If there’s one thing that Nintendo has never been afraid to do with theSuper Mariofranchise, it’s experiment. When the portly plumber isn’t jumping through the Mushroom Kingdom, he can be found playing life-size board games with his friends, tearing up the racetrack, or practicing medicine. Mario has proven to be a true renaissance man in his 30-plus years as Nintendo’s mascot, but there’s one aspect of theSuper Mariofranchise that’s received an inconsistent amount of attention over the last few years. That being his efforts as a professional athlete in the variousMariosports spin-off games.
Mario’s history with the sports world stretches all the way back to the days of the NES, withNES Open Tournament Golfbeing one of the plumber’s first athletic adventures. These games have evolved considerably over years, with Mario and friends competing in everything from tennis and soccer tothe actual Olympic Games with Sonic the Hedgehogand company. These sporting ventures were once an integral part of any Nintendo console’s lifecycle, but it seems they’ve taken a backseat. For Mario and friends, the one sport that has been out of the spotlight for far too long is baseball.
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Mario’s Baseball Glory Days Explained
Mario hasn’t spent as much time on the baseball diamond as he has the tennis court or golf course, but theMario Baseballgames have nonetheless been standouts among otherMariosports titles. The first entry in theMario Baseballseries wasMario Superstar Baseballon the GameCube and delivered an arcade experience that embraced the cartoonish nature of theSuper Marioseries. Power-ups could be used to throw better pitches or swing the bat harder, some fields had elements that made it more difficult to field a ball, andDonkey Kongused a boxing glove to hit instead of a bat.
This level of charm continued inMario Super Sluggersfor the Wii. This sequel took the foundations ofMario Superstar Baseballand leveragedthe tech of the Wii, adding motion controls for a more immersive experience. Though they may not be as prolific asMario TennisorMario Golf, theMario Baseballseries carved out its own niche, particularly among Wii owners.Mario Super Sluggerscaptured much of the same excitement as baseball inWii Sports, and its more zany elements made just about every game memorable. It wasn’t highly technical or particularly deep, but it didn’t have to be, because it was just fun.
Mario Baseball’s Absence on the Switch is a Missed Opportunity
Since the Switch was released, it’s seemed Nintendo is less concerned with supporting itsMariosports titles.Mario Tennis AcesandMario Golf: Super Rushhave been sufficient, andMario Strikers: Battle Leaguewas a welcome, albeit underwhelming, return to the series. When it comes toMario Baseball, however, there’s been no sign it’s coming to the Switch. It would have the potential to be one of the premier arcade baseball games on the system, an area that has been lacking in recent years, but for now, it seems fans are better off finding a Wii and a copy ofSuper Sluggerson eBay.
The Switch won’t be less of a success because it doesn’t have aMario Baseballgame, but there’s no doubt aMario Baseballgame would likely sell well on the console. It’s been 15 years since the last entry in the series, and there are more than enough Switch owners who fondly remember playing baseball with their favoriteSuper Mariocharacters. There’s a lot that could be done to evolve the series to today’s modern standards, and there’s more than enough potential for a greater amount of arcade fun than before. If done right, anewMario Baseballgame on the Switchcould be a real home run.
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