Ahh sport, the great equalizer of the Mushroom Kingdom. Whether you're a red Toad, a blue Toad, or made entirely out of metal, athletes of all kind are welcome to set aside their differences and gather together in the name of friendly competition. From kart racing to hurdle hopping, Mario and company have had plenty of experience with all sorts of activities over the years, and this latest title brings together five different sports as part of a sort-of "greatest hits" compilation. Mario Sports Superstars tries to offer something for everyone by fleshing out each event, and while this is an admirable pursuit for sure, by the time you're all kitted out and ready to hit the playing field things start to feel a touch too familiar.
The sports on offer are Soccer / Football, Baseball, Tennis, Golf, and Horse Racing – with sporting veteran Camelot teaming up with Bandai Namco to share development duties and fine tune each experience. We've seen each of these before in some form or another - though horse racing was previously just a simplified Olympic Equestrian event - with Tennis and Golf in particular having quite a back catalogue already. While having them all in one place is undoubtedly convenient, balancing all of these different sports together leads to the whole package feeling a little charmless, and this is apparent right from the opening menu's clean yet sterile approach to presentation.
There's a very direct style to everything, with a sharp, modern design breaking the game up into its different main events. Without a story mode or career mode to follow, you're free to jump into whatever sport you like, and there's definitely an effort to make each a compelling and accessible experience. Every event features a quick tutorial upon start-up, and a lengthier "how to" guide with some practice sessions to top things off. For the most part the games have been stripped of power-ups, items and special arcade-style modes, focusing instead on a purer kind of gameplay based around a set of straightforward core mechanics. It's extremely easy to jump straight in to any event and give it a try as a result, but again it does leave some distinctly Mario-esque fun out of the equation.
Dealing with each sport in turn, Soccer is one of the more surprising entries and features a full line-up of 11 players on each team. You're able to choose your formation and customize your squad to a certain extent, as well as taking full control of corners, throw-ins and goal kicks. It's a far-cry from Mario Strikers Charged, reigning in the madness for a pretty solid simulation of the real thing, with a decent amount of options to play around with. The only real novelty is the ability to power up the ball over time, allowing for your star captain or sub-captain to perform a special shot at the goal. Bowser knocks out a suitably fiery kick for example, while Peach opts for a more agile leap. There's even an option to turn this extra feature off if you really want to keep things grounded. Just don't think too much about how Boo manages to kick the ball in the first place...
Both Tennis and Golf are well represented in the Mushroom Kingdom by this stage, so it's unfortunately easy to feel quickly underwhelmed by the versions included here when comparing them to past titles. Golf takes place over 4 courses with only 9 holes each, while the interface and animations are ripped straight out of Mario Golf: World Tour. It's a perfectly functional base for a golf sim, but fails to add anything exciting for veterans. Tennis is similarly pared down, featuring only one stadium with slight changes to the court's surface across different championships. You have the option of playing either singles or doubles, but with the absence of any kind of special moves or extra modes it feels even emptier than Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash, if that were even possible. There are opportunities to hit powered up lobs and star shots as you play, and that's about it. Both of these classic sports are entirely serviceable here, but never try to rise above that modest standard.
Things take a more positive turn with Horse Racing, which we'd argue is actually the most substantial game mode on offer here, believe it or not. You'll compete in races across 12 different tracks, with a variety of horses to choose from based on their speed, balance, technique and power. After choosing your long-faced companion you'll dive into a frantic chase to the finish line by choosing the right time to gallop ahead and the right time to stick with the pack. The game actually draws a lot of attention to the "herd" mechanic, which rewards horses with faster stamina recharge if they remain close to each other on the track. There are also special star dashes to collect for an extra boost when needed, and alternate routes with obstacles to avoid if you feel up to the added challenge. If we were to pick out a negative then the races can be a bit long-winded and samey after a while, but we were pleasantly surprised by how this mode turned out.
The stable is also a really charming extra mode included as part of Horse Racing. Here, players are allowed to customize and care for their own horse, improving your bond together by feeding and grooming them. You can even go on leisurely walks around open – albeit small – environments to find accessories to beautify your mare and improve their stats further, unlocking new pastures to explore little by little. You can also get a feel for race courses on your own time, by galloping around and scoping out optimal routes while the pressure is off. Brushing and feeding your horse is actually not unlike recent Pokémon games, allowing for you to poke and prod using the touchscreen in between races, and it makes for a welcome respite.
Finally we come to Baseball, which is perhaps the most limited of all the game modes. While you'll initially choose your entire team and get ready for a fierce challenge, all that amounts to is taking control of either the batter or the pitcher and timing a simple press of the 'A' button over and over. You can change your positioning or the type of pitch thrown of course, but these minor options are all you get to control, with the computer handling everything else. You end up watching about as much as you actually play, helplessly ogling your team trying to make it to home base while you cross your fingers. It absolutely shouldn't be this boring to watch a crew of Magikoopas waddle after a baseball, but it really is. Not one you're likely to come back to very often.
Any sport can be played in either a single friendly exhibition or as part of a ranked championship event, which unlocks further courses or stadiums to try out depending on the event. The AI can put up a serious fight in later championships, though we never found ourselves sweating too much during the majority of our sporting careers, and certainly never came up against anything we'd consider unfair. While many familiar faces are here to compete - 16 playable characters initially, with a further two to unlock - not all athletes are created equal. They're all determined by their stats, with talents that vary between sports and have a definite affect on their performance in certain areas. Waluigi is a beast on offense in Soccer, but lacks control in Golf. That, however, can change.
If you use one of the new Mario Sports Series amiibo cards, available to buy in blind multi-packs, that character's star version will be unlocked in-game, boasting better abilities than their standard version. Keep in mind that these are tied into each individual sport, so a star soccer Mario card won't grant you a star tennis Mario, for example. If you don't want to use amiibo cards then you can also upgrade a character to star status by grinding tournaments in a particular sport the old-fashioned way, but there are also superstar characters which go one step beyond even that. Confused yet? These superstar characters can be unlocked by using an amiibo card in the "Road to Superstar" mode, which is an extra mini game that plays out similarly to a classic brick breaker arcade title. Performing well here will serve to upgrade your favourite characters stats even further, totally switching the numbers and helping them excel in even their weakest areas. As amiibo cards are required to unlock this mode we weren't able to try it out for ourselves, but got a bewildering sense of the impact it can have on certain characters and just how much you can tweak their stats.
Aside from amiibo cards, there are also regular collectible cards which can be bought with an in-game currency, but we really can't see any use for them other than just checking boxes off a list. You can fill up your collection and view them, including different rarities or holographic types, but they're pretty dull and are only available in blind packs at random. Even netting a shiny version of a character card doesn't feel exciting, as the artwork is hardly worth a second glance and you don't unlock anything else as a result. It feels as though something more worthwhile could have been added in here, like Smash Bros. style trophies or even different game modes, but that unfortunately isn't the case.
Multiplayer is of course a big draw here, and allows for both local and online play. Up to six players are supported, though this will depend on your chosen sport. Football, Tennis and Golf all allow for four players each, while Baseball only allows two and Horse Racing can support the full six. Everyone will need to have their own 3DS and copy of the game for local play however, as there isn't a download option available. It's still a solid experience nonetheless and there are plenty of ways to tweak your matches to your liking with custom rules.
Heading online is no different, either with friends or strangers from around the globe. Playing with strangers means that you'll be stuck playing random stadiums or courses, which is a bit of a downside, but if you link up with friends through a specific menu then you can change the settings of each event however you choose. Matchmaking is handled by a simple ranking system based off of skill points, which start off at 2000 and either increase or decrease depending on your performance. This will affect who you match with across all events, and you can even blacklist certain players so you never match with them again.
Make no mistake - this is a solid package that delivers on the promise of a one-stop-shop for Mario sporting titles, and we didn't run into a single technical hitch during our time with the game. Each sport controls well - with touchscreen options and clear instructions to help new players get to grips with Golf and some useful indicators to show where to get the best position in Tennis - but there's just something lacking with the overall execution of Sports Superstars.
Our concerns come from a more creative perspective, and a general lack of that playful spark you'd expect from Mario and friends. Events are preceded by bland intros, winning celebrations are dry and predictable, and even the courses themselves have absolutely zero Mushroom Kingdom charm to them. We'd love to have titles like this go the extra mile, and maybe even bring in characters from other Nintendo franchises to freshen things up, because as it stands we'd struggle to get excited about future instalments in this 'Superstars' style.
Conclusion
Mario Sports Superstars straddles that unfortunate line of mediocrity that makes it difficult to actually score. It's certainly not a bad game, as it has plenty of variety and content to offer with a robust multiplayer mode for anyone that wants all their Mario sports in one convenient package, but we'd struggle to call it a good game either. It merely exists; sitting uncomfortably in a space that Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games has been eyeing up for years now.
By offering five games in one it fails to offer a definitive version of anything, and even a pretty decent take on horse racing isn't worth the price of admission unless you're planning on really diving into the other sports as well. As a multiplayer title it could be fun to climb the ranks online, but as a single player experience it's totally functional yet painfully lifeless. It's laid out the groundwork, but Sports Superstars just needs to take a few more risks.
Comments 98
Years ago Nintendo wouldn't make a game this dire.
Tbh, thanks to BotW, I completely forgot about this game's existence. Oh well, already looked like a cheap, quick cash-in at its very announcement.
Well that's not great.
This seemed like a cheap cash grab to get the most out of 3DS sales while Nintendo still can and to help bolster a library for a system that they will obviously move away from entirely within the next year.
This feels like a title Nintendo threw together to pad out the 3DS release catalog, which is...odd. It's not like the system is dying or starved for content.
That's a real shame. It looked like it was going to be a fun game. Good thing I have a Switch to tie me over. I hope Nintendo take the critiscm to heart and bring a great title next time
@TheWhiteFalcon The 3DS kind of is dying, and it's sort of starved for content.
Wow. Scored higher than I thought
That's a shame. I was expecting the game to actually be decent.
Here's hoping we'll get a proper Mario Sports title on the Switch (preferably Baseball. I loved Super Sluggers!) and not anything like we got in the 3DS/Wii U era. Tennis wise at least.
@BinaryFragger Feels like kind of a reverse Ultra Smash if anything. Lots of content, but mediocre gameplay. Whereas Ultra Smash had well executed gameplay but almost no content to make use of it.
Kind of disappointing, I was hoping it would be good.
Ah well, I always have the previous Mario sports games to play.
Ugh... >_<
Yabbari... (I knew it...)
I'm glad I have another better Sports Nintendo games reference recently.
I found Little League World series 2009 Wii slowly made me impressed.
Ah... gotta play some Cartoonish Baseball games.
I was planning to pre-order this but with all the Switch hype, I forgot all about it. Don't think I'll bother now. Shame as I was looking forward to getting the amiibo cards.
I was planning to get this game, but honestly I can't imagine getting anything else for my Wii U or 3DS. My backlog on both is already so big, and I am exclusively playing on the Switch right now and currently don't even have any desire at all to go back to the older machines. Eventually I will, but I have many great games to play thee that I'd never get to anything less than great.
Nintendo releases way too many sub par games these days. That Nintendo seal used to mean something. Now you can't blindly go out and buy a game like Mario Party.
Can anybody remember the last time that Nintendo gamers in the UK got a decent baseball sim? On either a console or a handheld? You know, one that didn't require us to swing a Wiimote around in order to pitch or hit?
I'll wait for Digital Foundry's performance analysis and a 3DS / New 3DS comparison video before I decide whether to purchase this or not
As a Princess Daisy fan...this review... is fair and justified.
1. The amount of recycled content is just awful for a priced title. I had a complete lack of excitement when I saw the complete course list. A Golf Course like Golden Links would be better off as DLC for World Tour...and it already DOES feel like piecemeal DLC!
2. Bad unlockables. Metal Mario and Pink Gold Peach? Seriously? Did they run out of time? Baby Peach and Baby Daisy would make more sense, as at least effort would be put into making new animations and not lazy skins.
3. amiibo. They have seriously dropped the ball on amiibo support. None of the Super Mario amiibo work, unlike Animal Crossing amiibo figures in Happy Home Designer This feels scummy, especially as the more powerful Supestar characters are locked behind them. Getting 5 Princess Daisy cards is going to cost a lot of money and they won't work in Mario Party Star Rush or Poochy and Yoshi's Woolly World.
4. Exciting stadiums like Bowser Jr Street or The DUMP are nowhere to be found, so this game lacks the spice and flair that's present in games like Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games series (which is frankly much more impressive than this game).
5. This should really be in HD in a home console environment. The 3DS has really hurt this game IMO. The Switch is the perfect console for this
@Mart1ndo Ah yes, Nintendo was always better than it is now. They never released games like Urban Champion in the 80s. They only put out mediocre-to-bad games now in contrast to a pristine track record.
I had a feeling that this game wouldn't get a good rating unfortunately. More content simply doesn't equal more quality.
It amazes me that Nintendo refuse to release an F-Zero sequel because by their admission they can't bring anything new to the series, despite fans clamouring for a new game in the series, yet they're content to recycle the same old crap like this in a different package no one asked for.
Bargain bin it is then...
Wow... no download play? Well, there's a rubbish deal if there ever was one. And budgetary constraints aren't an excuse considering that they had the gall to release a whole series of amiibo cards centred on a single mediocre game (at least the Animal Crossing figures and cards were eventually usable with New Leaf).
I kinda hoped this would also come to the Switch. Not anymore.
@Reignmaker I want a game like this to come to Switch because then they are going to have to deal with HD assets...and the big screen. So cutting corners would be more easily picked and called out on.
Really disappointed in a game I was looking forward to. The Horse Racing was selling me, and it sounds like it is one of the few games that are worthwhile here. It was confusing as to why they would have included golf and tennis when there are already full versions of these games on 3DS, but the review just confirmed that they are here just as filler. The soccer still sounds fun. Definitely not worth full price, though, sadly.
Honestly surprised to read that the game is so "lacking", while having more sports at once surely create limits, Mario Sport Mix on Wii had a similar matter, but did pretty well. Sure, the sports weren't as deep as the standalone ones, but there was no lack of modes and Mario's charm (with weird courses, rules and even items).
Kinda a shame SuperStars doesn't seem even comparable to Mix as quality, with such a fun predecessor I really had very high hopes for this new collection.
Wish they had built online multiplayer into Tank Troopers. Since they didn't, I won't be buying either game.
I was hoping for a 6 or 7. Oh well.
@MarioPhD
And don't forget Mario paint on SNES either. That was c*** too.
Well, there's Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia still coming. 3DS not dead yet.
Gamestop Ireland currently have the game listed at 7.99 Euros, and they deliver to the UK. (for £7.50) whether they honour the price remains to be seen. Smyths toy store in the UK have Mario Tennis Ultra Smash for WiiU at £10 if anyone is interested!
What happened to Nintendo and "2nd Party" developers? The sports games on the GameCube were absolutely stellar (Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour, Mario Power Tennis, Mario Superstar Baseball, Mario Smash Football) and this is all we are getting now? A watered-down sports compilation? Also, this should have been a Wii U game...
The usual Mario crap.
hmm it looked good im still excited for it thoe i will buy it later
A real shame. I was hoping for this to redeem the quality of the Mario Sports series.
Ouch. Glad I decided to pass but I do like hearing that the soccer is more sim like and less mushroom kingdom style. I still think that Nintendo should make a full set of sports games with their characters but have a mix of power ups and more realistic gameplay. It won't topple EA by any means but it would fill a genre that is usually lacking for Nintendo only gamers. Although I'm hoping the switch will change that if EA hops fully on board.
Wait shouldn't mario tennis and mario golf modes be at least as good as their 3ds counterparts?
I was never interested in this title. All of those olympics-tenises-golf-insertothersporthere-compilations usualy end being mediocre.
It's a real shame although I feel that the reviewer was a bit harsh, comparing Golf and Tennis with their previous entries.
Nintendo could just leave it as it is or do the right thing and, first, make a patch that allows download play of at least Tennis (which is very good on the previous entry) and the Horse Riding for anyone interested to try, and second, produce some (free) DLC to compensate for the lack of stadiums and options in some of the games.
Have Nintendo just bundle the Horse Riding, Soccer and Baseball I'm really sure that the reviewer would have granted it a 7, at least.
Just as I expected. A Mario Sports compilation that is basically a list of sports for you to choose from and very little else (save for Horse Racing, which is new). I am still not pleased with where Mario Tennis is headed (seriously, what happened to the strategy-based Power Shots, Gimmick Courts, Item Battles, Uniquely-designed mini games, cutscenes, and charm?), Golf looks like World Tour without a giblet or crumb of meat within, and the rest I am not even interested in, though the only thing that this game has going for it for me is Horse Racing, but even then that doesn't look like something that would hold me for long. I was truly hoping that this game would be at the very least decent, but after seeing all the footage for it for each of the five sports, I was disappointed (heck, there is not even the option for me to play as my Mii). Without a doubt a title that I will be passing up.
Welp, time to dust off Mario Sports Mix, Mario Golf: World Tour, and Mario Tennis 64...
@KTT
Ah... except for Go Vacation Wii.
Go Vacation is not just only offers you compilation of Sport games (Tennis, Beach Volleyball, Shooting, Skiing, Surfing, Kayaking, Racing, etc) but also some mini games (Mole Whack, Wiimote dancing, Punching machine, Throwing pie, Glass Harp, etc), Scuba Diving and Open World style gameplay. Also, you can use Mii on Go Vacation Wii.
At the very least it's more fun than 1-2 Switch and you can play online for free...
Most importantly: Is it pay to win? Do the amiibo cards give any actual advantages?
i was looking forward to this game, but the switch made me completely forget about it. maybe something better can be switched on over.
Already preordered - Mario Kart on horses...
Huh. And here I was thinking this game was going to knock it out of the park...
Oh well, at least I do have Mario Tennis, Baseball, Golf, and Soccer. Just not all in one convenient package.
This is a shame, but suppose its saved me some £££.
The Mario Sports games have been awful lately. Back on the GBC Mario Tennis was my favorite game on the console. Mario Golf Toadstool Tour was fantastic on the Gamecube. Lately they have just completely neglected to add the great features that the games used to have. I hope they get a new team working on Mario Sports soon.
@Thermoclorn What's wrong with World Tour tho?
@WOLF1313
So true. From all my previous years of Nintendo gaming really starting with the N64, The Nintendo Seal meant (to me) that the game can be bought without a second thought. Quality guaranteed.
Now these days, unfortunately...
@THENAMESNORM
My experience with GameStop's website is; don't trust it. In Navan where I live their website clearly said they had a brand new PS3 console in stock. Not a word about it. They hadn't. This is only recently.
I doubt they'll honour that price either.
3DS/Wii U have gotten a whole lot of bland cash grabs with no unique hooks or even new graphical/audio assets. Hopefully this will be the last of them...
@Yhdekskymmenen I liked World Tour somewhat, but the Handicap system wasn't implemented correctly in my opinion, and the game was layed out confusingly. The dumb gear unlocks didn't feel interesting. I would like to see them bring back a clear progression (sort of like a story mode but not necessarily).
Average ratings but it will still sell. Can't be as bad as Animal Crossing Amiibo Festival on wii u
was really looking forward to getting this, but as of now i think ill pass and work on my 3ds backlog instead
That's kind of disappointing...might wait for a price drop. However, with as many other 3ds titles that I'm looking forward to, I might forget about this completely.
As expected!
Disappointing, but not surprising.
Looks boring, as expected
I'd imagine Nintendo is letting the 3ds slowly die off and is content to launch mediocre games in the mean time to "nudge" people to pick up a Switch. Fire Emblem is about the only quality game to look forward to this year first party wise and it's clear that they've moved on. To develop what I can't be sure but 2016 wasn't exactly overflowing with first party releases as well
I wish they would stop making half assed Mario Sports titles. Seriously just don't bother if you going cut all the features that make the games fun.
@tjhiphop Seems like it, if someone is new with the 3DS he is gonna have a lot of great games to play but for people who already have the console for years now the only big game worth waiting for this year is Fire Emblem Echoes so lets wait and see what is announced for 3DS on E3 If they show any
Thank goodness Camelot was working on this instead of Golden Sun. Am I right guys???
Had to rub my eyes to be sure the 5 out of 10 is real for a Nintendo game on here. I didnt expect it to score that low and I dont have it yet ..but still want to try. For what its worth, its a inverted world on NL today, Metacritics (out of 13 currently) scores it 69, ranging between 45 and 85.
But yea, if its a poor mini game compilation (visually it looks nice), then hard to argue with 5.
Makes you wonder what is going on at Nintendo when you have Bandai Namco and Camelot to develop a game for you and this is the result...
I still plan to pick this up at some point. Perhaps I will wait for it to be on sale on the eshop.
For all of those complaining that Nintendo is still supporting the 3DS (rather than having 100% of their staff focused on the Switch) this should be an indicator that the remaining 3DS games are NOT being handled by top flight talent.
That's a highly disappointing score. Was really looking forward to this.
I was intrigued by this title, especially for baseball. But oh well. I have quite a few dozen 3DS games to work on, as well as a shiny new console.
I think this sounds really interesting. Mostly for the same reasons the reviewer didnt like it. I hate all those arcade smashes and super moves and I prefer sims when it comes to sports. Not realism mind you, just realistic gameplay. (Power Pros baseball on the Wii is awesome)
Id love to play the horse race game. G1 was a great game and it sounds like that. The lack of courses in golf is fine by me. As long as tennis has multiple surfaces I wont care about extra stadiums.
All those things arent deal breakers.
But baseball must have fielding. Without fielding it isnt fun. How can I enrage my opponent with a run scoring double steal if there isnt any fielding? As opposed to other sports, in baseball the defense/fielder has the ball.
Id still get this if/when its 20 bucks.
SON OF A ***** NINTENDO.
This was the only relevant March release for Nintendo. And they put like zero effort into it. My gosh this makes me so mad.
I wanted a baseball game for my 3DS. but It's like the worst one of the bunch! Shame on Nintendo. Shame on Kamelot. Shame on Namco Bandai.
GRRR. I guess I'll keep my money. Or wait til this gets clearanced out for like $8.
Aw, that sucks that they simplified baseball so poorly like that. If I want to play a baseball game with no fielding or baserunning, I'll just boot up "Wii Sports Club."
I was interested in this game mainly because of baseball, as we still haven't had a good Mario baseball game since the original one on the GameCube. (No, I don't consider the "Super Sluggers" wagglefest to be a good game. Even "Nicktoons MLB" beats it out in the gameplay department.) Oh well. I may still pick it up someday if I find a cheap used copy, though.
@XCWarrior Technically, it's just the only relevant March Nintendo release on 3DS. Otherwise, what do you call "Zelda" and "1-2-Switch"?
I'm with you on the rest of your post, though.
@ChristopherM I don't know about the UK, but here in the U.S. I consider the last great baseball sim on a Nintendo Console to be "MVP Baseball 2005" for GameCube. Personally, I'm fine with using motion controls for baseball games if they're done well like in "Wii Sports Club," but most of them don't do it that well, and that's only one of the issues with trying to find a good baseball game on Nintendo hardware.
I'm still going to try it. I don't trust other people's opinions. I personally LOVE Mario party Star Rush and Mario Tennis Open 3DS
I've always bought games out of my own interest and not reviews but I completely understand the tone of this article. This game is what it is. However, sometimes a game you can pick up and play for 20 minutes and then put down is nice, too. This is the type of game I'd pick up when it inevitably goes on sale.
@XCWarrior same here..i consider mario baseball on gamecube to be the best baseball ever..love playing it still today. Beyond understanding why not just use these game mechanics....having said that, i didnt try mario sports yet...no time..but will soon
@BulbasaurusRex 1-2 switch is a joke...even when this is 5 out of 10 here...its politics..cause 1-2 switch is not even a 2 out of 10. Zelda, zelda, zelda, zelda....yes...zelda...any other news lately?
@Nintendofan83 i was hoping exactly for that...a best of the real thing..i dont see how its not possible...soon i will
@Dark-Luigi if it's a mario title it will never be at bargain bin price...
@polivar4 Whatever.
I'll still get it, and I'm one of those who finds the endless powerups in some Mario sports games to be tiresome, so hearing that they're toned down here is nice. Baseball sounds disappointing, though.
Anything more on Ever Oasis these days? Or the next Etrian Odyssey?
I just played it, it's a lot better than this review suggested.
It's a great pick up and play game. With so many different sports you won't get bored easily.
@fbnaulin finally someone saying the 3ds isn't dead. Everyone know is like the old town city messenger saying the 3ds is dead but still has games coming out that are good
This so pisses me off. I was really looking forward to a decent baseball game for the 3DS. Why do the other platforms get somewhat competent baseball games and Nintendo doesn't. Heck, I'm thinking about putting in my Mario Super Sluggers in my Wii U so I have some kind of baseball game to play.
This might be what actually pushes me to finally get a PS4. Really was looking forward to a good portable baseball game.
Pretty sure this is still better than 1-2 Switch
"Jack of all trades, master of none"
I'm sorry, did I navigate to the Switch hardware review?
@dcstud it ain't just baseball, brotha.
Nintendo consoles are missing whole genres of software these days.
@gatorboi352 The 3DS is still in much better shape in that regard than the DS, which is missing basically every genre except for puzzle games, RPGs, casual games, touchscreen experiments, Mario Kart, and a couple Mario platformers (one being a remaster and the other starring Peach instead of the Mario Bros.).
@BulbasaurusRex My feelings on Nintendos's Switch have been laid out pretty clearly on my posts. That THING release last week is an early access device that they are charging full price for. The finished product won't be out until sometime in the fall. It's going to include online, virtual console, 100% working joy cons, and no dead pixels. Though I'll probably wait until 2018 when they release a different version with a better battery.
All of their sports games seem to be very lackluster these days. They just strip down all of their games they've already released and then add in equestrian and call it good. They just need to put more effort in them than what they're currently doing.
Jesus, so much for Nintendo still providing software for 3DS. I can count on third parties to do it, I suppose, but Nintendo should at least, yknow, put some actual effort into Sports Superstars.
@BulbasaurusRex @Captain_Gonru - Many thanks for the recommendation. I don't believe MVP Baseball has ever been released in the UK, but fortunately I do still have a US-friendly Gamecube, so I'll be looking into it.
I do enjoy Wii Sports Baseball, but I'd prefer not to use motion controls over a full 9-innings game.
I also enjoy my imported Backyard Baseball 2006 on GBA, even though it includes non-realistic power-ups.
However, for a decent "realistic" Baseball sim of a full 9-innings game without power-ups or mandatory motion controls, I believe that UK Nintendo gamers have to go way back to All Star Baseball 2000 on the N64.
One thing to note is that, for baseball, you can set to manual in the options menu, and that lets you play with the outfielders too.
Edit: the cards you unlock with ingame money have effects in the game too. If you get a Peach bate, you can use it with Peach in baseball, you only need to push Y when selecting Peach (the option will remain grey if you didn't get the card)
@Dark-Luigi It's true! I still see copies of Mario Kart Wii and Super Mario Galaxy 2 for 40 bucks and up still....in 2017! Freaking ridiculous!
Wow, such a harsh rating. I'd give a 7/10. I'm playing it now and I think it's pretty good. I have not played any of the Mario sports game before, though. But I'm enjoying it. I like the soccer, tennis, and horse racing games. Golf is ok, though I'm not really into it. Baseball is also good, but I kinda suck at batting. Overall, this is a solid, 5-in-1 game.
So I decided to get the game, and it isn't horrible. However it doesn't feel "mario" enough. Like golf is just that, golf. If you wished that the old school nes/gameboy sports games could get a remake, then this is kind of it. Yes the games are running on a mario sports engine, but the basic gameplay makes it remind me of those games more. The gameplay is solid, but not great. Basically take ultra smash, remove items, and multiply it by 5 sports, and then and a nintendogs + cats like feature for horses. It really should of been 20 bucks.
Sure, Golf is stripped down from the excellent game they made earlier, and I assume the same can be said for Tennis. The other games, however, were great! WAY too harsh of a review, I'd recommend it if you can find it cheap, as the person above me stated.
Mario will hit the baseball with mario super power out of any park any day he has super power!
Show Comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...