The Nintendo Switch will be launching in the opening days of March 2017, but this doesn’t mean Nintendo’s first-party releases for the Nintendo 3DS will temporarily halt.
Offering players (Through the guise of Mario and co.) the chance to demonstrate their prowess through digital recreations of soccer, tennis, golf, baseball and horse racing – Nintendo have confirmed that the Nintendo 3DS exclusive Mario Sports Superstars will be available from 11 March 2017. This release date coincides with the launch of 90 Mario Sports Superstars amiibo cards, which will allow you to power up your characters in-game.
This is what Nintendo have had to say about each of the five sports included in Mario Sports Superstars:
Soccer: Players “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”.
Golf / Tennis: “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: “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“.
Horse Racing: “Aspiring jockeys must 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 aforementioned games will offer single, local multiplayer and online multiplayer options of play.
In terms of cast, while you shouldn’t expect the numbers from the Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, players will have access to 18 characters from the Super Mario franchise. Sixteen of these will be accessible from the start, while an additional two can eventually be unlocked through the completion of tournaments and challenges. There does not seem to be any requirement to purchase any of the aforementioned amiibo cards to access the two hidden characters, although the purchasable cards do offer access to “Star” versions of specific characters in particular sports.
Mario Sports Superstars will be available exclusively on the Nintendo 3DS starting 11 March 2017.
