Mario Strikers: Battle League places extra emphasis on the “battle” part in its gameplay. With every second of the match equally dedicated to character-on-character positional counterplay as much as the goals themselves, players constantly look to gain the upper hand on one another. Powerup spawns, and their effective usage, are incredibly helpful at giving players the leg up they need to win.
Getting and using powerups
Throughout the match, question-marked item blocks will be tossed onto the field from outside its barriers. The position on the field at which they will land is randomized, but they will sit still and float in place where they are thrown until a character on either team — be they AI or player-controlled — runs or dashes through them.
While items can be claimed without a button input, pressing the X button will activate the most recently earned powerup. Consumable powerups, like Mushrooms and Power Stars, will apply their abilities to the active character immediately when used. Projectile-based powerups, such as the Red Shell, Bob-omb, or Banana Peel, will launch forward in the direction that the player-controlled character is currently facing.
Related: All playable characters in Mario Strikers: Battle League
How many powerups can you hold in Mario Strikers: Battle League?
Both teams can hold onto a total of three powerups at any given time. This item bank allows players of both teams to stockpile items and horde them away from opponents, making field-wide item management a valuable skill. Additionally, no cooldown exists between the usage of powerups, meaning that players can chain items to extend and develop a longer, more thoughtful, or complicated play.
All items in Mario Strikers: Battle League
- Mushroom
- Power Star
- Red Shell
- Green Shell
- Bob-omb
- Banana Peel
