Mario Strikers Shapin up to be AWESOME!

 

The newest incarnation of Nintendo-style soccer,Mario Strikers Charged for Wii, which will be familiar for fans of the original, looks to be more fleshed out than its GameCube predecessor. In addition to “Domination,” which is the single match mode we got hands-on time today with on the Game Developers Conference show floor, there is a championship mode as well as a challenge mode (think: you’re down 3-to-1 with a minute on the clock and you’re trying to win).

The Wii controls feel great so far, with A to pass and B to shoot. If you hold B for a charged “mega strike” shot, there are a pair of charge bar button presses and the opposing player is plunged into a goalie minigame where, while aiming with the remote, he uses the A button to block a series of two or three balls rocketing towards the screen. It was a little tough during our hands-on time, but the balls stall a second before zooming past, so we managed to stop a few. You use the Z button in combination for lob kicks, and if you’re after another player, shaking the remote causes a tackle maneuver. The power-ups are your standard Mario fare — shells, mostly — and are conveniently triggered by the C button.

We got a look at two different maps. One is a pretty standard pitch, with fans jumping up and down in the stands. The second, “Thunder Island,” is a bit more hazardous. A misaimed tackle sends you flying over the edge, and the wind periodically blows you around.

Still no word on the release date, but this looks like it’ll be a fun game to play with friends when it eventually ships.

 Online????-hopefully, ill be praying-if so it would own!

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