The announcement ofMario Golf: Super Rushcame as good news for manyMariosports fans. As great as it is, though, it also serves as a reminder that there are so manyMariosports titles still missing from the Switch’s library.
Nintendo placingMarioand his friends in different sports titles is practically a tradition at this point, going as far back as the Nintendo 64. Many of these games feature an insane amount of variety and creativity that engage hardcore fans, even when it comes to gamers that have never picked up a sports game before. In recent years however, Nintendo seems to have taken a slight step back when it comes toMariosports, focusing specifically onMario TennisandMario Golf. Here are some of theMariosports games that still haven’t made their return on the Switch yet.
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Mario Strikers
TheMario Strikersseries is arguably one of the most uniqueMariosports series out there.Developed by Next Level Games,Super Mario Strikersintroduced fans to a very different take on the classic game of soccer. Unlike a lot of the otherMariosports,Super Mario Strikersis a game that put a lot of emphasis on aggression towards the opponents, a fitting decision considering the artwork features the mushroom kingdom cast rocking some of the meanest looks to date.
After its follow-upMario Strikers Chargedreleased on the Wii in 2007, theMario Strikersseries went silent. Fans of the two soccer titles have been waiting for news of a third entry and the Switch would be a perfect home for it. Now that Nintendo haspurchased Next Level Games for themselves, a newMario Strikersgame might finally happen.
Mario Baseball
Similar to theMario Strikersseries, there hasn’t been aMariobaseball game since the Wii era. If there’s something that futureMariosports titles could learn from this duology, it would be its wide variety of playable characters. Beyond the usual faces that make their way into these kinds of Nintendo games,Mario Superstar BaseballandSuper Mario Sluggersfeatured a number of minor characters that have never been made playable before inany otherMariogame. For the first time, players could take control of characters like the Pianta and Nokis found inSuper Mario Sunshineand characters like Tiny Kong made their return after a long absence.
A newMariobaseball entry would make a perfect fit for the Nintendo Switch. Just asMario Golf: Super Rushis going to featuremotion controls that will allow players to simulate playing real golf, players could replicate the feel of playing baseball. It would likely be the follow-up thatSuper Mario Sluggersfans have been waiting for.
Mario Hoops 3-on-3
Of all of the sports titles mentioned so far,Mario Hoops 3-on-3is probably the that’s the least talked about and that’s a bit of a shame. The Nintendo DS titletook theMariocastto the basketball court for a game of mostly traditional basketball. What is perhaps the most interesting thing aboutMario Hoops 3-on-3is that it was developed by Square Enix, resulting in some pretty awesome unlockable characters. Players were able to unlock the ninja, white mage and black mage from the firstFinal Fantasy, along with the series mascots, Moogle and Cactuar.
Unfortunately,Mario Hoops 3-on-3never received a full-fledged sequel. With how close Nintendo and Square Enix have been in recent years however, a newMario Hoopsfor the Nintendo Switch is still in the realm of possibilities. If a Switch sequel were made, it might be cool to see full-sized basketball teams next time around, possibly with even morecameos from Square Enix properties.
Mario Sports Mix
AlthoughMario Hoops 3-on-3never got a real sequel, it did live on in a way throughMario Sports Mix, a collection. Comprised of four different sports (basketball, hockey, dodgeball and volleyball),Mario Sports Mixwas an ambitious game to say the least. Developed again by Square Enix, the game featured all oftheFinal Fantasycharactersfound inMario Hoops 3-on-3and in addition, included the iconic slime from theDragon Questseries along with a few of its colored variants.
Although they didn’t feature the typical amount of depth found in aMariosports title, an enhanced sequel any of these sports would make for a great addition tothe Nintendo Switch catalogue. Mario Sports Mix has laid out the foundation for these Mario sports titles and many fans would love to see dedicatedMariostyled versions of their favorite games.
There’s no word yet as to whether any of Mario’s other sports games will make their way to the Switch in the near future. Thanks to the announcement ofMario Golf: Super Rush, it’s clear that the Mushroom Kingdom’s athletic outings aren’t coming to an end just yet, leaving fans with hope that their favorite sports titles may make the jump to the Switch after all.
Mario Golf: Super Rushreleases on June 22, 2025, for Nintendo Switch.
