Super Mario Strikers

Mario Smash Football (also known as Super Mario Strikers in North America and Japan) is Mario's first ever soccer game, for the Nintendo GameCube. The game features a version of soccer without referees and rules, and has Power-Ups and special strikes which count as two goals. A sequel was made for Mario Smash Football, called Mario Strikers Charged Football for the Wii.

Gameplay Elements
In comparison to actual soccer, the game features a smaller version of the soccer pitch, and each team has only five members, instead of the usual eleven-a-side rule. The match time can be manually set from 2 to 15 minutes, but is defined as 5 minutes by default. If necessary, a sudden death follows the regular game time. With this rule, no game ends as a draw.

Each team consists of a team captain and three sidekicks of the same type, as well as a goalkeeper. Every match of the game can be played in multiplayer. Up to four players can control a single team. If there are less than four players, they can switch their characters on the field, and the game switches control automatically to the next player when the ball is passed. Players can only control the goalie for a short time when he has the ball in hand. Because of this, the goalies are immune to all attacks by enemies or power-ups, and save most goals easily. The soccer fields are surrounded by an electrical fence which electrocutes anybody who gets kicked against it by another player or by a power-up. The fence also prevents the ball and players from leaving the field. Thus, there are no throw-ins, goal kicks or corner kicks, as seen in actual soccer.

One of the most notable changes is the non-existance of a referee. As such, there is no offside position and fouls are not punished. Players are given a variety of commands to kick or hit each other, which is a major part of the gameplay. Items (also called Power-Ups) exist as a help to the player to score a goal. They serve a function similar to the items in the Mario Kart series. To obtain an item, the player has to shoot the ball fiercely towards the goalposts. A player also gets an item when one of his players, who does not hold the ball, is fouled.

The so-called Super Strike is a special ability of the team's captain. By performing it, the player can hit the ball straight to the goal. When the player manages to score a goal, it counts as two goals instead of one.

On random occasions, Bowser appears on the field. He can breathe fire, stomp the field or attack players with items. Bowser's appearance can be disabled in the game mode sub menu.

Goalies

 * Kritter, a Kremling from Donkey Kong Country.
 * Robo-Kritter on the Super Team.

Player's Skills
Within this game, it is necessary to know some basic and advanced skills. There are some explanations about these according to the Mario Strikers tutorial, the Strikers 101.

Other information such as Super Strikes and Power-ups are explained aside.

Power-Ups
Power-ups are items that are obtained when the player attempts to make a goal, or gets fouled when not holding the ball. They appear at the top of the screen, on a bar displaying up to two items. The player can use the items to get or defend the ball, like tripping his or her opponents with bananas or summoning an huge Chain Chomp to stun them. Power-ups can be disabled at the Gameplay Mode screen. It is notable that the goalkeepers are immune to all sorts of power-ups, as they are to regular attack moves.


 * Banana Peels: Bananas are tossed on the floor and stay there until a character slips on it. They come in sets of 1 to 6 peels.


 * Normal Green Shells: Green shells fly in a straight line, bouncing off the walls and harming anybody who gets hit by it. They can be obtained as a single or triplets.


 * Normal Red Shells: When red shells are shot they home in on the nearest character, tripping or knocking them over. Red shells are destroyed if they bump into the walls. They can be obtained as a single or triplets.


 * Normal Blue Shells: Blue shells act just like green shells, but with one difference: they freeze their victims, rather than just knocking them over. Like the green and red shells, they come as singles or sets of three.


 * Normal Spiny Shells: Spiny shells act in a similar manner to green shells. However, when they come into contact with a character, they do not disappear, instead continuing until they either hit another item or bounce off the wall twice. This shell, as usual, can be obtained as either singles or triplets.


 * Giant Green Shells: Essentially a larger version of the green shell. Anything standing in the way of its destructive path will merely be bowled over. These shells are only available as a single.


 * Giant Red Shells: The red version of the giant shell. Unlike the small version, they continue to move after bumping into a wall. When initially shot off, they will home in on the nearest character, but afterwards, they merely act like a giant green shell. Like the green ones, they only come in sets of one shell.


 * Giant Blue Shells: Acts in the same manner as the giant green shells, with the exception of freezing characters on impact. On occasion, the shell will also explode on impact, affecting any nearby characters as well. Like the other giant shells, they only come in sets of one.


 * Giant Spiny Shells: These shells are completely unstoppable. Leaving a trail of destruction anywhere they go.


 * Bob-ombs: After being thrown, these living explosives will stand still for a second, then blow up, affecting anyone who is too close to it. They can be obtained in sets of one or three.


 * Giant Bob-omb: Essentially a larger Bom-omb. Their explosion radius is roughly four times larger, plus it sends out a shockwave, harming anyone who is even near it.


 * Mushroom: Doubles the user's speed.


 * Star: Doubles the user's speed, as well as harming anyone they come in contact with. Can only be obtained by the losing team.


 * Chain Chomp: This all-powerful huge monster will appears as a big shadow over the character who has the ball. Once it lands, it begins running around, hunting and stunning all of the opponent's members and destroying everything in its path. Chain Chomps do not go away without having stunned at least one character. Only the losing team can come into possession of a Chain Chomp.

Fields
The Fields in Mario Smash Football do not affect gameplay, and thus are only cosmetic changes.

Difficulties
There are four difficulty settings. The higher the difficulty is set, the more the passing, deking and Super Strike skills of the CPU increase: In the Super Cups, the Rookie setting is not available.
 * Rookie (Novice in the PAL version): A very easy level. CPU lets the player win and make Super Strikes.
 * Professional: An easy level. CPU will make some unexpected maneuvers as dekes and Super Strikes.
 * Superstar: Hard. The CPU takes the ball, and tries to make a goal. Also, it rumbles the player's Super Strike meter to make him lose his accuracy.
 * Legend: Very hard. CPU wants steal the ball and attack to the player. If they have the ball, they can make dekes as soon as the player go to attack them and are trying to make a Perfect Strike. The Super Strike's meter is still rumbling to make the player lose his accuracy.

Trophies
Trophies are awards won by achieving a certain number of special actions. Additionally, all cups of the game are trophies, including the Mushroom Cup, the Flower Cup, the Star Cup, the Bowser Cup, the Super Mushroom Cup, the Super Flower Cup, the Super Star Cup and the Super Bowser Cup. The cups' trophies are won by winning the cup. These special trophies can also be unlocked:

Cheats
Cheats are special options available in the cheat menu. They can be unlocked by winning a Super Cup or a Gold trophy. Their effects vary. These only work for free play modes, not for the cups.

Voiceovers

 * Charles Martinet as Mario, Luigi, Wario and Waluigi
 * Nicole Mills as Peach
 * Kazumi Totaka as Yoshi
 * Deanna Mustard as Daisy
 * Scott Burns as Hammer Bros. and Bowser
 * Kelsey Hutchinson as Toad

Trivia

 * Mario Smash Football was the last Mario game to be released on the Nintendo GameCube.
 * Prototype screenshots show Donkey Kong wearing his red tie.
 * The Super Team did not make an appearance as playable characters in Mario Strikers Charged. They have been reduced to janitors in the game.
 * Concept arts shown that Mario's number team was ten (10). Currently, the number 10 is Peach's team number.