it60$BQMZ :cci,....1: U0,.....cQ. .@......Ub #i.....oc .#..,..9@.2 It..,..o;$0 $...,...YA Mc1....i@ Y,M....#. W...;0 ||MARIO|| i0...E. ||STRIKERS|| ;b...@nM. iE...,CU .#,,..@ @Wb.;E .0.Z; $.W. @.B 2v0 $0. :M: 6E ||CHARGED|| ****************************************************************************** INTRODUCTION ****************************************************************************** Hi everyone! My name is Paul Herzlich, and this is my first FAQ ever. I've worked very hard to make this FAQ as in-depth and accurate as possible, and I believe that my attempt was very successful. I spent hours and hours over a matter of weeks to bring as much detail as possible to the intelligent pile of schlorp known as your brain. Anyway, on to the actual point of this guide. For most video games, a strategy guide about maps wouldn't be so useful; a person's style of gameplay usually takes precedence over the game's surroundings. However, in Mario Strikers Charged, a map can actually be the difference between winning a match and losing a match. No matter how good of a player you are, you have to be able to adapt to the map's conditions. This guide is designed to raise your awareness of each map's effects and to suggest just how you can exploit these effects. The general format of this guide is as follows: A. The name of the map 1) A *general description* of the map 2) The *effects* that come along with that specific map 3) *Strategies* that I propose in accordance with the effects of the map 4) How to unlock the map (if applicable) Please keep in mind that there are no effects or strategies for the classic maps. Classic maps are the ones that come from the original Super Mario Strikers for Gamecube. In Mario Strikers Charged, these old maps are indicated with "Classic:" at the beginning of the map's title. While there are no effects or strategies to list, I still composed a general description for each map. All maps are organized in the order given at the map-select screen in the game. I would have alphabetized the list, but then people would easily get confused about whether or not to include "the" in the title as they searched down the list. If you're having any trouble finding a certain map, take a peek at the table of contents and you should find what you need. That's pretty much all you need to know about this guide. If you have any questions or comments, or if you'd simply like to contact me, my email is StarPaul00@hotmail.com. Wii Friend Code: 0705 8128 2668 0843 Mario Strikers Friend Code: 463963 379664 With that, we're pretty good to go! Enjoy the guide. ****************************************************************************** TABLE OF CONTENTS ****************************************************************************** Version Number 1.0 Date of Current Version: 9/6/07 A. Copyright Information B. Maps 1. The Vice 2. Thunder Island 3. The Sand Tomb 4. The Classroom C. Locked Maps + How to Unlock 1. The Lava Pit 2. The Wastelands 3. Crystal Canyon 4. The Dump 5. Stormship Stadium 6. Galactic Stadium D. Classic Maps 1. Battle Dome 2. Bowser Stadium 3. Crater Field 4. Konga Coliseum 5. The Palace 6. Pipeline Central 7. The Underground E. Email, Wii Friend Code, Mario Strikers Friend Code ****************************************************************************** COPYRIGHT INFORMATION ****************************************************************************** This guide and/or anything within this guide may not be reproduced under any circumstances except for personal, private use. It may not be placed on any web site or otherwise distributed publicly without advance written permission. (If you would like advance written permission, please contact me at StarPaul00@hotmail.com.) Use of this guide and/or anything within this guide on any other web site or as a part of any public display is strictly prohibited, and a violation of copyright, unless advance written permission is received. When advance written permission is received, credit for any used parts must still be given to the creator of this guide, Paul Herzlich. Any person, group, or other party who violates these terms will be subject to punitive and/or other damages in accordance with copyright laws. Copyright 2007 Paul Herzlich. All trademarks and copyrights contained in this document are owned by their respective trademark and copyright holders. ****************************************************************************** MAPS ****************************************************************************** ======== The Vice ======== General: The standard soccer field for Mario Strikers Charged. Effects: None Strategies: None ============== Thunder Island ============== General: There is no electric ring around the field like usual, and objects (cows, trucks, and cheep cheeps) are periodically blown onto the field by the wind. Effects: - You can hit anyone (or be hit yourself) off the top or bottom of the field into the abyss. Slide tackles will usually work as well. After falling off the map, characters will be able to play again after about 18 seconds or when someone scores a goal (whichever comes first). - You can walk off either the top or bottom of the field without being hit, so be careful! However, you cannot walk off if you have the ball. - Wind occurs (and only occurs) about 11 seconds after a player falls of the field. This wind will blow your player back into the center of the field, and your player will rejoin the game after landing on the ground. - A truck, a cow, or a cheep-cheep will be blown across the field whenever wind blows. If you are hit, you'll be knocked into the abyss. - The wind will blow the ball around the field when nobody has control of it. Strategies: - Avoid any objects that fly onto the field, unless you're hitting an opponent into the way as well. - Try hitting your opponents off the map, while still being careful that you don't fall off yourself in the process. Less opponents on the field means a huge advantage, so it may sometimes be helpful to do so even when your opponent doesn't have the ball. This will give your opponent an item, but it's worth making your opponent lose a player for 18 seconds. Items do help in the game, but players always help more. - Listen to your surroundings as a warning that objects are about to fly onto the field. You'll hear a honking noise when a truck is about to appear; you'll hear a moo when a cow is about to appear; you'll hear a cheep-cheep call when a cheep-cheep is about to appear. (If you don't know what it sounds like, it's similar to Boo's laugh.) - Stars protect you from getting hit off the field by flying objects. You can still run off the side of the field if you don't have the ball, however. - You'll notice that wind is occurring when you see leaves blowing across the field. When this happens, try not to pass in the air, because the ball will be blown away from your teammate while in mid- air. - Be aware that wind occurs about 11 seconds after a player falls off the field. You'll have an advantage knowing ahead of time that wind is about to occur and that you'll need to avoid incoming objects. ============= The Sand Tomb ============= General: A sandy desert with thwomps that hit the ground periodically. Effects: - On the center bricks, you are vulnerable to being crushed by a thwomp. If this happens, your character will be stunned for about three seconds. - On the sides where there is sand, you run much slower. - Passes can be blocked by thwomps and will either rebound or be stopped completely. Strategies: - Watch for shadows on the center bricks. If you see a circular shadow appear there, a thwomp is going to hit the ground in about three seconds. Stay away or hit your opponent into the center of the brick square. - Don't pass on the ground if a thwomp is in your way. If you still intend to pass, either pass in the air (if you're far away to get it over the thwomp) or run around the thwomp and pass when you get a better angle. - Try to run on the center bricks rather than running through the sand on the side. You are much quicker on the bricks. - Sand can often be used as protection. Remember, you aren't the only one who runs slowly through the sand-- so does your opponent. They won't be able to reach you as quickly. - Thwomps can also be used as protection. If a thwomp lands between you and your opponent, you may be able to launch a megastrike. However, since thwomps come back up in about three seconds, this may not be very successful, though it does increase your chances. - If a ball rolls into the corner and you're racing an opponent to the ball, take the middle road. Run on the bricks as long as possible and THEN run into the sand at the last minute. If your opponent runs in the sand more than you do, you're much more likely to get the ball first. Taking the shortest path possible (i.e. a straight line) does not necessarily take the least time in this case. - The sandy corners are great places for megastrikes. Your opponent may not be smart enough (or may just be too under pressure) to remember that they run slower in the sand, and they'll try to reach you through the sand-- often too late. - Stars protect you from getting squashed by thwomps. They also keep you from slowing down in the sand. ============= The Classroom ============= General: A small, white, building-like field with no audience. Not playable online. Effects: - The field is not quite as wide or as long as normal. Strategies: - There shouldn't really be any change in your style of gameplay on this map. This map is often a fun choice because gameplay feels slightly faster and because the visual effects are easier on your eyes. ****************************************************************************** LOCKED MAPS + HOW TO UNLOCK ****************************************************************************** ============ The Lava Pit ============ General: Fireballs hit the field periodically. Effects: - Large circles of lava are left on the ground for about 7 seconds after a fireball strikes the field. - Stepping in a lava circle will incapacitate your player for about 7 seconds, unless your player runs into the electric fence around the field. - If the ball hits a lava circle, it will be tossed into the air, and it will fully charge (white) but will be yellow by the time it hits the ground. Strategies: - This one should be obvious, but avoid walking into lava circles. There is no advantage to doing so, unless you hit an opponent into a lava circle with you. - You may want to try passing the ball purposely into the lava, just to fully charge it. However, this totally depends on your style of play, and you can't guarantee that you'll regain control of the ball when it lands. - You can run through lava if you have a star. You will also retain control of the ball; the lava will not send it flying into the air. How to Unlock: Win the Fire Cup in the Road to the Striker Cup. ============== The Wastelands ============== General: Lightning strikes the ball periodically. In addition, the field is more slippery than normal. Effects: - Changing direction slightly will take a little bit longer to do. If you try to change direction, you'll notice that your character slides a little bit first, as if on ice. However, if you change in the completely opposite direction, this seems to have no effect. - Slide tackles and hits go for longer distances. - Passing the ball can sometimes miss your teammate if the ball is passed on the ground, but this is rare and shouldn't have an effect on the outcome of the game. - When lightning occurs, the ball becomes fully charged (white). - Any players who are hit by lightning will be incapacitated for about 3 seconds. Strategies: - Use the longer slide tackles and hits to your advantage. Be aware of this and your style of gameplay may change a bit on this map. - Because of the effect in terms of changing direction, your slide tackles and hits may miss your opponent if you do them before you finish changing direction. In addition, you may go farther past your opponent than usual because of the longer slide tackles and hits on the map. Because of this, you may or may not want to use slide tackles and hits less often. - Megastrikes are easier to pull off, because your opponent will often miss when trying to hit or slide tackle you. So even if there is an opponent nearby, you may still want to try a megastrike. - You can actually start a megastrike or skillshot from behind the middle line if you are running, because the extra slide on this map will take you across the line before your charge is finished. - Two short lightning strikes with absolutely no effect will occur as a warning before a third lightning strike (the real one) will hit the ball. This third lightning strike is the one you need to avoid. You'll also see the whole field get darker just before the first two lightning strikes occur. When you see this start to happen, prepare yourself and stay away from the ball until the third strike occurs. If necessary, kick the ball away and retrieve it afterward. The ball is of no use to the opponent; if they go to get it when the lightning strikes, they'll be incapacitated anyway, which is to their disadvantage. - Stars protect you from getting struck by lightning. This gives you an extra chance for megastrikes; if you have a star when lightning is about to occur, start a megastrike and use both the lightning and the star as protection from your opponent. - When lightning occurs, you can use the fully-charged ball to your advantage, depending on your style of gameplay. - When lightning occurs, all nearby players are incapacitated, so rush in a player as soon as possible after lightning strikes to take control of the ball. - If you have control of the ball when the warning strikes occur, you may not want to just get rid of it right away. If you're close enough to the opposing goalie, hold onto the ball for just a bit and then shoot it at the goalie. If you time it right, the goalie will receive the ball just as the real lightning hits, shocking the goalie and temporarily immobilizing him. (He doesn't actually have to receive the ball; he just has to be within the lightning strike's radius.) Then it's a race to the ball-- send in one of your players and score a goal! How to Unlock: Earn both the Brick Wall Award and the Golden Foot Award in the Fire Cup. The Brick Wall Award is earned by having the smallest total amount of goals scored against you in the qualifying rounds of the tournament. The Golden Foot Award is earned by scoring the largest total amount of goals in the qualifying rounds of the tournament. ============== Crystal Canyon ============== General: One or two of your players will not play in the match, resulting in a two-on-two or three-on-three match. This resets every time someone scores a goal, and another set of players is randomly chosen to sit out. Effects: - Gameplay changes completely. Advantage usually goes to good passers and fast runners, especially when the match is two-on-two. Strategies: - Your style of gameplay will probably change altogether, as it should. You have to be able to adapt to the kinds of players on the field, and your strategies should be open to change depending on what combinations there are. - Try spreading out your opponent and/or knocking down your opponent, especially if your players are fast and/or if your opponent's players are slow. They may not be able to reach you in time if you try to release a megastrike or a skillshot. This works especially well if the match is two-on-two. - Try to stay near your opponents if you're on defense and if your players are slow. If you get too far away or if one player is knocked down, you may not be able to reach them in time if they try to release a megastrike or a skillshot. - If you don't like the set-up of players and you can afford to give up a goal, let your opponent score a goal and new players will be chosen when play restarts. This can also be done by letting your opponent start a megastrike, and then blocking all of the balls except for one. Probably the only time that you'd want to use this strategy, though, is if the game is running out of time and you're behind by enough goals that you need to launch a megastrike, but your captain is not one of the players playing. In that case, let your opponent score one goal so that you can get your captain on the field without wasting too much time, and then hope that you can launch a megastrike and win the game. - If you are playing online, you won't know that this map is coming up until the match starts. However, if you're playing in Versus mode and you know that you're going to be playing this map, choose your captain and sidekicks based on the fact that you'll have both three-on-three and two-on-two matches. Personally, I find that Dry Bones works very well, because he's fast and often has time to release his skillshot or deke without being slide tackled or hit. He works especially well when the other two or three players are slow. In addition, DK Junior is a great captain for this map, not just because he is fast, but mainly because of his special ability. If you are DK Junior and you release youry on your opponent, you can get the match to be three-on- two or two-on-one. And if you're lucky, you may get it to be three-on- one, or even better: two-on-zero. How to Unlock: Win the Crystal Cup in the Road to the Striker Cup. ======== The Dump ======== General: The field is muddy... duh. Effects: - The ball doesn't travel as far whenever rolling on the ground between players. - The ball will reach your teammate much more slowly when passed on the ground. - The ball may not always reach your teammate when passed on the ground, because the ball may roll to a stop on its way. Strategies: - Passing in the air is as efficient as usual, so you may want to use that more often. But be careful, because air passes can sometimes be up for grabs, on any map. - Passing on the ground is not necessarily a bad idea. Just be aware that long-distance ground passes will sometimes not reach your teammate. How to Unlock: Earn both the Brick Wall Award and the Golden Foot Award in the Crystal Cup. The Brick Wall Award is earned by having the smallest total amount of goals scored against you in the qualifying rounds of the tournament. The Golden Foot Award is earned by scoring the largest total amount of goals in the qualifying rounds of the tournament. ================= Stormship Stadium ================= General: A ship in the middle of nowhere that tilts in different directions. In addition, lightning periodically strikes the center of the field, sending electric currents down some of the paths outlined in the field. Effects: - The ball will roll on the ground in the direction of the tilt if nobody has control of it. - Players are immobilized for about 3 seconds when hit by lightning or an electric current. - There will be an additional tilt in the direction of whoever is winning; the tilt will favor the losing player. The more somebody is winning, the bigger the tilt, up to a certain point. The field will still tilt back and forth, but it will generally favor the losing player. Strategies: - Whenever lightning strikes, avoid the electric currents (obviously). Note that for each lightning strike, electric currents occur three times. That is, when lightning strikes, electric currents will be sent down some of the paths, and then electric currents will be sent down those same paths a second and a third time. - The field gets darker about a second before lightning hits. If you are in control of a character in the center of the stage (especially if you are in control of the ball), get out of the center and try to avoid any electric currents that come down the paths. - The tilt on this field doesn't seem to have a major effect on passing, whether in the air or on the ground. There is a slight difference than normal, but your players will usually adjust to the change. Your style of gameplay in terms of passing shouldn't be affected. - Stars protect you from lightning and from electric currents. How to Unlock: Win the Striker Cup in the Road to the Striker Cup. ================ Galactic Stadium ================ General: A normal stadium in space, except that there are no circles to indicate where the ball will land after kicked into the air. Effects: - You'll have a harder time trying to determine where the ball will land. Strategies: - There isn't really a huge change in strategy for this map. However, air passes are safer and are less likely to be intercepted by an opponent, because your opponent won't really be able to tell where they should stand to header the ball out of the way. - If you're on defense and the ball is passed in the air, look at where the screen is moving. You'll be able to figure out which is going to receive the ball, and, if you're quick enough to get there, you'll be able to header it out of the way. How to Unlock: Earn both the Brick Wall Award and the Golden Foot Award in the Striker Cup. The Brick Wall Award is earned by having the smallest total amount of goals scored against you in the qualifying rounds of the tournament. The Golden Foot Award is earned by scoring the largest total amount of goals in the qualifying rounds of the tournament. ****************************************************************************** CLASSIC MAPS ****************************************************************************** ==================== Classic: Battle Dome ==================== General: A gray-tiled, mechanical-looking field. ======================= Classic: Bowser Stadium ======================= General: A shiny blue-floored stadium flying quickly through space. ===================== Classic: Crater Field ===================== General: A smooth, grassy field in the middle of a crater. Stadium seating is carved right into the side of the crater. ======================= Classic: Konga Coliseum ======================= General: A wooden field between two large tree logs, one behind each goal. =================== Classic: The Palace =================== General: A slightly worn-out grassy field in front of a large palace. ========================= Classic: Pipeline Central ========================= General: A gray-colored field with a layer of mist floating above. ======================== Classic: The Underground ======================== General: A worn-out grassy field in the middle of a semi-caged environment. ****************************************************************************** THANK YOU FOR READING MY GUIDE ****************************************************************************** If you have any questions or comments, or if you'd simply like to contact me, my email is StarPaul00@hotmail.com. Wii Friend Code: 0705 8128 2668 0843 Mario Strikers Friend Code: 463963 379664