Birdo and Bowser Jr. step onto the field of Mario Strikers: Battle League

Nintendo seemingly says farewell with this final major update.

Image via Nintendo

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Mario Strikers: Battle League will be adding a few new faces to its roster this week when Birdo and Bowser Jr. make their way to Mario’s most recent sports outing. Though to many’s disappointment, it will be the last free update for the game.

The update will release on December 13th and will see the two new characters joining Mario and his friends. Bowser Jr. will be a balanced player with accurate passing, making him an excellent choice for setting up goals and quickly getting the ball up the pitch. Birdo boasts high power and precision, favoring offensive plays and taking big shots on goal. This update will also include a new Shellfish Gear set players can use to customize their player, with the new set improving speed and technique. There’s also a new Urban Rooftop Stadium, which players can use for their Club’s stadiums and during quick matches. Like previous DLC and new content, this update will be completely free for players. You can see the new players and stadium in action below.

This will be the final free update for the game for the foreseeable future, which has left fans a little disappointed with the lack of content and attention Strikers has received since its release only six months ago. We praised the game at release for its gameplay but, like many, pointed to its lack of content as one of its significant downsides. Previous DLC has added a more extensive offering of content for players, such as characters like Daisy, Shy Guy, Pauline, and Diddy Kong, as well as new gear sets and stadium options. In doing so, Nintendo somewhat addressed these issues but compared to other Mario sports games, Mario Strikers: Battle League has been one of the more disappointing entries to the franchise.