Mario Strikers: Battle League: How To Get Better Gear

Crossing a soccer video game with the sheer chaos of "Mario Kart"-style item mechanics might seem like a lot to pack onto a grass field, but that's exactly what Next Level Games decided to do with the "Mario Strikers" franchise. This turned out to be an immensely successful formula. The first game came out on the GameCube back in 2005, followed closely by "Mario Strikers Charged" on the Wii in 2007. There was a long drought for the series after that, but fans knew it was only a matter of time before they saw it return once Nintendo announced the acquisition of Next Level Games back in 2021. Now "Mario Strikers: Battle League" is here and it has all the bombastic features gamers could want.

One aspect that stands out in "Battle League" is the addition of different gear options. Players can choose head, arm, body, and leg gear for their characters before the start of a match. These work sort of like selecting car components in "Mario Kart," as each item raises and lowers corresponding stats. This equipment can affect Strength, Speed, Shooting, Passing, and Technique. Players don't get all of the gear at the start though — it has to be unlocked. Here's how.

"Mario Strikers: Battle League" seems like a pretty dangerous sport with all those Turtle Shells and Banana Peels flying around, but at least the athletes get compensated for sacrificing their bodies in the name of the game. Players receive Coins as they complete matches, which they can then use to buy gear. These items can be purchased in the Gear Settings menu. Hovering over an item also shows a preview of the stat changes that will occur if a player chooses to equip it.

The process for obtaining new gear may be pretty simple, but it will take some time to unlock everything. Each new piece costs 100 Coins, meaning that a full set for a single character requires 400 Coins. Right now there are 10 playable characters, each with five purchasable gear sets. It also seems likely that more will be added post-launch.

When starting out in a new game, it's wise for players to try out all of the characters in order to build up some Coins, think about which character they would like to play the most, and which stats would most benefit their style. This will allow them to make an educated assessment of which character they should invest in and which gear set will help them get the ball in the net.