Nintendo Media Summit: Mario Strikers Charged hands-on (Wii)
by Colin Torretta 
{ May 25th 2007 at 12:01AM }
Before we were able to get a hands-on with the title, Reggie called up one of the developers of Mario Strikers Charged who loaded up the opening cinematic of the game for us to enjoy. The cinematic was a high-energy movie featuring all the major Mario characters kicking ass on the soccer field in some form or another. The characters had an interesting art design, much more anime-esque than the normal Mario designs. One of the highlights of the opening cinematic was seeing all the special moves that each of the characters have, like Donkey Kong's ability to smash the ground and knock everybody out around him. The developer pointed out that even though the opening movie was pre-rendered CG, all the moves are actual ones that the characters themselves have.
Gallery: Mario Strikers Charged (Wii)
From there, he showed off a bit of the gameplay and talked about some of the differences inbetween this one and the first Mario Strikers. Sounded like they'd done a lot of changes, with ramping difficulty in the single player now, way more customization and quite a few more characters to choose from. Also, in a first for a Wii game, it will support full online play. Thats right, a Wii game finally gets online play.
After the presentation, we got let loose on the event floor and got to try out Mario Stalkers Charged for ourselves. The game seemed fun, and reminded me a lot of Sega Soccer Slam (which is definitely a compliment). The motion controls didn't really add anything, but overall it controlled well. I got the sneaking suspicion that it would have controlled a whole lot better with a normal controller though, something that I heard a lot of the other journalists agreeing about. The gameplay was solid though and the new moves and additional characters really made it play better than the original.
The graphics were a bit of a disappointment. In what has become an increasingly common occurence, the game looked no better than what we've seen from the GameCube and PS2 for years. It didn't look bad, but colors were not particularly vibrant, the stages were surprisingly uninteresting, and the characters weren't very detailed. It's frustrating that the Wii is more powerful than the GameCube, yet games seem to rarely take advantage of it. There were a few nice graphical flourishes though, including some nice bloom lighting and some great special effects for some of the wackier moves.
This should be a solid title for people jonesing for a bit of fast-paced arcade soccer. Just don't go in expecting Nintendo to have fixed all the issues with the first one. But the addition of online play definitely makes this game sweeter, and it's great that Nintendo finally included it. Mario Strikers Charged comes out on July 30th.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
scott Amundson @ May 25th 2007 12:33AM
Sounds cool! If you like Mario, you'll love www.TNAOBB.blogspot.com America's First Web Action Serial!
nitemare @ May 25th 2007 12:36AM
Seems kinda weird that you guys would say that the graphics
in this
game are not impressive when everybody else says something in the
lines of the following IGN statement:"There's also a new Strikers 101
field. These stages are brought to life with effects that actually
make the most of Wii, such as shimmering heat distortion, wind storms
that may actually blow characters off the edge of the arenas and
fantastic lightning bolt particles, to name a few. Not only are the
environments themselves much more interactive and prettier than ever
before thanks to crisper textures, lighting and particles, but
character animation is fluid and the game's fluidity rarely dips
below 60 frames per second. It also supports both 16:9 widescreen and
progressive-scan display. We see so many ugly Wii games -- really,
there's no other way to describe it. Strikers Charged is absolutely
not one of them"But hey, you guys are Pros...
Beni Nkangoh @ May 25th 2007 12:37AM
I can't wait to buy this. It sucks because I have a Wii, but I'm a only child. So almost half the appeal is like instantly gone.
It will be great to have online. So I can play against people!
Or I could get my parents to make me a sibling ;)
Avinash_Tyagi @ May 25th 2007 12:39AM
IGN seems to think that the Wii controls are better than they were on the GCN strikers
XGamerX @ May 25th 2007 12:42AM
Im most likely going to pass on this one. I hoped the graphics would be better since nintendo itself was leading the project probably for a few years.
http://gamergeddon.com/
Beni Nkangoh @ May 25th 2007 12:44AM
The graphics ARE better in this game then the original. Joystiq just makes it sound like all Wii games look horrible for some reason. It looks better then the original.
However, don't expect any 360/PS3 tier graphical effects. Speaking of that, we need a arcadey 360 soccer game with wacky effects!
Adam @ May 25th 2007 12:46AM
This reminds me a little bit of Brutal Sports Football for the Atari Jaguar. Minus the blood and beheadings of course. Either way, it's great to finally see some online gaming for the Wii. It's WAY overdue.
samfish @ May 25th 2007 1:01AM
WORST. MEDIA SUMMIT. EVER!
Beni Nkangoh @ May 25th 2007 1:05AM
@samfish
What do you expect when e3 is a month away and the E for All expo is 2 months away?
Rubang B @ May 25th 2007 1:05AM
I'm more excited about this game than even Brawl. I need it so bad!
samfish @ May 25th 2007 1:17AM
"What do you expect when e3 is a month away and the E for All expo is 2 months away?"
Ask Sony. They held their Gamer's Day summit AND they'll be at E3, IIRC.
Beni Nkangoh @ May 25th 2007 1:20AM
Except, Sony actually needs people to buy their PS3, Nintendo didn't even need this Media Summit and people would've still went crazy.
Thats the difference.
Rubang B @ May 25th 2007 1:24AM
Hey samfish, is Nintendo not going to be at E3?
Jebus Crust @ May 25th 2007 1:24AM
Remeber Samfish...
Nintendo can do no wrong.
The excuse that I am seeing popping up around the blogs is
Nintendo is just building up hype for E3.
Don't know about you, but I think Sony did a much better job of building up hype for E3 by actually showing some games that look like they will be something special.
But, Sony is the bad company that lies right Weeboys?
Jebus Crust @ May 25th 2007 1:31AM
Nintendo suit...
Now that E3 is no more in May, what are we to do?
Nintendo suit #2
Let's have our own videogame summit where we can show off all of our new exciting products and our awsome innovation...because you know, we are the innovators of innovation.
Nintendo suit
Yes, we can show of a Mario game...and a braintraing game...and a Mario game...and lots and lots of new minigames..and a Mario game...
Nintendo suit #2
Dont forget Pokemon...and a Mario game. Boy we are gonna blow the doors off of the competition with our new innovative games and ideas and our new innovative GameCub...er I mean Wee and our one of a kind innovative controller.
Frack yourselves Nintendo "faithfull"
Frack Mario....Gods, enough with fracking Mario allready...
samfish @ May 25th 2007 1:32AM
No, that's not the difference. You don't pass on the chance for hype. They could have at least MENTIONED the Big 3 in some capacity. But the consensus I'm reading so far seems to be that it was a bit of a let down/waste of time for the journalists. They got to try out a bunch of games they had already spent a bunch of times with.
And SHOULD we expect anything to come out of E3? All we've been hearing since last year is how much smaller and low-key E3 is going to be.
Can Nintendo AFFORD to hold off until E For All while Sony and, to a lesser extent, Microsoft keep dropping bombs that get people excited?
Nintendo needs to wake up to the reality of the media today. Everything is instant. If you keep radio silence like they've historically done and then let word get out about a 'Media Summit', you had better be prepared to wow the press every single time.
Beni Nkangoh @ May 25th 2007 2:07AM
@Samfish
Do you even read the JPN sales or NPD sales data? The Wii has had no games, and it continues to outsell the PS3 and the 360.
As for the mention of the big 3. Reggie already said that they are all coming out in 2007. There is your mention.
Why bring out your big guns if you aren't threatened? You just won't do it. Besides, why would you go to the Media Summit for info for?
Smash Bros, you can go to the website for daily updates. Metroid, information will be given at E3. Galaxy, most likely at E for All, since thats the farthest one away from now.
The_aNew @ May 25th 2007 2:14AM
@Beni Nkangoh #3.
Hey! if you want, lets exchange Wii system codes so once this game hits we can play against one another! I'll be picking up this title day one.
The_aNew @ May 25th 2007 2:47AM
OH, I WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW METROID PRIME III CORRUPTION WAS PLAYABLE to the Print Press, just not to the Internet Press like Joystiq or IGN ect.
Ethan Duffy @ May 25th 2007 4:47AM
Mario sports games hold little interest for me, I'd rather have something more balanced and rewarding.
Rolf Harris @ May 25th 2007 5:24AM
@15
Heartily, did I lol'eth. People say Nintendo is for kids. You don't have to say "frack" on the internet. It's alright. You can say it. Watch me: FUCK. See. FUCKY FUCKETY FUCK.
t_m @ May 25th 2007 7:07AM
I can't believe Rolf Harris, of all people, just said that. A small piece of my childhood just died.
@19: Thats what 90% of all blogs do, just repost the info they read on another site.. but with a flamebait comment at the end to generate hits or comments.
Still, give it 3 weeks and the print press will be regurgitating the stuff they copied from the blogs..
megaStryke @ May 25th 2007 7:17AM
The print media got all the good info.
Jack of No Trades @ May 25th 2007 8:06AM
The should have "at least" increased the fucking detail in the game. Wow! Talk about being screwed over.
megaStryke @ May 25th 2007 8:31AM
@Jack
They did. Read the IGN report.
Jack of No Trades @ May 25th 2007 8:59AM
mega
Ok, at least they did something.
Darkness @ May 25th 2007 8:59AM
I really think people need to get off this graphics thing. It means nothing in the long run. Focus on whether or not the game is fun. That's all users really need to know. This constantly harping on the graphics when we KNOW it's not as powerful as the other systems is like beating a dead horse infinitely. Just let it be and move on or don't do these previews.
samfish @ May 25th 2007 9:05AM
"Why bring out your big guns if you aren't threatened? You just won't do it. Besides, why would you go to the Media Summit for info for?"
I just TOLD you why.
It's like being in a boxing match. Just because you're creaming the other guy DOESN'T mean you let up, especially when he shows signs of a second wind.
By your logic, though, why bring those games out EVER? If Nintendo is so far ahead in sales, why not just hold back on Galaxy, Metroid and Brawl until/if they start to slow down?
I LOVE Nintendo. But I'M not going to make excuses for them when they disappoint everybody...
Jack of No Trades @ May 25th 2007 9:09AM
Darkness
I don't expect 360/PS3 graphics. I expect better than Gcube.
Jebus Crust @ May 25th 2007 9:09AM
"I really think people need to get off this graphics thing. It means nothing in the long run."
If grafix mean nothing in the long run why dont you still play game systems from the 80's? Are they not still fun? We continue to beat the dead horse because it keeps getting back up ala Me, Myself, and Irene style. It is impossible to not bring it up when Nintendo keeps shoveling stinking, filthy, piles of crap that the masses eat up.
Maybe the dead horse keeps getting up because he cannot stand the smell of the gigantic pile of crap that Nintendo keeps shoveling on him.
Here are some other thoughts sure to whip up some waaaaaaa....leave my poor Wee alone...its the best...you dont know what your talking about....look at the sales....
Yes, Nintendo is selling ALOT of re-hashed GameCube hardware right now...maybe the biggest factor in all of this is the price. NOT the "innovation"
C'mon Jack...can we top yesterday?
16. @Jack
"15. You naive bastards! I admit it will be fun to play. Why Nintendo? Why do you continue with the same piece of shit quality as last gen. Jackasses!"
Because they can Jack, because they can. It has become apparent to me that almost no-one remembers the Nintendo arrogance of the late 80's to late 90's.
They were so arrogant that they said you dont need disc media. They said you dont need DVD media. Look at what that got them....2 anemic 3rd place finishes in the Playstation era.
Now they build (er excuse me) they repackage a GameCube with a silly motion controller and they re-sell it to the naive public as something not only new.....but innovative.
And you know what? The mobb eats it up, the same way a mobb of "faithful" eat up the crap that the likes of Benny Hinn, Jerry Falwell, and Adolf Hitler spewed or are still spewing from thier mouths.
So, Nintendo now realizes that they can do whatever, whenver they want to and the mobb will take it. They even got most of the mobb media to believe the massive amount of crap that they have been feeding to the mob as INNOVATION.
You cannot blame Nintendo for doing this....because it obviously works very well on the banta poodo. (weak-minded fools)
The only good thing about the crap that Nintendo has been shoveling to the masses is that some of Nintendo's recently converted flock is slowly waking up and realizing that they have just been fed a stinking gigantic pile of crap. Just look at all of the current Wee owners who are saying that it was tons of fun at first but now it is boring and the grafix suck.
Nintendo shovelware....coming to a re-hashed system near you.
Jack of No Trades @ May 25th 2007 9:14AM
Jebus
Yesterday was fun. I don't think we can top that.....or can we? It reminded me of the days I use to comment on Slashdot.org. Great fun.
On topic
Nintendo will continue to make games that barely get by because the fanbase will buy anything with MArio and lable it game of the year. Its crazy.
cc123 @ May 25th 2007 9:16AM
At least it's not more wiini games.
Jebus Crust @ May 25th 2007 9:27AM
@33
Great name...Wiini games.
Can I suggest one slight alteration?
Weeni games.
C'mon Jack...give some flamebait, I am going camping later 2day so until then let's make my workday go by a little quicker and a little more pleasantly. I cannot really complain about work however since I am surrounded by wine, liquor, and cigars, and at least 2 beauty salons, a nail place, and a ladies clothing store. So, I have got alot of hotties and milfs beating down my door for me to pour them some wine.
Jack of No Trades @ May 25th 2007 9:30AM
Jebus
Nice. I have to listen to the sound of the CNC and builders pounding/cutting on composites. I hate it that they put engineering by the damn production floor. lol
cc123 @ May 25th 2007 9:34AM
I don't think wii fanboys would take the bait.
Nintendo just finished kicking them in the nuts. Their spirits are a little low today.
=)
Crono @ May 25th 2007 9:34AM
No kiddin jack. My office has a slow air leak somewhere up above it in addition to all that other garbage. Nothing like hearing *hissssssssss* all week long.
Jack of No Trades @ May 25th 2007 9:36AM
Crono
Yea, by the end of the day you want to throw your head into a lathe chuck.
Theta @ May 25th 2007 9:44AM
Oh man, Nintendo totally F'ed US?! This is some serious bullshit right there. I'm totally beginning to question my decision to buy the wii.
Seriously, I totally expected more from this summit.
Jebus Crust @ May 25th 2007 9:49AM
Jack and Crono,
Sorry to hear that. Oh well, at least it's Memorial Day Weekend, so cheer up guys.
Jack of No Trades @ May 25th 2007 9:58AM
Jebus
Hell yea. Its time to go to the lake. Bring the tequila and limes. I got the beer and chips.
Lou D @ May 25th 2007 10:24AM
LOL,
I have never seen a bigger pile of stupid trolls. You trolls reply to each other almost every other minute.
Jebus Crust - you are just plain dumb and your history of Nintendo's "2 3rd place finishes" proves you know nothing. Infact reading your posts lowers my i.q. - they are that retarded... Actually, my apologgies to the mentally challenged, I give you, Jebus Crust, too much credit.
As for Jack of All Shit, you must be in heaven not having to type what J.C. is doing for you, unless it's just you replying to yourself as a psuedo-identity.
...what do you call a troll who feeds a troll? Papa troll? Moma Troll? Jack of all Trolls?
Face it, you both have waggle-envy. You feel threatened by the Wii Remote because it's bigger than any shaft you've ever personally waggled with.
Jack of No Trades @ May 25th 2007 10:28AM
Lou D
We get along. You should go make some anti-fun friends.
Cliff @ May 25th 2007 11:18AM
eventually the wii will produce halo/panzar dragoon/and ninja giaden grafix that are so good that if theyre not HD no 1 will care b/c they are so well textured and shaded
Lou D @ May 25th 2007 12:33PM
Cliff - see Metroid Prime 3
People complain about jaggies in that game but all I saw with regards to that was the visor graphics and those need to stand out, so I would say they are intentional. Remember, HALO has no visor graphics to overlay ontop of the background action.
Jack - finally you make some sense.
generaldane @ May 25th 2007 12:36PM
i was reading on Gaf about people who already own the game the general consensus seems to be the game rocks hard
Lee @ May 25th 2007 2:35PM
I just picked up a copy of this game today, it's really awesome. Havn't had a chance to try out the Wifi mode yet though, but i've allready managed to finish one Strikers Cup. =P
Rubang B @ May 25th 2007 3:24PM
@Jebus Crust, the genius who typed "If grafix mean nothing in the long run why dont you still play game systems from the 80's?"
The answer is YES. I still have my NES hooked up with the 4Score adapter for 4-player Super Spike V'Ball and Nintendo World Cup, and if the mood strikes Danny Sullivan's Indy Heat or even Nightmare on Elm Street. Do you have a problem with that? Wanna fight about it?