Your level of excitement for Mario Tennis Fever may vary depending on your familiarity with previous installments of the enduring sports series.
Nintendo’s iconic plumber character has been serving aces on the court in this spinoff created by the Japanese third-party studio Camelot since 2000. The ninth installment, Fever, has just been released for the Switch 2. (Mario has shown interest in tennis almost as long as he has been a plumber; he first appeared as the referee in the 1984 title Tennis for Game Boy.)
The core of the game remains solid: intense and thrilling tennis matches, offering a wide range of options and imaginative touches. However, longtime fans may find the single-player Adventure mode somewhat lackluster.
Nevertheless, it is a valuable addition to the exclusive games lineup of the Switch 2, which has had mixed success in its inaugural year on the market.
The fundamentals of Mario Tennis Fever are easy for almost anyone to grasp, provided they understand the game’s scoring system. Players can select one or two characters from the expansive Mario universe for singles or doubles matches.
The action of running around the court and hitting a tennis ball remains as enjoyable as ever. The controls are precise and responsive, as long as you are aware of your character’s strengths and weaknesses. Striking the ball with a racket produces a satisfying sound akin to a significant hit at a major tennis event, but amplified with energy. The vibrant colors adorn the courts in the signature reds and greens typical of a Mario game, while the clay or grass surfaces provide a realistic, tactile sensation.
Each character fits into several basic styles — fast, strong, technical, and more.
Mario is a versatile all-around player, ideal for newcomers. Heavy characters like Donkey Kong and Bowser possess powerful overhead smashes but are slower in their movements compared to lighter characters when making quick returns.
Some characters present unique challenges, requiring skillful adjustments from players. For example, Rosalina, the mystical figure from Super Mario Galaxy (portrayed by Brie Larson in the upcoming film), gracefully hovers above the court, unaffected by different surface types. The small Koopa Troopa skates and glides around on its turtle shell, resembling a hockey puck on ice.
Slice, smash … fireball?
The highlight of Fever rackets is their special abilities: Upon selecting your character, you also pick a racket that can occasionally trigger unique fever shots when returning the ball.
These shots often create obstacles for your opponent, such as setting their side of the court on fire or scattering slippery banana peels. Some shots enhance your speed or even spawn a duplicate to act as an additional computer-controlled player temporarily.
Matches often turn into a competition to unleash as many fever shots as possible due to their potency. Interestingly, the effects only activate after the ball bounces on the court, allowing your opponent to counter your power.
This dynamic can lead to exhilarating exchanges where players frantically return the ball to evade the effects of the fever shots.
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