Mario Strikers: Battle League: Every Item Explained

Back in 2021, Nintendo's acquisition of Next Level Games spelled good news for "Mario Strikers" fans. While there was no official news at the time, many speculated that there could be another "Strikers" game on the horizon since Next Level Games worked on the previous "Strikers" titles. Soccer fans did get exciting news during the February 2022 Nintendo Direct when "Mario Strikers: Battle League" was announced. Not only that, but the turnaround time for the game was quick. With a release date only a few months after the announcement, there wasn't much waiting to be done.

Still, despite the short wait, fans want to know what "Mario Strikers: Battle League" will add to the series. For "Mario" fans, the items in the game will probably look a little familiar. Many of them have shown up in various games in the franchise, and each of the items is in the "Mario Kart" games. However, they each work a little differently than they have in previous "Mario" titles.

The first item up on the list is the iconic Banana. While the actual fruit won't appear in "Mario Strikers: Battle League," the peel of it can be used to trip up opponents. YouTube channel XCageGames shared a video of each of the items being used in the game, showing that the giant Bananas have two major purposes.

Bananas can be used to take your opponents off guard by briefly stunning them. To make the other team pause, simply throw a banana their way. While this is a quick way to get an advantage, you do have to be careful about precise aiming. Bananas can also be used in a similar way as they have in previous "Mario" titles: as obstacles players must maneuver around. They can be dropped on the ground to trip up opponents that run into them. No matter how you use then, Bananas pack a punch and help players maneuver around their opponents with ease. 

Bob-Omb's are typically bad guys in the "Mario" franchise, but they've popped up as usable items in a few games. In "Mario Strikers: Battle League," Bob-Ombs can be used to accomplish two things that YouTuber YTSunny shared in a video.

First, hitting opponents with a Bob-Omb will knock opponents back if the explosive makes contact. Afterward, the Bob-Omb will blow up and hit opponents in a small area around it. This can be used to your advantage in multiple ways. Anytime you're able to disrupt your opponent's movement is beneficial, but the Bob-Omb also pushes them away. This means you can get strategic with how you force opponents away from key areas on the field. You could also force them closer to other items, like Bananas, to go for a double hit.

Part of using the Bob-Omb well is playing around your team. Make sure to not accidentally give your opponents the benefit of knocking them closer to where they want to be.

While the Banana and Bob-Omb can take people out quickly, the Green Shell can do the same thing — multiple times. According to XCageGames' YouTube video, the Green Shell can dish out some major stuns on your opponents if you aim it just right.

Similar to the other items, the Green Shell goes in the direction that you throw it in. However, it doesn't just stop when it hits an enemy. The Green Shell will actually keep flying in a straight line while knocking down opponents and briefly stunning them, no matter how many enemies it hits. Additionally, the Green Shell bounces off the walls around the field, potentially knocking opponents down multiple times if they're not careful to get out of the way.

While many of the other items can be used with strategic precision, the Green Shell is more of an offensive item that's best used to just knock people down. It's also important to make sure that your own teammates aren't nearby since the Green Shell will knock down any player it comes in contact with.

While Mushrooms in the platformer "Mario" help players by making them larger or giving them extra lives, Mushrooms in "Mario Strikers: Battle League" work more like the Mushrooms in "Mario Kart" do.

In YTSunny's video, using a Mushroom speeds up the player for a short amount of time. This can be handy if you're trying to dodge around opponents or score quickly in case no one's around. You can also use it to get yourself in the perfect position to go on the defense, steal the ball from enemies, or even help a teammate tackle them with the no-faults-given Team Tackle mechanic in the game.

As one of the only items in the game that actually gives players a benefit rather than going after their opponents, Mushrooms can change the game. Depending on the situation of the match, a speed boost could be the difference between a win or a loss.

The Red Shell is another "Mario Kart" staple that's made its way to "Mario Strikers: Battle League." According to YTSunny's video, the Red Shell goes after the closest opponent and hits them. If there's another opponent behind them, it will also take them out for a few seconds.

However, unlike the Green Shell, the Red Shell will break once it hits the edge of the field. This can be a good and a bad thing. While you don't have the potential to take out as many opponents as you do with a Green Shell, you also can't accidentally take out your own teammates (or, even more embarrassing, yourself).

It's not exactly the most strategic item in the game, but it can definitely turn the tide if you're trying to stop an opponent from scoring a goal or protect a teammate while they're trying to score. It also just feels great to knock down an enemy that's dodged everything else you've thrown at them or been particularly difficult to deal with.

The iconic "Mario" star makes an appearance in "Mario Strikers: Battle League" with some of the same mechanics it's always had. XCageGames shared the item's description in their YouTube video, and it's actually more complex than it looks on the surface.

The familiar part about the Star is that it "makes you go faster" and anyone you bump into will get knocked down for a second. However, it's more complex than a simple speed boost. It's actually boosting all of your attributes, which includes your power. This can make getting the ball, lining up for the perfect goal, and kicking it in a breeze compared to what it's like without the Star – and the best part is that no one can come after you while you've got it activated, since they'll end up just hurting themself.

You can even use this ability to protect a teammate with the ball by running into opponents while you've got the Star activated.