Mario Tennis Aces Review

Mario Tennis Aces introduces high-powered Zone Shots.

Mario Tennis games are always more exciting and fun when playing with friends, and Aces is no exception. This time there are multiple different options for local couch co-op and online matchups. On the local side, you can play singles or double on one Switch console, or alternatively up to 4-player doubles on two Switches. Going the multi-console route is preferred as it enables each player (or team) to have their own dedicated full-screen view. When playing on one console there’s a mandatory vertical split screen, which noticeably narrows everyone’s field of view. It’s not a deal-breaker by any means, but the option to disable the split screen would have been nice.

Regarding the online experience, from my play testing it’s fairly solid. Matchmaking typically occurs in a minute or less, and you have the option of agreeing or declining challengers that pop up. Lag is rare once matches begin, although it’s not entirely absent—a handful of times I experienced slowdown. There’s also the issue of opponents disconnecting early, which again is rare but can happen from time to time.

In terms of how online matches are structured, there are two varieties. The first is participating in a bracketed online tournament where winners advance and losers are eliminated. These tournaments are a lot of fun and tend to bring out the most advanced players, ideal for those seeking a challenge. Longevity of this mode will depend on how committed Nintendo is to hosting tournaments, but so far it seems like they’re all-in with frequent daily tournaments and monthly stat tracking.

Your second option is jumping into Free Play mode, which is where you find standard singles or doubles matches online. To give you some rules flexibility there’s the option of selecting Simple Style, which disables energy for a more “core” tennis experience, or Standard Style where everyone has a full set of moves at their disposal. I personally enjoyed the more nuanced gameplay found in Standard Style, but purists will likely gravitate towards Simple Style.

Zone Shots add a new layer of strategy to every match.

Mario Tennis Aces smartly retains the best gameplay elements found in Wii U’s Ultra Smash, while bolstering your arsenal with some nifty new tricks. On the returning side you’ve got all the basic tennis shots, including slices, lobs, drop shots, and topspins. Charge Shots are also back and enable you to pause while mustering strength to swing with greater force and speed.

As well, many familiar faces from past Mario Tennis games make their return. This includes fan-favourites like Mario, Luigi, Peach, Bowser, Yoshi, Boo, Bowser, Donkey Kong, and more. In all, there are 16 playable characters right out of the gate, with Chain Chomp being the sole new addition. While it would have been nice to see more new faces (Fox McCloud anyone?), I found Chain Chomp to be hilarious and quite welcome.

Looking at what’s new, a real game-changer—literally—is the introduction of an energy system that has a huge effect on how matches ebb and flow. As you return shots, and more so if you utilize Power Shots, an energy gauge in the top-left corner will fill up. Once the gauge is at least one-third full, you’re able to perform Zone Shots that switch the camera to first-person view and let you pinpoint shots anywhere on the court. On the defensive side, to block incoming Zone Shots you’re able to use energy to slow down time (called Zone Speed), giving you a much higher chance to get into position.

Where it gets real interesting is how Mario Tennis Aces introduces racket durability, and the ability to break rackets. It effectively layers in a pseudo-fighting game on top of the standard tennis rules. What’s more, each round you’re giving a limited number rackets and will lose once all of them are broken. So, you have two ways to win each match: score points like in every other Mario Tennis game, or get aggressive and aim to break your opponent’s rackets. It’s a risky gameplay evolution, but one that ends up improving the entire formula so significantly that I hope it becomes standard in all future Mario Tennis titles.

Koopa Troopa will be the first new DLC character, and he’ll be free to download!

Considering most of Nintendo’s releases on Switch this year have been Wii U ports, it’s refreshing to see a new game arrive. Especially when it’s one as fun to play as Mario Tennis Aces. It’s not perfect—the story mode could be more involved, and the inability to play with regulation rules is puzzling—however, what’s presented to us is quite polished.The addition of energy is the real star here as it enhances the moment-to-moment strategy and facilitates dramatic comeback moments. Including both couch co-op and online options is also welcome at a time when most multiplayer games are online-only.

Despite its few shortcomings, it’s easy to recommend Mario Tennis Aces to arcade sports fans eager to own the court as their favourite Mario character.

Had a chance to play Mario Tennis Aces yourself, or thinking of picking up the game? I would love to know your thoughts or questions—reach out to me on Twitter @NextGenPlayer and let’s chat!