Common Sense Media Review
Fun Mario soccer, but with red-card behavior.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Play
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 1 parent review
Based on 10 kid reviews
Kids say the game is incredibly fun and addicting, praised for its content, various stadiums, and excellent controls, making it a favorite among Mario fans. However, many reviewers caution that the violent gameplay, which includes characters being electrocuted and knocked off the field, makes it more appropriate for older kids, preferably those 9 and up.
- fun gameplay
- violent content
- suitable for older kids
- great controls
- high replay value
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's It About?
Mario has strapped on his soccer cleats to wreak havoc on the soccer pitch in MARIO STRIKERS CHARGED for the Wii system, a fast-paced fantasy arcade game of Wii soccer, similar in gameplay to the older Super Mario Strikers GameCube classic. Sidekicks and team captains have different special shots that help them get the ball past the goalie: For instance, the Hammer Bros. toss hammers to temporarily stun the goalie so they can get a free shot and team captains can execute special shots that can send multiple balls to the goal. But the mayhem doesn't stop there. The team captains have other special powers out on the field, and you can use collected items like bouncing turtle shells or bombs to temporarily distract and thwart the other team's players.
Is It Any Good?
Play options include competing in a tournament to win trophies or trying special challenges to unlock player cards and secret codes. You can play online against strangers using the Wii wireless connection. Playing with friends online is a little harder, as you both need to exchange friend codes that are different than the regular friend codes, and it … takes … a … long … time … to … connect.
The graphics and sound aren't much improved from the GameCube version. But it's still humorous to see the "angrier" Mario characters play soccer. The controls are a little tricky to learn at first, so newbies may want to practice up before playing, because the game's artificial intelligence plays a mean game of soccer, and the online opponents are even tougher.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how this game differs from real soccer. Families can talk about the importance of sportsmanship and team play. They can also talk about how this game at times mirrors real life because winning this game requires tactics and practice. Do kids like playing these games because they enjoy the characters, the gameplay, or both?
Game Details
- Platform : Nintendo Wii
- Pricing structure :
- Available online? : Available online
- Publisher : Nintendo
- Release date : July 31, 2007
- Genre : Sports
- ESRB rating :
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate