Mario Super Sluggers

Mario Super Sluggers is a fantastic sports adventure game centred around baseball. It was only ever released officially in North America and Japan, so if you never had the opportunity to try it out, now is your chance to download it! With tonnes of playable characters to choose from and all kinds of great game modes, this is definitely one of the better Mario sports experiences out there. If you’re not yet convinced, let me go over things in a bit more detail to give you an idea of what you can expect from the game.

Challenge mode

Challenge mode is the main game mode in Mario Super Sluggers, and it’s essentially the game’s story mode. You start off as Mario and it’s your job to build up a team so you can take on Bowser Jr near the end of the adventure. Many of the playable characters in this game can only be unlocked by playing this mode, so if you want to have access to the full roster in the other modes, you’ll need to get through this one. It’s great fun, so don’t worry about it feeling like a chore!

Other game modes

The two other main game modes in Mario Super Sluggers are Exhibition and Toy Field. Exhibition is a free-play mode where you can just have fun with no worries, while Toy Field is essentially a minigame where you have to hit the balls into certain parts of the field, and you get a score based on how well you do. Both are super fun to play, but if you don’t fancy either, there’s also a minigame mode with 9 different shorter minigames for you to try out. There’s something for everyone, so I guarantee you’ll find something you’ll enjoy.

Playable characters

Mario Super Sluggers has one of the biggest character rosters of any Mario game, which is a big part of its appeal. You've got all the main characters like Mario, Luigi, Peach etc. but you’ve also got less well-known ones like Dry Bones and Petey Piranha. How awesome is that? Every character has different stats as well as strengths and weaknesses, so be sure to give them all a go so you can find one you like most.

Unlockable stadiums

As with some of the characters, some of the stadiums need to be unlocked through the Challenge mode before they can be played on freely. There are some really cool ones that long-time Mario fans are going to absolutely love. One example is the map based on Luigi’s Mansion – if you’re a fan of that game series, then you’re in luck!

Pros:

• Massive character roster
• Lots of different maps and game modes are available
• Satisfying baseball mechanics with simple controls

Cons:

• Lack of online play
• Challenge mode is very short
• Can be boring to play alone