Mario Tennis Aces Hype Unwarranted?
This is the Mario Tennis we’ve all been waiting for. With a thrilling Adventure Mode, Mario Tennis Aces brings the role-playing element to the tennis arena.
Of course, we didn’t need RPG in Mario Tennis Aces, but that’s beside the point. With each level completed, players ultimately brush up on their tennis skills.
Adventure mode brings a satisfying difficulty to the game, and players will need to advance through multiple challenges in order to unlock new tennis courts. The game starts with 16 playable characters, with more to be unlocked, either by playing in the online tournaments, or simply waiting for them to be released. And players will want to gain experience in adventure mode before moving onto the online multiplayer experience.
Adventure mode can be pretty grueling, players will need to have endurance and bring their A-game here. And although the game is designed for all age groups, adventure mode has a difficulty unlike most Switch games. Although the AI is exceptionally challenging, adventure mode will make players experts in the gameplay, which is where Mario Tennis Aces takes the cake.
The gameplay offers a delicious dose of nostalgia, Mario Tennis Aces builds upon the Nintendo 64 (Mario Tennis). Using basic tennis shots; the topspin, slice, flat, lob and drop shot, Nintendo has taken the same great formula and made it that much better. However, the game really stands out in the new shot features, and players can now knock each other out with the Zone and Special shot techniques. An energy gauge is utilized to perform these special shots, and each character has their own special trick shot.
The gameplay here is what sets aside Mario Tennis Aces as the best Mario Tennis game we’ve ever seen. Online play is ridiculously thrilling, smooth, and exciting. The controls are basic, players only need to master a few different buttons, which leaves more focus on having a great time playing some tennis with friends.
And just like the original Mario Tennis, Aces leaves room for more. A simple game mode is available that strips away the power shots and brings the tennis gameplay back to the basics. This means games can go on for far longer than usual.
What Mario Tennis Aces aims to do is bring back the best from the Mario Tennis series, and so far, we’re in agreement with that statement. The gameplay is exciting, each court and character have their own unique set of skills. Tennis matches can be intense or downright ridiculous. With adventure mode, anyone can become an expert at the game, so Nintendo really stepped up their game, making the learning curve for this game quite simple.
Addictive gameplay, new features, better graphics and ultimately more intensity make Mario Tennis Aces the best Mario Tennis game available. Single player mode is phenomenal, the storyline is cute and compelling, and each stage packs so much variety. Tennis rallies are a hit in Aces, and this is one of the best arcade tennis games currently available.
So far, Aces is one of the very best multiplayer games for the Nintendo Switch, and is absolutely the best game in the Mario Tennis series.
