I hate football... I hate the players, the crowds, the moronic chanting, the negative press... I could go on, but I digress... However, I like Mario Smash Football; hypocracy? Not at all.

It's much to MSF's credit that it manages to free itself to a degree from the depressing everyday conventions which modern day football is plagued with. Instead, much as seems to be a tradition of modern Nintendo based sports titles it disregards clichés and conventions in favor of a pure, simple and most importantly fun experience.

After booting up and viewing the amusing and vaguely entertaining intro you are greeted by a selection of various modes. This time around any obligatory nonsensical storyline is done away with in favor of quickly accessible pick up and play gameplay. As far as the actual modes are concerned it's pretty much a "wysiwyg" (what you see is what you get) situation, with the majority of the game residing in the Super Cup Battles mode which you have to unlock. However, immediately available from initial start up is Grudge Match.

This mode basically allows you to pick up and play within half a minute, simply pick up a pad, select your team captain (Mario, Luigi etc) and a team of subordinates (Read: other players) then choose an arena and your away! Seconds before the match starts (after a barely noticeable loading screen) the main characters work the crowds by gesturing the other player, (no not that type of gesture!, this is still a Nintendo title after all) seeing Peach and Daisy blanking each other before adopting the classic "talk to the hand" pose is but one of the more amusing V.S intros.

Indeed MSF is full of lots of humorous animations and throwbacks which Nintendo aficionado's and casual players alike will no doubt enjoy, but it is the main game itself which both surprises and delights. Much like their previous title; (Sega Soccer Slam) Next Level Games have endeavored to make MSF an enjoyable experience for everyone by stripping back gameplay mechanics thus keeping it simple and accessible. From the off, controls are kept purely functional and relevant meaning that it's easy to get into, hard to put down and you'll be playing like a pro within minutes.

That's not to say that the whole of the game is a walkover though, although the learning curve is simple enough there is also a substantial amount of difficulty meaning that even when you become a seasoned player there is always something to do to keep you coming back, whether it's wiping the cheesy grin off Wario's smug face or just having "one last go" to try and nab that elusive trophy, it's the simple joys of the game that help to extend it's longevity.

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Indeed on the subject of longevity, the other reason you are likely to return to this solid sports title is the marvelously manic multiplayer. While the game has ample amounts of character and charm contained in the single player modes alone, it is in the multiplayer which the title really excels and sets it apart from any other comparable game out there. It may be great fun for a while to grind CPU opponents into the ground, but for laugh-out-loud moments nothing beats getting friends, foes and even family around for a spot of crazy carnage...

Controls are essentially identical to the single player mode with the A button used to pass; Y being your tackle / dodge button and then the B button of course is used for taking shots. X allows you to use a variety of randomly assigned, player specific power ups ranging from Bananas & Bobombs to shells & stars which all help to add that extra bit of familiarity to the whole Mario flavoured experience.

The aforementioned controls are all you really need to play, but for slightly more in-depth maneuvers you can employ the use of the L & R buttons and the C-stick; however it's purely down to preference of whether you'll want to use them or not and whichever way you choose to play it's just as much fun.

While were on the subject of fun (what this game is all about) MSF truly delivers in ways that other Nintendo sports titles seem to shy away from, did someone say brutality? Oh yes, MSF has violence but before anyone chimes in with "Violence? In a Nintendo game! Blasphemy!" while it is true that this game has violence NLG have managed to deliver it in such a way that it always remains slapstick and tongue in cheek as opposed to gratuitous and meaningless violence that has plagued the industry since the infamous third GTA outing, Indeed the violence contained in MSF is violence with a purpose and that is but another example which sets this title apart even further.

Smashing into your opponents at every given occasion, (usually as often as you can press the Y button) tripping someone up just before they're about to unleash a super strike and of course giving your rival a gentle "nudge" into the surrounding electric fence... All of these instances are unique to this game and make for some genuine "laugh out loud" moments as well as enhancing the core gameplay.

As it stands, Mario Smash Football is an altogether well rounded package; it delivers sports-orientated action, thrills, spills and laugh out loud moments in spades while oozing both quality and charm which makes it always fun to play. It may fall somewhat short in terms of depth issues within the single player mode but the multiplayer is so good that it more than makes up for any shortcomings. In summary, another Mario sports title that scores well against the opposition, they think this review is over... it is now!