on the Gamecube; it's 5-a-side football with spangly new Hollywood executive suit inspired rules that make weapons and hitting legal. With more hitting. And more over the top goal scoring. And interactive environments. Oh, and an online mode too, the first proper one ever for the Wii in this country.

The Wii controls have been kept to a minimum, the only motion sensitive control is a hit used for... well hitting your opposition. You will be doing a lot of this and the physical action of hitting the characters on screen with the wiimote will help with the gaming rage building inside you due to the gimped AI in the single player mode and the pure skill (and ability to spam moves, disconnect when losing and general ability to annoy you) of all the people playing online.

This isn't PES or FIFA, it is shallow but fun when played in small doses. Get it for the Wii online experience and get rid of it when it makes you break a wiimote in anger.

+ Wii online at last!
+ Fun / manic game play... and online too!

- The lack of depth or intelligence.
- Gaming Rage!

Game: 69%
Online Content: +8%

Total: 77%

Mario Football on the Wii
I'm not a football fan, but with Mario Strikers Charged Football I've made an exception. It doens't play like regular football; no throw-ins, free kick, corners of penalties. There is only one objective, hit the ball in your opponents net.
You choose a captain, all with their own strengths and weaknesses, and then choose 3 others to be your teammates and then your on your way. Each match lasts 3 minutes so you got that long to score more goals than your opponent. As the game plays on, you'll get items to help you out and hinder your opponent. This can range from Red Shells which home in on nearby opponents, all the way to the super star which makes you invincible.
The Captains even have their own abilities to help you out, and they have the ability of doing a mega strike, which could score you up to 6 goals in one go. But even the captain on the opposing side can do this so be warned.
The game does come into it's own with the Wi-Fi option. You can face of against anyone else who has the game and battle it out in a best of 3 match, and your wins and losses are recorded as well, so if you have a lot of wins, you can show it to the world and have some bragging rights at the same time