''Mario Strikers: Battle League'' is a five versus five [[soccerAssociation football]] video game.<ref name="Polygon1">{{cite web|last1=Diaz|first1=Ana|url=https://www.polygon.com/22926111/mario-strikers-battle-league-nintendo-switch-direct-announcemenr|title=Mario Strikers: Battle League announced for Nintendo Switch|website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]|date=9 February 2022|access-date=2022-02-10|archive-date=2022-02-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220209235346/https://www.polygon.com/22926111/mario-strikers-battle-league-nintendo-switch-direct-announcemenr|url-status=live}}</ref> The game shies away from realism, in favor of chaotic, over-the-top gameplay.<ref name="Polygon1"/> The game maintains the main premise of the sport, where players maneuver players around a field in efforts to pass and shoot a ball into a goal to score points, with the team with the most points at the end of a game winning the game.<ref name="Verge1">{{cite web|last1=Peters|first1=Jay|url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/9/22926105/mario-strikers-battle-league-soccer-release-date|title=Mario Strikers: Battle League comes to the Switch in June|website=[[The Verge]]|date=9 February 2022|access-date=2022-02-10|archive-date=2022-02-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220209232347/https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/9/22926105/mario-strikers-battle-league-soccer-release-date|url-status=live}}</ref> However, the game takes many liberties with the sport.<ref name="Kotaku1">{{cite web|last1=Winslow|first1=Jeremy|url=https://kotaku.com/mario-strikers-battle-league-nintendo-switch-soccer-lui-1848510311|website=[[Kotaku]]|title=Mario Strikers: Battle League Coming To Nintendo Switch June 10|date=9 February 2022|access-date=2022-02-10|archive-date=2022-02-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220209233314/https://kotaku.com/mario-strikers-battle-league-nintendo-switch-soccer-lui-1848510311|url-status=live}}</ref> Aggressive tackles and attacks are completely allowed, though they give the opposing player "items" to use at their disposal.<ref name="VGC1"/> Items often function in the same way as ''[[Mario Kart]]'' or ''[[Mario Tennis]]'' - [[banana peels]] can be placed on the field and characters will slip on them, while shells can be shot at characters to temporarily knock them over.<ref name="Kotaku1"/><ref name="Eurogamer1">{{cite news|last1=Wales|first1=Matt|url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2022-02-09-mario-strikers-is-back-in-battle-league-coming-to-switch-this-june|website=[[Eurogamer]]|title=Mario Strikers is back in Battle League, coming to Switch this June • Eurogamer.net|date=9 February 2022|access-date=2022-02-10|archive-date=2022-02-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220210003602/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2022-02-09-mario-strikers-is-back-in-battle-league-coming-to-switch-this-june|url-status=live}}</ref> No "out of bounds" exists on the field, instead, an [[electric fence]] is placed around the field; players can check and knock opponents into this fence to stun them.<ref name="GameSpot1"/> Additionally, collecting a glowing orb that appears on the field allows the player to perform a "Hyper Strike" and score a 2-point goal if the move is charged up without interruption.<ref name="Kotaku1"/><ref name="GameSpot1">{{cite web|last1=Carr|first1=James|url=https://www.gamespot.com/amp-articles/mario-strikers-battle-league-announced-for-nintendo-switch/1100-6500519/|title=Mario Strikers: Battle League Announced For Nintendo Switch|website=[[GameSpot]]|access-date=2022-02-10|archive-date=2022-02-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220210001844/https://www.gamespot.com/amp-articles/mario-strikers-battle-league-announced-for-nintendo-switch/1100-6500519/|url-status=live}}</ref>
In the game, the player picks a major ''[[Mario (franchise)|Mario]]'' franchise character like [[Mario]] or [[Princess Peach]] - and a team of three other characters to round out the rest of the team.<ref name="venturebeat">{{cite web|last1=Grubb|first1=Jeff|url=https://venturebeat.com/2022/02/09/devils-bargain-gamers-get-new-mario-strikers-without-daisy/amp/|title=Devil's bargain: Gamers get new Mario Strikers without Daisy|website=[[VentureBeat]]|date=10 February 2022 |access-date=2022-02-10}}</ref> All characters have various strengths and weaknesses, and ''Battle League'' additionally allows for the customization of equipment on characters as well, affecting character's stats for things like speed, strength, and pass accuracy.<ref name="Eurogamer1"/><ref name="Engadget1">{{cite web|last1=Naudus|first1=Kris|url=https://www.engadget.com/nintendo-mario-strikers-battle-league-222613837.html|title='Mario Strikers Battle League' hits the Switch June 10th|website=[[Engadget]]|access-date=2022-02-10|archive-date=2022-02-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220210002318/https://www.engadget.com/nintendo-mario-strikers-battle-league-222613837.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
