Summary
A blatant clone of Nintendo’s popularSuper Mario Strikersseries has surfaced on the Xbox Store recently, bearing a suspiciously similar name to the popular sports series. The soccer series starring Nintendo’s iconic plumber has been a fan-favorite since the original game debuted on the GameCube, receiving multiple new games in the years since. The franchise most recently saw its long-awaited return on Switch withthe release ofMario Strikers: Battle Leaguein 2022. Now, a lookalike clone of the game has appeared on the Xbox Store.
“Clones” and lookalike games are nothing new within the gaming industry, with many smaller developers looking to piggyback off more recognizable brands. Beloved indie gameUnpackingrecently railed against the Switch eShop for a litany of copycat games being hosted on the platform without any action from Nintendo. Nintendo has often dealt with its own franchises being copied as well, even taking legal actions against perceived “clones” likePalworld. Now,Super Mario Strikersis the next Nintendo franchise being ripped off on another platform.
Mario Strikers Clone Surfaces on Xbox Store
As reported by PureXbox, aSuperMario Strikersclone namedMariostro Strikers: Soccer Leaguehas recently surfaced on the Xbox Store. The game, clearly intended to be a ripoff ofMario Strikers, boasts a main character bearing a striking resemblance to Mario on its cover art. The screenshots of the game show a markedly different style from its cover art, with theMario Strikersresemblance likely intended to draw in fans oftheMariosoccer franchise. The game is currently still available on the Xbox Store, with neither Microsoft nor Nintendo striking it from the marketplace as of yet.
The amusingMario Strikersclone is not expected to last long before it is taken down, with Nintendo typically being very strict with its copyright enforcement. Nintendo has frequently taken down everything from fan games to emulation websites in order to protect its own brands, withMariobeing among its most important properties.Nintendo even tried to sue a grocery storein Costa Rica for using the “Super Mario” name, though the lawsuit was ultimately unsuccessful due to Costa Rican trademark laws.
The blatant clone ofSuper Mario Strikerscomes as many of Nintendo’s most popular games have been adapted into their own formats by other developers.Super Smash Bros.helped to popularize the platform fighter genre, with games likeNickelodeon All-Stars BrawlandMultiVersuslooking to capitalize onSmash’s popularity.Mario Kart’s success has also seen other developers follow in Nintendo’s footsteps, inspiring games likeChocobo GPandCrash Team Racing. Nintendo’s continued success with its games will likely see more copycat and clone games looking to cash in on the Nintendo craze.
Super Mario Strikers
WHERE TO PLAY
Tackle, pass, and score in this action-packed sport where anything goes! Introducing Strike, a 5-on-5, soccer-like sport with no rules—do whatever it takes to win! Get gritty and attempt to score the most goals by tackling enemies, using items, and pulling off score-boosting Hyper Strikes.
