Mario Sports Games are always extremely fun and none were better than Mario Strikers. This soccer/football game was one of the most energetic and fun Mario sports games and was so different and vibrant that even jaded fans took notice. The sequel even managed to up the ante with a beefier game and more options. There was no third game on the Wii U, but there needs to be a return to the series on the Switch.
Sports games are a major part of the industry, often topping sales charts. The lack of major sports games on the Wii U hurt that system a great deal, and while EA brought FIFA 18 to Switch, they have no plans to continue with that. Considering that it was an inferior version, some would rather have alternatives.. With games like FIFA and NBA 2K being yearly installments, a game like Mario Strikers can stand out in multiple ways. It doesn’t need yearly updates and can be a single title that can be supported with DLC and offer far more value, done with yearly seasonal content. It could also stand out by being cartoonish yet still athletic.
A Mario Sports game like Strikers with new online modes, more characters, and more options for gameplay will be a big seller for the Switch, and it doesn’t need to end there. Nintendo should also revive Mario Sluggers and Square Enix’s Mario Basketball game. These type of games are the big sellers for systems by appealing to a differentiae of fan. Mario Kart for example, is a racing spinoff that far outsells the main Mario series. If Nintendo wants the Switch to be successful, they need more sports games, and their existing franchises are great for this. Nintendo can also take a cue from Mario Kart 8 and bring in the rest of the Nintendo universe into these games. They would attract both Nintendo fans and the sports fans as well as casual or even former fans, all of which can only lead to success.