Knock-offs and straight-up copycats are nothing new in the video game industry. There was a whole factory dedicated to exploiting Hollow Knight: Silksong hype with barely working ripoffs, and Larian Studios itself wagged its finger at a shameless Baldur's Gate 3 copy. But few are as blatant and hilarious as this Mario Strikers ripoff that just touched down on Xbox.
How blatant are we talking? Well, the top-down sports game is literally called Mariostro Strikers: Soccer League. What's even funnier is the cover art that features a moustachioed man, clad in red, and almost definitely uses AI if the wonky background characters are anything to go by. Seriously, one of them has a Mr. Fantastic arm-ear.
The Xbox Store description adds even more humor to the situation since developer LightGamess - who I couldn't find anywhere else on the internet and shouldn't be confused for awesome retro devs Light Games - seemingly forgot to put the game's name into a pre-written blurb. "Dive into the thrilling world of arcade-style soccer with [Your Game Name Here]! Experience the excitement of 4v4 matches, where every player counts. With 10 unique and fun teams to choose from, you’ll dribble, pass, and shoot your way to victory while defending your goal with a skilled goalkeeper."
Screenshots from the store listing don't actually feature anything distinctly Nintendo, to be fair. There are some cartoony sportsmen with big heads and unnerving glares, some top-down games on a low-detail football field, and a few UI screens. About what you'd expect from a £3.29/$4 game, then.
Either way, Mariostro Strikers is still listed for sale if you're dying for another taste of Nintendo's frantic football spin-off. I know Nintendo Switch 2 might be getting some Xbox games, but I don't think this is how to get even. I doubt it'll be up for much longer anyway.
For now, check out the best Super Mario games of all time.
