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  1. Mario Sports Superstars collects five sports–four old ones for Mario sports fans, and one new one–and combines them into one simple collection. Emphasis on simple. Because although the sports are entertaining enough on their own there is almost nothing that feels fresh or exciting in this 3DS game. Instead the game feels aimed toward people that want a quick Mario sports experience but aren't interested in any deeper or unique gameplay elements. The majority of the sports offered here are simply more of the same that gamers have been playing for years. Tennis and golf have seen numerous Mario sports iterations, and even soccer and baseball have gotten standalone games in the past. And that's the biggest problem with Mario Sports Superstars: if you've already played versions of these sports in previous games, what incentive is there to play this one? The answer is not much. Mario Sports Superstars relies more on the convenience of having multiple sports on one game card than actually fleshing out the sports themselves. Although each sport has a tournament, exhibition, and practice mode including things like ring shot challenges, the actual gameplay feels noticeably more simple or pared down compared to the Mario Tennis or Mario Golf games. There are no wacky Mushroom Kingdom features at play here, no unusual courts or courses to spice up the gameplay. Mario Sports Superstars is a simple, straightforward sports game, and that's one of the last things you'd want out of a Mario title. There is, however, one new sport: horse racing. Maybe it's just because it's new but horse racing seems to be the most fleshed out of the five sports. You pick a rider and a horse, both of whom have individual stats that can affect your performance, then race through twelve courses. Horse racing isn't quite as direct as kart racing–you can't just break away from the pack early on, you have to manage your stamina, which actually recovers more quickly when you are near other horses. Additionally you can pick up stamina recovery carrots as well as stars which allow you to perform a star dash for a quick burst of speed. While some of the other sports can feel particularly chaotic or tied to the whims of the computer player who sometimes manages perfect shots in soccer or perfect hits in baseball, horse racing has a more satisfying sense of challenge based on your own performance. Additionally, horse racing includes a mode that lets you care for your horse in the stables. You can groom it, fit it with accessories, and take it on short walks where you can even find additional items. The accessories are cosmetic but raising a horse's bond through grooming and feeding it provides small bonuses when you take the horse out into a race. Ultimately the stable isn't a huge aspect of Mario Sports Superstars but it's a cute addition that at least peppers in a little variety into the gameplay. Mario Sports Superstars introduces its own line of amiibo cards, which can be used to unlock star versions of characters–characters with improved stats. The good news is that you can also unlock star characters by completing the championship tournament in each sport. The bad news is amiibo cards can also be used to unlock superstar characters, which have even better stats. Raw stats aren't the deciding factor in how you play in Mario Sports Superstars though, so don't feel too bad if you're missing out. Regular amiibo can also be used in the game to unlock collectible cards. These are purely for the purpose of collection, and while it's always fun to collect items in games it's not a significant part of Mario Sports Superstars. Naturally Mario Sports Superstars isn't just a solo game. You can play locally or online, though sadly there is no download play option, so local players will each need a copy of the game. There aren't a huge variety of game options in multiplayer because there aren't many options in the solo modes either, but you can choose to play with or without special moves like power shots if you want an even less Mario-themed sports match. Playing against human opponents can be more satisfying but don't expect an active online community here. Perhaps not surprisingly the presentation in Mario Sports Superstars is decidedly bland. Sports games don't have much room for visual flair to begin with, but this one doesn't even bother to inject the familiar Mushroom Kingdom style into the courts or scenery. The music is similarly generic, and although both the music and visuals are technically fine they are completely forgettable as well. Mario Sports Superstars fills an odd niche. It seems to be made for people that want quick access to Mario sports games, but aren't interested in the kind of depth that characterizes past titles. Outside of horse racing, which has the benefit of being new and therefore slightly more novel than the other sports, Mario Sports Superstars might best be described as charmless. The game itself may run perfectly well, but it has a dire lack of imagination. Rating: 5 out of 10 Sports
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