A Soccer Ball has a black-and-white pattern. The objective is for a team to score a point by having a teammate kick the ball into the opposing side's goal, just like in real-world soccer. As such, the characters on the opposing side have to try and steal the ball from whoever has it. This base gameplay is retained in the Mario Strikers series, a few soccer-based minigames in the Mario Party series series, such Shorty Scorers from Mario Party DS, the Soccer events in the Mario & Sonic series, and Soccer in Mario Sports Superstars.
In the Mario Strikers series, aside from a regular kick, the Soccer Ball can also be kicked into a goal by performing a charge shot. Each game installment has its own powerful move that can also be used to kick the ball into the goal, including Super Strikes in Super Mario Strikers, Mega Strikes and Skillshots in Mario Strikers Charged, and Hyper Strikes in Mario Strikers: Battle League. Unlike a regular kick, a charged shot, or a Skillshot, scoring a goal using a Super Strike or a Hyper Strike is worth two points instead of one. By using a Mega Strike, a team can score up to six goals.
Instead of using its usual design, the Soccer Ball has a metallic appearance. A light is emitted from the Soccer Ball indicating its power. The Soccer Ball can be charged by passing or charging it, gradually turning it into red, yellow and white. While the Soccer Ball emits a white light, it can be charged enough to make an accurate goal. While unused, the Soccer Ball emits a purple light.
If the Soccer Ball is pressed hard enough, it can explode. This is shown one of Wario's losing cut-scenes, in which he angrily squeezes the Soccer Ball until it suddenly explodes.
Regular soccer balls do not appear, although they were given an explosive variation, Soccerbombs. These soccer balls have fuses, and their look is more metallic than regular soccer balls.
Soccer Balls make their Mario Kart series debut, where they are encountered in the soccer stadium in Madrid Drive. The stadium is only accessible in the first route; therefore, they do not appear in other routes. In the stadium, Goombas that ride large shoes use their shoe vehicles to kick soccer balls around. The racers can ram the soccer balls to score points.
The Soccer Ball makes its series debut as an item, although it cannot be picked up. A character can use a Soccer Ball by attacking it, causing the Soccer Ball to shoot in a straight line while caught on fire before losing momentum and dropping to the ground. If an opponent is hit by a Soccer Ball while in mid-air, they are flung away.
A Soccer Ball returns as an item. It retains mostly the same functionality, but if a Soccer Ball falls off the stage, it returns back. Wii Fit Trainer's side special attack, Header, involves them throwing a Soccer Ball from the Wii Fit games.
In both games, the Soccer Ball returns as a trophy, and in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, Soccer and Mario Strikers Charged are listed as the game appearances.
A Soccer Ball is featured as an unused object in the game's files. One appears in one of the test levels, where it is shown to function the same as a Durian.
A Soccer Ball model is hidden within the game's files, but unlike Super Mario Sunshine, its function is unclear. Both the model and texture of the Soccer Ball are from Nintendogs + Cats.
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