Mario Strikers: Battle League

Mario Strikers: Battle League is an over-the-top soccer game that's wildly fun, even though it does very little new.

Mario Strikers: Battle League has all the makings of a great sports game, but there's not much there right now.

Mario Strikers returns with a stripped back entry for Switch that's ultimately less fun to tackle.

The chaotic game breathes new life into franchise characters

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.

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.

At its core Battle League is a brilliant arcade-style football game, offering fantastic multiplayer fun. However, the lack of single-player modes, the exploitable AI and the small launch roster mean solo players may find it lacking.

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.

I was shocked that Battle League had this much going on under the surface, and the gameplay itself is enough to carry me through for quite some time.

Mario Strikers: Battle League is a masterclass in competitive game design. What it lacks in options is more than made up 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.