Whether you’re excited about the release of Mario Tennis Fever depends on your experience with the previous games in the series.
Since 2000, Nintendo’s iconic character Mario has been competing in tennis matches in this spinoff created by the Japanese studio Camelot. The latest installment, Fever, is the ninth in the series. Mario’s interest in tennis dates back to 1984 when he appeared as an official in the Game Boy’s Tennis.
The core of the game remains strong with intense and thrilling tennis matches, offering a wide range of options and imaginative elements. However, longtime fans might be disappointed by the lackluster single-player Adventure mode.
Despite its shortcomings, Mario Tennis Fever is a valuable addition to the Switch 2’s exclusive game library, which has seen mixed outcomes in its first year on the market.
The game is accessible to a broad audience, with gameplay basics that are easy to grasp for those familiar with tennis scoring. Players can select one or two characters from the Mario universe for singles or doubles matches.
The gameplay, involving running around the court and hitting tennis balls, remains highly enjoyable. Controls are precise and responsive, requiring an understanding of each character’s strengths and weaknesses. Hitting the ball with a racket feels impactful, resembling a significant hit at a Grand Slam event but with added speed. The colorful arenas capture the essence of a Mario game, while the court surfaces, whether clay or grass, have a realistic texture.
Characters in the game are categorized into styles such as speedy, powerful, and technical. Mario, a versatile character, is beginner-friendly. Heavyweights like Donkey Kong and Bowser possess formidable overhead smashes but are slower in their movements compared to others.
Some characters introduce unique gameplay mechanics, requiring players to adapt their strategies. For instance, Rosalina from Super Mario Galaxy floats gracefully above the court, unaffected by terrain. Koopa Troopa, a small character, glides and spins around on its turtle shell, akin to a hockey puck on ice.
Slice, smash … fireball?
The highlight of Mario Tennis Fever is the introduction of Fever rackets. In addition to selecting a character, players can choose a racket that occasionally triggers special fever shots during gameplay.
These shots typically create hazards for opponents, setting the court on fire or scattering slippery banana peels. Some shots boost speed or summon a clone to assist briefly. Matches often revolve around unleashing as many fever shots as possible, leading to chaotic but strategic gameplay.
Special effects from fever shots activate upon the ball bouncing on the court, allowing opponents to counter the powerful moves. This dynamic can turn rallies into frenzied exchanges as players try to avoid succumbing to the shots’ effects.
Several Mix It Up modes add further twists to the gameplay experience. For example, a pinball table mode features bumpers that send both players and tennis balls in various directions, while the Wonder mode introduces surreal elements inspired by Super Mario Bros. Wonder, replacing tennis balls with floating hippos.
For a lively multiplayer experience, Swing mode allows players to use Joy-Con controllers as virtual rackets, reminiscent of the interaction in Wii Sports from two decades ago.