Mario Superstar Baseball/Challenge Mode

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Challenge mode is a single-payer mode where you play against your rivals and form a team. There are four levels: Mushroom, Flower, Star, and Special levels.

Description[edit]

These are the statements before Bowser is selected to use.

Beat the Bowser team!

Level statements:

  • Mushroom - Gather pals and form a team to challenge the Bowser team!
  • Flower - Gather pals and form a team to challenge the Bowser team! Your rivals have gotten a little better.
  • Star - Gather pals and form a team to challenge the Bowser team! Formidable rivals await you!
  • Special - Gather pals and form a team to challenge the Bowser team! The mightiest rivals await you!

Once you have chosen Mario, Peach, Wario, Yoshi, or Donkey Kong, you are ready to play. Here is the opening scene after choosing one of the five Captains:

Baseball's all the rage lately with Mario and his Pals! Every day, the gang gets together and has great fun. But one day... Bowser sends a letter of challenge. Time to play me! But why bother? I'll obviously win! Gwah ha ha! Talk about insulting! Mario and co. decide to form superstar teams to challenge Bowser's baddies. Who knows what will happen?

Your job is to play against rivals and optionally recruit them to form a real superstar team to face Bowser. Each interaction is different for each character chosen. As you wander around the map, Bowser Jr. is outside wandering around himself waiting for you to bump into him for a mini baseball game which happens on the bottom of the 9th inning. Bowser Jr.'s team is composed of eight Dry Bones characters, two of each in a different color. Any teammates left after recruiting the captain will join Bowser Jr.'s team. His team is mostly called the Jr. Fangs, though the name could change depending on the certain characters on his team. There is no specific order to challenge your rivals in. Each game against your rivals are three innings or five on specialRecruiting your rivals is not a requirement, although essential to form a team good enough to beat Bowser. To recruit your rivals, you must complete scout missions. The number of flags are different for each type of character depending on the level played on: Team captains have three on mushroom and flower, four on star, and five on special. Sub-captains (excluding Diddy Kong) have two on mushroom and flower, three on star, and four on special. Team players (including Diddy Kong) have only one on mushroom, two on flower and star, and three on special. Each mission gives you a number of scout flags to capture. Characters of duplicate colors cannot be recruited. When you clear a mission, you get a flag from the character shown. If you fail the mission, you must wait to complete another one. You also earn coins for clearing mini games, Toy Field and beating Bowser Jr.. Once you beat your rivals al least once and optionally recited all of them, you will be ready to challenge Bowser to a five-inning baseball game or seven on special. When you defeat Bowser and his team, you clear the mode. You will also get a photo shot of the characters you have gained during your journey. Once you clear all levels, Bowser is then available as a team captain.

When Bowser is available to select[edit]

Now here the statements where you can choose all the captains including Bowser.

Become the mightiest team!

Level statements:

  • Mushroom - Play against rivals and aim to be the best team! You can also select the Bowser team.
  • Flower - Play against powerful rivals and aim to be the best team! You can also select the Bowser team.
  • Star - Play against formidable rivals and aim to be the best team! You can also select the Bowser team.
  • Special - Play against the mightiest rivals and aim to be the best team! You can also select the Bowser team.

Here is the opening when Bowser is selected:

Baseball's all the rage lately with Mario and his Pals! Every day, the gang gets together and has great fun. Mad with jealousy, Bowser sends them a letter of challenge. Time to play me! But why bother? I'll obviously win! Gwah ha ha! ...But no one shows up. Tired of waiting, Bowser decides to challenge them to a game on his own. Who knows what will happen?

As Bowser you walk around the map to challenge Mario, Peach, Wario, Yoshi, and Donkey Kong to a three-inning game or five on special. Bowser Jr. does not wander around the map since he is on Bowser's team. You can only recruit the team players from each of the five teams. Their flags are the same as the captain before Bowser was selected: three on mushroom and flower, four on star, and five on special. Bowser earns coins by playing mini-games and Toy Field. Once he recruits the team players, the captains and sub-captains join together led by Mario and play in Bowser's stadium, going after the castle secrets, which infuriates Bowser. Bowser must challenge them to a five-inning game or seven on special to win back his castle. The excluded character is random for that game. Once he beats them, Challenge mode is cleared.

The following team names are available during challenge mode:

  • Mario - Mario Heroes, Mario Fireballs, Mario Sunshines
  • Peach - Peach Roses, Peach Dynasties, Peach Monarchs
  • Wario - Wario Garlics, Wario Steakheads, Wario Greats
  • Yoshi - Yoshi Eggs, Yoshi Speed Stars, Yoshi Islanders, Yoshi Flutters
  • Donkey Kong - DK Explorers, DK Wild Ones, DK Kongs
  • Bowser - Bowser Flames, Bowser Blue Shells, Bowser Monsters

Superstar Challenge[edit]

This is optional but necessary to increase your character's stats. Each character has a different set of star missions to complete to climb up in status to Star. Team captains have 10 star missions: three on mushroom, flower, and star, and one on special. Sub-captains have eight: three on mushroom, two on flower and star, and one on special. Character species have four, two on mushroom, one on flower and star. Team players that are individual characters have six: two on mushroom, flower, and star. Once you clear their missions, you will achieve superstar status. These missions are based on the characters' abilities and power.