Mario Strikers Charged Review (WII)

Mario Strikers Charged hits the system with all the ferocity of a flaming soccer ball, thanks to some key features that spice up the otherwise familiar gameplay.

Players will find Strikers very approachable, especially if they played it on the previous GameCube game. Teams of four take the field, with players picking a captain and three supporting teammates to back them up. Each one has power-ups representative of their talents, such as Bowser's fire breath (which scorches players all over the field) and Waluigi's shadow skills (which draws up impenetrable smoke walls). However, said power-ups don't work until the team gets fouled. Say a player gets on a hot streak. Suddenly, a rival player comes up and slams him or her into an electric fence or off the field. During the hit, a small icon pops up, notifying them that a power-up became available, just in time to even the odds.

The nunchuk's analog stick controls general movement, while jerking the Wii remote activates quick charges at opponents. Players can also launch into offensive and defensive maneuvers with the D-pad on the remote, dodging incoming attacks or instigating a tackling kick. Pressing the C button triggers power-ups, ranging from the above-mentioned attacks to turtle shells to a bothersome Chomper running amuck on the field. The only real Wii-specific change to the gameplay comes with its stopping power goals.

Once a player launches into a power kick, they set off a meter that determines how many balls will launch with that kick (usually ranging from three to six). Once launched, the screen switches to goalie control. Here, players move a pair of hands over incoming balls and press the A button to successfully block them. It is a lame sequence, especially against more experienced players, but it offers interactivity to those who desire it.

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