Nintendo has announced that Mario Sports Superstars will release on March 10th for 3DS. The game will feature Mario and friends competing in a variety of sports: football, tennis, golf, baseball and horse racing
Players can compete solo in a range of single-player tournaments across a variety of sports and can play against friends using local and online multiplayer modes. Football fans will compete in full-on 11-a-side matches, and will need to master both team tactics and individual skills in order to be victorious. Fans of the Mario Golf and Mario Tennis series will be familiar with the classic gameplay on offer in the golf and tennis games here, developed by Camelot Software Planning.
Baseball fans will need to work on their batting and pitching techniques, as heavy-hitters such as Bowser are lining up to knock it out of the park in the first Mario-themed baseball title to be released in Europe in over 10 years.
Finally, Horse Racing lets aspiring jockeys saddle up, jump over obstacles and gallop to the finish line first to be crowned as champion. Collecting carrots along the way will replenish your stamina, while collecting stars will enable to you to use the special Star Dash technique, greatly improving your chances of victory. Players can also show their caring side by visiting their favourite horses in Stable Mode. By petting, feeding and grooming a horse, players can build a special bond with it which will work to their advantage on the racing track.
Each of the five sports on offer in Mario Sports Superstars can be enjoyed in single-player, local multiplayer and online multiplayer modes. In single-player mode, players can take part in tutorials and challenges to hone their skills before entering a number of tournaments suited to all skill levels. Multiplayer mode allows sports fans to compete with their family and friends, either locally or online. There’s also the option to challenge players of similar skill levels from around the world.
The game features 18 characters to choose from, ensuring players having the option to pick their favorite character. There 16 of them available out of the box, while the remaining two must be unlocked.
Addtionally, releasing on the same date is a series of 90 Mario Sports Superstars amiibo cards, which will be available in packs of five and can be used in-game to power up characters’ skills. Fans who purchase a first print-run version of the game at retail will receive a randomly-selected amiibo card bundled with the software.
The Mario Sports Superstars series of 90 amiibo cards (five for each character) builds upon this extensive roster by allowing players to unlock more powerful versions of each character in each sport. By tapping a Mario Sports Superstars series amiibo card, players can unlock the Star version of the corresponding character in the corresponding sport. A Star character has stronger stats than its regular counterpart, giving that character an edge in that particular sport. And by tapping up to three amiibo cards, players can participate in the Road to Superstar mode. Completing this mode will bestow Superstar status on their characters, giving an even greater boost to their stats.
