Mario Strikers Clone Discovered on Xbox Store – Here’s What We Know

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Summary

  • A Mario Strikers clone named Mariostro Strikers: Soccer League has recently surfaced on the Xbox Store, bearing a striking resemblance to the Nintendo franchise.
  • The game’s cover art features a main character who appears to be a near carbon copy of Mario, while the game boasts a completely different artstyle.
  • Microsoft is expected to delist the game in the near future, with similar clones surfacing before and quickly being struck down by Nintendo or Microsoft.

A game strikingly similar to Nintendo’s beloved “Super Mario Strikers” series has popped up on the Xbox Store, sharing a name that raises eyebrows. The soccer series featuring the famous plumber from Nintendo has been cherished by fans since it first launched on the GameCube, with numerous sequels following suit in the years since. Most recently, the franchise made its triumphant return on the Switch with the launch of “Mario Strikers: Battle League” in 2022. Now, an apparent clone of this game has emerged on the Xbox Store.

In the gaming world, it’s common for games that resemble popular titles or brands to appear, especially among smaller developers aiming to capitalize on recognition. Lately, the indie game Unpacking has expressed concern over a swarm of similar games on the Nintendo Switch store, with Nintendo seemingly doing little about it. Notably, this is not an uncommon issue for Nintendo, as they’ve even pursued legal action against supposed “clones” like Palworld. Now, it seems another one of Nintendo’s franchises, Super Mario Strikers, is being mimicked on another platform.

Mario Strikers Clone Surfaces on Xbox Store

According to PureXbox, a game called “Mariostro Strikers: Soccer League,” which appears to be a copycat of “Super Mario Strikers,” has popped up in the Xbox Store. The game’s cover art features a character who looks much like Mario, leading many to believe it’s an attempt to capitalize on the popularity of the “Mario” soccer series. Despite its similarities, the screenshots of the game suggest a distinctly different visual style. As of now, the game is still available for purchase on the Xbox Store, with neither Microsoft nor Nintendo having taken it down from the marketplace.

The entertaining clone of the game Mario Strikers is unlikely to have a long lifespan, as Nintendo is known for being rigid with copyright infringement. They’ve been known to remove not just fan-made games but also emulation sites to safeguard their brands. The “Mario” franchise, in particular, holds significant value for them. In fact, they once attempted to sue a grocery store in Costa Rica over the use of “Super Mario,” although the lawsuit was unsuccessful due to local trademark laws.

A game that strongly resembles “Super Mario Strikers” is one of many examples where developers have taken popular Nintendo titles and created their own versions. The popularity of “Super Smash Bros.” has sparked a trend in platform fighting games, with contenders like “Nickelodeon All-Stars Brawl” and “MultiVersus” aiming to ride the wave of “Smash‘s” success. Similarly, the achievement of “Mario Kart” has prompted other developers to mimic Nintendo’s approach, leading to games such as “Chocobo GP” and “Crash Team Racing“. With Nintendo continuing to dominate the gaming industry, we can expect more imitations and clones to emerge, seeking to capitalize on the Nintendo craze.

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2025-01-30 22:34