Mario Tennis Fever Review

In the two-and-a-half decades since its debut, the Mario Tennis franchise has introduced countless gamers to the sport of tennis. In that same stretch, the series has enjoyed its fair share of highs and lows. Mario Tennis Fever continues the momentum of 2018’s Aces by introducing a fun, balanced gimmick and a feature-rich suite of modes in which to compete.

Mario Tennis Fever aptly implements the casual-friendly core gameplay the series has long been known for. From the moment the ball is served, the match turns into a high-speed chess match where players rally top spins, slices, flat shots, lobs, and drop shots to counter the incoming spin and try to dictate positioning. Since each of the huge roster’s 38 characters has distinct stats based on six different archetypes, players can experiment to determine which fits their preferred style. While a powerful character like Bowser might be able to crush the ball harder than a technical player like Shy Guy, he’ll feel almost like he’s moving in slow motion compared to a speedy competitor like Yoshi. 

Mario Tennis Fever Review:

With unforced errors – such as hitting the net or sending the ball outside the lines – being extremely rare in this iteration, points are typically won as a result of the positioning game. One of my favorite parts of tennis is the intricate dance of strategically pushing your opponent out of their desired positioning with your shots before capitalizing with a subsequent stroke, so I’m happy about this side effect to the approachable gameplay.

Speaking of the arcade-style play, this entry introduces Fever Shots, high-powered smashes that apply status effects based on your equipped racket. These special moves are extraordinarily powerful, to the point I initially worried they’d break the balance of each match. After all, one of my first experiences was watching my doubles partner burn himself on the remnants of my opponent’s Fever Shot until he ran out of HP and had to sit out for a couple of points. 

Dimwitted AI aside, even with how frequently you can use Fever Shots, I appreciate how tying them to rackets allowed me to combine my character choice with my racket choice to further cater to my preferred playstyle. Even further, I love that the Fever Shots are far from a “press-to-win” button, as they can be easily reversed by returning the ball before it hits the ground, creating a thrilling risk/reward calculus that must be considered with each activation. Thankfully, if these Mario Kart-style power-ups are too distracting, you can switch them off during regular matches.

These gameplay features follow you regardless of mode, and Mario Tennis Fever offers a strong collection of ways in which you can engage with the sport. Adventure places you in a straightforward narrative that provides fun but silly lore about why you’re traveling the world with your tennis racket. The adventure begins with an excruciatingly slow first half at a tennis school, but the action picks up once you’re set loose into the world, which is full of creative challenges, including basic dungeon crawling and boss battles. Though it’s over nearly as soon as it starts picking up momentum, and I yearned for a more RPG-style mode, I enjoyed the handful of hours I poured into it.

Wonder Court matches are fun, quick-hit diversions where you must collect Wonder Seeds to trigger special in-match effects and take home the win, but the small collection of effects often falls short of the mode’s enticing potential. I was much more drawn to the Trial Towers, which pit you against successive opponents and bosses in short, skill-based matches as you climb to the top by surmounting the challenges; I love the replayability of these since the trials change each time you attempt to climb. That depth continues online, which includes various customization options. My experience playing online on pre-launch servers was mostly smooth, though I did experience some minor stutters in a couple of matches.

Regardless of which mode I was focused on, I always looked forward to pouring more time into Mario’s latest venture on the courts, and each session made me glad the plumber continues to enjoy his tennis hobby all these years later. Mario Tennis Fever is hardly a revolutionary entry, but it nails the series' most important element by offering a well-rounded experience with myriad ways for players of all skill levels to enjoy the game of tennis.