I have to be honest about something. As much as I love the Mario games, I am not a fan of most Mario Sports titles such as Mario Golf and as much as I love the idea of Super Mario Strikers, I cannot get into the games like I thought I would be able to. There is one exception to this and that is the Mario Tennis series of games. I have loved the series since the N64 entry, and I particularly loved the GBC and GBA entries, which were essentially Tennis RPGs that were extremely creative.
Mario Tennis games have been a bit inconsistent to be honest, especially with low points like Mario Tennis Ultra Smash on the Wii U. Mario Tennis Aces on the Switch was a return to form, but spaced out content to be released over a period of time, which held it back from catching on. It also had a new adventure mode, and while it was nice, it was nothing like the experiences in the past.
Of course, the core mechanics of Mario Tennis still remain the same for the most part with different buttons assigned to shots like topspins and flats, while quick two-button combos exist for more specialized shots like drops and lobs. You have to be careful about which shot to use and where to aim while keeping yourself positioned properly on the court. It is typically approachable, and has a decent skill ceiling to encourage learning the game..
However, if anything can be said about the last few Mario Tennis entries it is that they have been very experimental, especially when compared to the earlier entries by adding in new ideas and gimmicks. Ultra Smash was especially barebones when compared to what came before, but focused on its gimmick solely. Mario Tennis Aces fleshed out this idea by having some more variety and trying to bring back an adventure mode, but even this title felt like a bit of an oddity after a while.
With Mario Tennis Fever, Nintendo and Camelot seems to have fully embraced this idea while still trying to provide a fun tennis experience. The best way I can compare it is to say that Mario Tennis Fever feels like a fusion between the Mario Tennis series and Mario Kart. It is now a game so full of effects, gimmicks and abilities that the competitive aspect is not as important. Obviously this is not something that will suit everyone, but it does feel like Mario Tennis Fever is more assured of its identity.
Mario Tennis introduces Fever rackets, which are a wide selection of special rackets that cause game-altering effects. You can play with a standard racket of course, and there is a refined tennis experience, to be had with that as well. But using the Fever rackets really helps to turn the game into more of an arcade experience, the likes you may have seen from SNK in the 90s, that were over the top but still demanded that you have a level of skill to really play.
Fever rackets are an interesting addition as they drastically change the gameplay in a variety of ways which affects the competitive balance of the game. This includes rackets that give you speed bursts that let you reach shots quicker, rackets that let you summon a double to split up the space you need to cover on the court, and rackets that create dangers for your opponents like thwomps or throwing mini mushrooms at them. These rackets work on a meter and you need to keep track and use the abilities strategically. It definitely calls to mind classic arcade sports games, but can take a bit of time to get adjusted to.
One thing I was looking forward to about Mario Tennis Fever was the adventure mode, something that promised to be substantial, with a five hour campaign and story, but it falls rather short. The story involves Mario, Luigi, Peach, Wario, and Waluigi getting turned into babies due to a curse while trying to get a magical fruit to heal Daisy. There are some twists and turns but it isn’t satisfying for a specific reason.
Adventure Mode ultimately just feels boring and more of a primer on the mechanics mixed with mini games. There are RPG mechanics and leveling up, but it never feels particularly impactful. All the Adventure Mode ends up amounting to is really just a tutorial with mini-games and a story, and occasional battles. Nothing feels special or impactful, and when compared to the GBC and GBA Mario Tennis RPGs, this just feels like a complete waste, as if Camelot shoehorned in some RPG mechanics to a general tutorial and called it a day. I want a return to a real Tennis RPG but even with the story, nothing felt fun here.
The meat of Mario Tennis Fever is about playing Tennis and unlocking content along the tournaments and different modes and ultimately it is satisfying in this regard. The wide assortment of special courts is awesome and many stand out the Racket Factory and Waluigi Pinball for genuinely changing up the gameplay, and the Wonder Court swaps getting a score for collecting Wonder Seeds while spawning Wonder Flowers to cause massive changes on the field. This is a strong point for the game, as are the Fever rackets, so I guess I can overlook the lacklustre adventure mode.
The multiplayer was great in Mario Tennis Fever both in online and local co-op. There was a tiny bit of lag at first, but it resolved itself within seconds. I even had fun with the GameChat options and screen sharing, which worked remarkably well despite my initial hesitations.
Lastly there is another mode that lets you detach your Joy-Con controllers and use them like in Wii Sports. There are less play options in this mode, so it is more of a fun distraction than a main attraction for the game. Still, there is fun to be had and I am glad it was included.
Ultimately Mario Tennis Fever is a good game, but the lackluster adventure mode had me wishing for a true Mario Tennis RPG. Still, the actual core of the game is fun and definitely understands what to provide players, and gives a lot of content, addressing some complaints from prior entries. It is easy to recommend in that regard, just do not expect much from the Adventure Mode or you will be disappointed there.
Disclaimer: A review key was provided