Mario Sports Superstars details – two unlockable characters, amiibo cards count and functionality

Nintendo shared new details about Mario Sports Superstars, which was just confirmed for a March 10 launch in Europe.

To recap, soccer (football in Europe), tennis, golf, baseball and horse racing are included. Single-player tournaments will be included, along with local and online multiplayer modes.

Here’s a rundown of the different sports and features:

“With five fully-fledged sports games included, Mario Sports Superstars offers something for everyone. Football fans will compete in full-on 11-a-side matches, and will need to master both team tactics and individual skills in order to be victorious. Fans of the Mario Golf and Mario Tennis series will be familiar with the classic gameplay on offer in the golf and tennis games here, developed by Camelot Software Planning. Baseball fans will need to work on their batting and pitching techniques, as heavy-hitters such as Bowser are lining up to knock it out of the park in the first Mario-themed baseball title to be released in Europe in over 10 years. In Horse Racing, aspiring jockeys must saddle up, jump over obstacles and gallop to the finish line first to be crowned as champion. Collecting carrots along the way will replenish your stamina, while collecting stars will enable you to use the special Star Dash technique, greatly improving your chances of victory. Players can also show their caring side by visiting their favourite horses in the Stable. By petting, feeding and grooming a horse, players can build a special bond with it which will work to their advantage on the racing track.

Each of the five sports on offer in Mario Sports Superstars can be enjoyed in single-player, local multiplayer and online multiplayer modes. In single-player mode, players can take part in tutorials and challenges to hone their skills before entering a number of tournaments suited to all skill levels. Multiplayer mode allows sports fans to compete with their family and friends, either locally or online. There’s also the option to challenge players of similar skill levels from around the world.”

18 characters are featured in Mario Sports Superstars. 16 can be found right away, while two more are unlocked by completing specific tournaments and challenges.

When Mario Sports Superstars comes out, Nintendo will also begin distributing amiibo cards. 90 Mario Sports Superstars cards are being created in total. These “can be used in-game to power up characters’ skills.” You can use a card to provide players with a Star version of the character scanned in the corresponding sport. “A Star character has stronger stats than its regular counterpart, giving that character an edge in that particular sport,” Nintendo says.

Scanning three amiibo cards will unlock the Road to Superstar mode. By completing it, Superstar status will be given to the characters for “an even greater boost to their stats.”