Metacritic (73)
OpenCritic (73)
Eurogamer (no score):
Polygon (no score):
Console Creatures (recommended)
TheSixthAxis (review in progress):
Daily Star (5/5):
Player 2 (91/100):
Digitally Downloaded (4.5/5):
Nintendo Life (9/10):
Hobby Consolas (87/100, review in Spanish):
Everyeye.it (8.7/10, review in Italian):
GAMES.CH (85%, review in German):
Areajugones (8.5/10, review in Spanish):
Nintenduo (81/100, review in Spanish):
IGN (8/10):
Dexerto (8/10):
Vooks (4/5):
Destructoid (8/10):
God is a Geek (8/10):
PCMag (4/5):
SECTOR.sk (8/10, review in Slovak):
Jeuxvideo.com (16/20, review in French):
SpazioGames (8/10, review in Italian):
VG247 (4/5):
NME (4/5):
CGMagazine (8/10):
My Nintendo News (8/10):
Video Chums (7.9/10):
Cerealkillerz (7.6/10, review in German):
Game Informer (7.5/10):
COGconnected (75/100):
Press Start Australia (7.5/10):
Stevivor (7.5/10):
Vandal (7.2/10):
GamePro Germany (72%, review in German):
Gfinity (7/10):
GameSpot (7/10):
Twinfinite (3.5/5):
WellPlayed (7/10):
AusGamers (7/10):
Checkpoint Gaming (7/10):
Inverse (7/10):
Metro GameCentral (7/10):
Screen Rant (3.5/5):
Shacknews (7/10):
Wccftech (7/10):
The Independent (7/10):
Geek Culture (6.8/10):
MGG (65/100, review in Spanish):
VGC (3/5):
Comicbook.com (3/5):
Digital Trends (3/5):
GAMINGbible (6/10):
TheGamer (3/5):
GamesRadar (2.5/5):
OpenCritic (73)
Eurogamer (no score):
Battle League is, arguably, a more focused game - and ultimately likely the better representation of small-team football. Aside from the occaisonal frame-rate wobble, it is also slicker in presentation, and certainly hosts the most visual customisation seen in the series to date. But I don't really play Mario Strikers for football, in the same way I don't really play Rocket League for football either. I play Strikers - or I did, back on Wii - because it was a weird and very Mario version of football. To Battle League's detriment, it feels like there's less of that this time around.
Polygon (no score):
Mario Strikers: Battle League is far from perfect. In an iterative series of Mario sports games, where each entry seems to raise the bar — Mario Golf: Super Rush and Mario Tennis Aces come to mind — Battle League is relatively tame. But it does wonders for some of gaming’s oldest characters, allowing the likes of Peach, Wario, or Waluigi to let loose. In the fiercely limited time I’ve spent with each of them on the field these past two weeks, I’ve seen an energy and gravitas from these characters that they haven’t shown in years. Whether it’s the temper of Peach or the joy of a fellow Toad basking in the glory of victory, Battle League is ready to stretch its legs.
Console Creatures (recommended)
Mario Strikers: Battle League is full of style but little substance. The core gameplay is exciting and challenging but the content itself leaves more to be desired.
TheSixthAxis (review in progress):
Mario Strikers Battle League is a worthy entry in an excellent series that takes the best aspects of the previous games and hones them to multiplayer perfection. It is more difficult to recommend for solo players – although the core game is still fun – but hopefully the online mode will enable everyone to play the game at its best.
Daily Star (5/5):
It’s nowhere near as complex as Fifa, none of it is, but this game knows its strength is in the moment-to-moment arcade action and really wants you involved in that as much as possible with little distraction. For footie fans, this is a bit of a no-brainer. It’s very much a crazy Nintendo version of that sport.
Player 2 (91/100):
It took 15 years to get Battle League but we might not see the next one for another 15 since we’ll still be playing this entry for years to come!
Digitally Downloaded (4.5/5):
Mario Strikers might come across as limited to some people, especially those that are only really going to get stuck into the single-player game. However, as a multiplayer experience, and whether you’re going to play locally or online, this thing excels in every way. It’s accessible, but also had a learning curve that more serious people will love. It’s laugh-out-loud hilarious for party sessions, while also having the feature set that it needs to get entire clubs to form around it. I can easily see this joining Smash Bros., Splatoon and Mario Kart as a standard part of any multiplayer rotation on the Switch. Most of all, though, this is a Mario Sports title that hasn’t lost the identity of the sport itself after implementing power-ups and Mario character specials. In this way, it stands apart from the Mario Tennis and Golf titles, and that’s a good thing.
Nintendo Life (9/10):
Mario Strikers: Battle League is a masterclass in competitive game design. What it lacks in options is more than made up for by just how much fun the game is, and it’s absolutely gorgeous to boot. As it stands it already feels like a complete product, but the promise of future updates down the line gives us even more to get excited about. If arcade sport action isn’t your bag, it’ll likely do nothing to sway your opinion, but if you have even a passing interest in this kind of caper, Mario Strikers: Battle League is the best sports game on Switch right now.
Hobby Consolas (87/100, review in Spanish):
The best Mario sports game, despite Daisy's absence. It has one of the most fun multiplayer experiences that you can have on Nintendo Switch, both locally and online, that will deliver lots of healthy competition, despite losing some of the charm of the originals and having very few characters, stadiums and single player game modes.
Everyeye.it (8.7/10, review in Italian):
Mario Strikers: Battle League Football is in fact yet another sensational goal by Next Level Games.
GAMES.CH (85%, review in German):
The offered amount of playable characters, arenas and unique game modes could be better. But each match in Mario Strikers: Battle League Football plays differently, even against the AI. The game is easy to learn but difficult to master, why there is a natural long-term motivation, especially when you play it online. In addition to that, the equipment system gives you the chance to individualize your team heroes. A great fun-sport game for anyone, if you like soccer or not.
Areajugones (8.5/10, review in Spanish):
The content is a bit scarce on release, but gameplay-wise is magnificent. Mario Strikers: Battle League Football is definitely the best game in the series, and I believe it has the potential to become one of the top arcade competitive sports games. At the same time, it also has great potential as a game to play amongst family and friends.
Nintenduo (81/100, review in Spanish):
Next Level Games has perfected the new Mario Strikers to feel fresher and funnier than ever, focusing on offline and online multiplayer modes. The original soundtracks aren't so good, although these little issues are not remarkable due to its cool art style.
IGN (8/10):
Mario Strikers: Battle League is an over-the-top soccer game that’s wildly fun, even though it does very little new.
Dexerto (8/10):
If you're looking for a football game that doesn't take itself too seriously, with more than enough of that zany Nintendo charm to delight, you really can't go wrong with Mario Strikers Battle League. It's an excellent multiplayer game if you can forgive the lack of content to keep you invested, but it's sure to be a summer hit for footie fans.
Vooks (4/5):
Mario Strikers Battle League Football takes a bit from the first game, a little more from the second and polishes it out into its own fresh thing. We talk about content in games, and on paper, there are fewer characters and stadiums here in Battle League; but there's more to do over a period of time, especially with the Strikers Club which will build communities. Mario Strikers Battle League Football is the best in the series so far.
Destructoid (8/10):
I was shocked that Mario Strikers: Battle League had this much going on under the surface.
God is a Geek (8/10):
Mario Strikers: Battle League Football is great with others and offers plenty of opportunities to shoot, pass, and play the beautiful game despite there being few modes to choose from.
PCMag (4/5):
Mario Strikers makes its long-awaited return as a deliriously fun and accessible soccer game that's packed with character customization and online modes.
SECTOR.sk (8/10, review in Slovak):
After a long wait, we got a new Mario Strikers game and it's a lot of fun. Action gameplay and variable character abilities will keep you entertained, local multiplayer for up to 8 players is really great. But the game critically lacks content.
Jeuxvideo.com (16/20, review in French):
An experience that is both immediately fun and more technical for those who want it.
SpazioGames (8/10, review in Italian):
With such solid and explosive gameplay, Mario Strikers: Battle League Football represents a decisive step forward for the franchise.
VG247 (4/5):
Put simply, I love it all. It’s a worthy successor to the GameCube game in particular, which I still rate as a real classic.
NME (4/5):
While the lack of single player content is a bit of a downer, but Mario Strikers: Battle League Football is a robust, hugely enjoyable, weird and wonderful multiplayer experience on the pitch, which let’s face it, is where it matters.
CGMagazine (8/10):
Mario Strikers: Battle League is a return to form for the series, and an excellent entry in Mario Sports. A title very easy to recommend for any Switch owner looking for a change of pace.
My Nintendo News (8/10):
Mario Strikers: Battle League pulls all the punches in providing an intense soccer-like gameplay experience that can only be achieved within something as special and whimsical as the world of Super Mario. Battle League is clearly a worthy successor to its GameCube and Wii counterparts, and is easily one of the best Mario sports titles in recent memory. Although it has a severe lack of single-player offerings, you’re sure to get a kick out of this undeniably excellent franchise revival, as long as you have friends and/or family that are willing to play with or against you either locally or online.
Video Chums (7.9/10):
Mario Strikers: Battle League strikes an excellent gameplay balance to make every match exciting and action-packed. It may not take many risks when it comes to supplementary content but what's here is one solid soccer game nonetheless.
Cerealkillerz (7.6/10, review in German):
Mario Strikers - Battle League Football has entertaining core gameplay with less chaos than its predecessors, focusing more on skill than sheer luck. Sadly it severely lacks in content. Especially the single player has too few unlocks and customization options to keep players busy in the long run. The presentation is solid but after a while noticeably lacks in variety. Nevertheless, we can recommend the game for intense offline multiplayer sessions for up to eight (4on4) players at once.
Game Informer (7.5/10):
Mario Strikers: Battle League may not be the ultimate version of the world's most popular sport, but its strategic matches, fun online modes, and energetic animations make for an enjoyable experience. While the single-player crowd may find the game a bit lacking, Nintendo's return to the pitch is bound to create the same triumphant highs, and friendship-ending lows the company's suite of other party titles is known for.
COGconnected (75/100):
Once I got past those first matches, Battle League was a lot more fun. Every match is tense, fast-paced, and packed with action. You've got a layer of strategy with the gear, and every character plays differently. If you're looking for some Mario-style soccer, this game delivers. On the other hand, it's a thin offering for solo players. Online matches will greatly extend the life of this game, if you're looking for more challenges. I wish the teammate switching system wasn't so clunky. I'd also love a larger roster to choose from. But if you've got enough opponents, Mario Strikers: Battle League is a pretty great time.
Press Start Australia (7.5/10):
Mario Strikers: Battle League is a fun time that is easy enough for anybody to pickup and play but still without depth to mean it should keep an audience engaged for a long period of time. It's a little lacking in the single player department, but it's doing some interesting things in the online space to make up for it.
Stevivor (7.5/10):
Mario Strikers Battle League is a lot of fun, but unless you commit to online play, it’s here for a good — but brief — time.
Vandal (7.2/10):
Battle League is a game with fantastic gameplay and a worrying lack of content. We’re sure there’s a lot of free content coming, but for now it’s a very barebone experience.
GamePro Germany (72%, review in German):
Funny kick for in between, that runs out of breath too quickly due to its disappointing scope.
Gfinity (7/10):
Mario Strikers: Battle League is a welcome return for the sub-series, with engaging gameplay that papers over the thin variety of modes.
GameSpot (7/10):
Mario Strikers: Battle League is a thin package, without very much variety in terms of game modes and options. But it is a more technically complex game than many of the Mario sports titles, which may give it legs for dedicated players. Sports are all about proving your skill in head-to-head match-ups, and that will have to be enough, because there isn't much else to it.
Twinfinite (3.5/5):
There's no doubt that fans of the franchise will enjoy jumping back in. The promise of a gradual release of new content will likely keep diehards of the series drawn in with each new announcement. Overall, Mario: Strikers Battle League is a good game that needs more to do. It may be a much better game a year from now, but right now it is noticeably lacking content.
WellPlayed (7/10):
Mario Strikers: Battle League Football excels on the field, but it struggles to make a compelling offer for solo players or anyone not willing to invest time in forming and maintaining a Strikers Club. It's just pick-up-and-play enough to work as a party game with mates and it's compelling to watch in action, but the lack of embellishments is sure to hurt its long-term appeal.
AusGamers (7/10):
Describing the game as chaotic in action is definitely apt, and for sheer speed this is one of the fastest ‘Mario Sports’ games to date. In a way, that goes against what you kind of expect to see from Nintendo, but in execution Mario Strikers goes all in on the fast and dirty game of Mushroom Kingdom soccer.
Checkpoint Gaming (7/10):
The core gameplay of Mario Strikers: Battle League is fast and frenetic, keeping your palms sweaty as you battle with your Nintendo favourites in an intense game of soccer. It’s flashy and well animated in all the best ways, with that trademark personality and charm carrying it a long way. It's also a wonderful example of "easy to learn, difficult to master", that starts simple but has some reasonable depth, even within the confines of its short matches. It’s a shame then that there just isn’t much more meat on the bone; with offline modes extremely limited with only quick play and tournaments, you’re going to have to truly love the mechanics to justify spending a lot of your time in competitive multiplayer. For those with a lot of mates to kick around with, that might be enough, but for everybody else, it’s a yellow card.
Inverse (7/10):
Like every other Mario sports game, realism is thrown out the window in favor of ridiculous gameplay. The final product is mostly fun, but overcomplicated systems feel destined to frustrate casual players.
Metro GameCentral (7/10):
The best and most balanced Mario Strikers title yet, undercut by limited modes and a lacklustre sense of progression.
Screen Rant (3.5/5):
Mario Strikers: Battle League is a good game with fun to be had, but a lack of identity and some lackluster roster variety means it's one that won't stand shoulder-to-shoulder with other greats in the Mario sports catalog.
Shacknews (7/10):
However, the biggest downside to Battle League is that there just isn't more to it, because we've seen that Next Level is capable of delivering more. Even if there are DLC characters coming down the road (Daisy fans, I hope you don't think I forgot about you), it won't fix the relatively low number of items, the gimmick-free stadiums, or the lack of substantial unlockables. This package could and should be so much better than what it is.
Wccftech (7/10):
Mario Strikers: Battle League delivers the frantic fun the franchise is known for, but it feels like it's only fielding half a team.
The Independent (7/10):
Mario Strikers: Battle League Football is another competitive sporting spin-off for the moustachioed plumber that’s mechanical nuance is only marred by its lack of truly compelling content.
Geek Culture (6.8/10):
While the core gameplay is solid and the game looks awesome, everything else surrounding it seems to need more work. Whether Nintendo and Next Level Games will do so remains a burning question, and it would be a waste to see the potential of Strikers Club be, well, wasted. For now, even with the excellence shown on the field and that lovable Nintendo charm, it is hard to see Mario Strikers: Battle League as anything more than a game that just doesn’t have legs. In this case, the game was lost even before a ball was kicked, and that is a massive disappointment to eager fans around the world.
MGG (65/100, review in Spanish):
Mario Strikers: Battle League is a game that, when viewed individually and making use of multiplayer and online can be quite fun. However, it arrives 15 years after Wii's Mario Football and hardly feels like that much of a leap forward. Not to mention the rampant lack of single-player content.
VGC (3/5):
Mario Strikers: Battle League feels like it will be an excellent single-player offering in a year, once much more content is added. At the moment, it’s incredibly thin, and while the online modes are fun, those looking to play alone will be left wanting.
Comicbook.com (3/5):
Ultimately, Mario Strikers: Battle League reminded me a bit of last year's Mario Golf: Super Rush. Both games offer a fun core gameplay experience but are ultimately very thin in terms of content which hinders their replayability. If you don't have a dedicated group who wants to play Battle League on the regular, the game could end up collecting dust on the shelf. Next Level Games has promised additional roster updates and other content releases after release, so hopefully the game grows into a more robust experience after a few months.
Digital Trends (3/5):
Mario Strikers: Battle League is the latest in a long line of potentially great Switch games let down by sparse launch content. Strikers Club makes for a compelling competitive hook, but there’s very little to do in its off-seasons right now. That’s a shame, because the core soccer experience here is terrific. Matches are tense, team play is incredibly nuanced, and its Mushroom Kingdom cast shows more character than ever. Hopefully, a steady DLC rollout can liven the experience up over time, but Nintendo has yet to prove that it knows how to score with long-term support.
GAMINGbible (6/10):
The game’s on-pitch rough and tumble makes it feel as much like Smash Bros. as a ‘proper’ football game, and slapstick animations help sell the bone-crunching tackles and electrified-fence frazzlings. But once you’ve the measure of the Mushroom Kingdom’s idea of a kickabout, the only thing that’ll really have you coming back to this is multiplayer.
TheGamer (3/5):
Ultimately, Mario Strikers: Battle League feels like Liverpool’s trophy cabinet this year. An FA Cup and a League Cup are nothing to sniff at, but it feels below par. With no cup final goals and two victories on penalties, they didn’t even underachieve with style. Battle League is very similar. It’s Mario Strikers again, and the football itself is pretty good, but the stuff of legends? Not even close.
GamesRadar (2.5/5):
Though occasionally likable and basically inoffensive, Mario Strikers: Battle League struggles to build on its ideas and ends up feeling pretty undercooked as an experience.
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