Challenge Mode General

## Overview

Challenge mode is the story mode for Mario Superstar Baseball. The goal is to play every captain in an attempt to assemble the perfect team to take on Bowser.

After picking your captain, you are presented with a map of all the stadiums and minigames that you can walk up to for triggering games. Beating all of the other captains unlocks Bowser's castle where you must beat Bowser's team to beat the game. This mode has 4 difficulty levels.

## Scout Flags

As games are played against each captain, you have a chance to impress opposing players by completing "Scout Missions". These are various goals about the specific situation in the game, such as "Get the player out". Each character has a specific amount of scout flags that need to be achieved in order to convince them to play for your team. Once all flags are collected and you bear their team, they will now be selectable for your own roster.

Collecting all of the scout flags of a specific captain not only recruits them, but renders their team unplayable. In order to continue recruiting players from that team, you can face Bowser Jr. who roams the map. These encounters are short, high pressure scout missions to gather more flags.

If a team is beaten on a mercy, then all of the characters will join your team automatically without needing to collect scout flags.

## Star Missions

Each character on your team has a set of Star Missions that can be completed at any time. Certain star missions are only available on higher difficulties. Once all missions are completed, that player becomes a Superstar - essentially a better version of that character. They will be playable as a superstar for the rest of the Challenge mode playthrough, as well as permanently available during exhibition games.

## Mini-games and the Shop

Coins can be earned by playing the mini-games available on the map. Each mini-game can be started by talking with the character that patrols it's location. Each game as an entry fee to play (but you can still play if you don't have enough coins), and you can earn coins by winning the mini-game. The amount of coins won depends on the difficulty and how well you perform at the game.

Coins can be used at the Shop. The shop sells both short-term and long-term items. The short-term items increase your stats for the next game, such as the Power Bat which makes your team's hit power better. The long-term items are things such as buying the Captain star pitches/swings, and a pipe to Toy Field once all mini-games have been beaten.

## Unlockables

Beating lower difficulties unlocks the higher difficulty version of Challenge mode. The difficulty levels are: Mushroom, Flower, Star, Special. These correspond with the CPU difficulty levels.

After completing Challenge Mode for the first time, Bowser's Castle will become playable for exhibition games.

After completing Challenge Mode on Special Difficulty, Bowser becomes a selectable captain for Challenge Mode. Instead of playing himself, the other captains form an all-star team as the final boss for this mode.

Characters are unlocked in Exhibition mode by completing challenge mode with each captain. These are the captain-unlock pairs:

* Mario: Monty Mole
* Yoshi: Baby Luigi
* Donkey Kong: Dixie Kong
* Peach: Toadette
* Wario: Petey Piranha
* Bowser: Hammer Bro

Coin Derby mini-game is unlocked by completing challenge mode.

## Shop Items

### Nice Bat

Adds 50% to the batter's slap and charge contact size multipliers.

### Power Bat

Adds 50% to the batter's slap and charge power stats.

### Dash Spikes

Adds 50% to the fielder's running stat. Unconfirmed for baserunners, but it's likely the same 50%.

## Bowser Jr. Encounters

Bowser Jr. runs around the map. If you run into him, a mini-match starts. This match will give you a chance to collect scout flags for characters who's captain you already recruited (otherwise, it would be impossible to collect these characters since you can't play that team again.

One of the scenario's below is randomly chosen.