Mario Strikers’ first free update adds two new characters this week

Nintendo has announced the first in a series of free updates for Mario Strikers: Battle League.

The update, which will be released on July 21, adds two new characters, new gear and a new stadium.

The first new character is Daisy, who Nintendo describes as a “Technique type who won’t get knocked down”.

She’s joined by Shy Guy, an “All-rounder whose gear choices are key”.

As well as the two new characters, the update will also include new Knight gear, which can be applied to any character to increase their strength and shooting.

A new stadium called Desert Ruin will also be added, and can be used in Quick Match mode or set as the player’s club stadium.

According to Nintendo, two more free updates are planned for later in the year.

“Good news, Strikers,” the official Nintendo of America account tweeted. “There are two more free updates arriving before the end of 2022. Look forward to additional characters, gear, and stadiums.”

Battle League is the third entry in the Mario Strikers series, following Mario Smash Football (aka Super Mario Strikers) on GameCube and Mario Strikers Charged on Wii.

Further reading

Review: Mario Strikers Battle League is a multiplayer marvel, but solo play is shallow

Nintendo's latest is a fantastic casual football game that offers disappointingly little for single players

Like its predecessors, Battle League focuses on 5v5 arcade-style football action, with no fouls and the ability to use items.

In VGC’s Mario Strikers: Battle League review, we said the game was a fun time in multiplayer but had a shallow single-player mode.

“At its core Battle League is a brilliant arcade-style football game, offering fantastic multiplayer fun,” we wrote. “However, the lack of single-player modes, the exploitable AI and the small launch roster mean solo players may find it lacking.”