Mario Tennis Aces Preview
Nintendo fans will know that their beloved Mario has had a long tennis career full of ups and downs, with 2005’s Mario Tennis Power Tour setting a high standard and Mario Tennis Ultra Smash in 2015 taking the series back a step. Now, the Switch finally gets its own tennis release, as Mario Tennis Aces serves up more handheld fun starting June 22nd. By the looks of it, it offers some of the best aspects of its Nintendo forebears – with lots of modes and depth – while also providing a level of challenge that will have you sweating at times.
In terms of visual presentation, Mario Tennis Aces looks a lot like Ultra Smash on the Wii U. But that is pretty much where the similarities end, as we get a lot more modes and ways to play this time around. Thankfully, a new Adventure Mode is once again front-and-center, as Mario embarks on a well-written and fun RPG-style quest to lift the curse of an evil tennis racket (yes, it’s a thin premise, but oh well). Along the way, you, of course, play tennis – lots of tennis – but things are kept fresh with many different types of tennis-based challenges in addition to straight match play. It acts as a solid Tutorial, and trust me you’ll need it.
Advantage: Mario
The Adventure Mode challenges are sometimes tough, but well designed and mostly engaging. You’ll hone your skills in placing the ball, hitting a wide variety of shots, and using strategy as well as skill to achieve Adventure objectives and win rewards. But be warned – the difficulty ramps up pretty quickly after a breezy start – so make sure you pay attention to all the many instructions thrown your way early on. Luckily you do at least earn EXP even when you fail, so your stats always go up no matter what.
There is an incredible amount of depth to the shot arsenal available to you in Mario Tennis Aces. In fact, the steep learning curve in mastering them all and using them properly is almost overwhelming. Different button presses allow you to hit Flat shots, Topspin, Slices, and Drop Shots for starters. Then, there are special shots, like Star Shots – a star appears on court and if you hit the ball in the zone, you get a powerful smash. Zone Shots, Trick Shots and Charged Shots will also be added to your repertoire in short order. You’ll find yourself stepping back often just to practice all the crazy new moves thrown your way.
If Adventure Mode isn’t your first “love,” there are lots of other ways to play Mario Tennis Aces. A new Swing Mode utilizes the Switch’s Joy-Con controllers to mimic real racket swinging – it works well but is really only possible on a TV view. You’ve got Free Play which lets you play with friends using the same Switch, and finally, Tournament Mode has you entering a pyramid tournament to win the Mushroom Cup almost like another Adventure Mode. Overall, Mario Tennis Aces seems to have lots of variety and replayability.
Choose Your Court
As of this writing, there are 16 playable characters, each bringing their own unique play style and move set. For example, Mario is a sort of all-round player, while Donkey Kong is more of a power player with hard, fast shots. Some are only unlocked by playing a minimum amount of time, giving you something to earn as you play. You’ll also meet a lot of them on your Adventure Mode play through.
I am definitely enjoying my time with Mario Tennis Aces so far – it’s incredibly deep, well-presented and pretty fun. The sheer amount of learning and the sometimes unexpectedly-challenging difficulty can catch you off guard at times, but the quality of design keeps you coming back to improve and overcome the frustration. Let’s hope Mario Tennis Aces can sustain the fun and momentum all the way to the end. Stay tuned here for my full review at launch.
** A Nintendo Switch game code was provided by the publisher **
