The newest addition to the Mario Sports catalog brings hidden depth to an accessible arcade atmosphere
For decades, Nintendo has used the Mario brand to branch out into the world of sports. The Mushroom Kingdom’s cast has played everything from basketball to golf, imbuing these classic sports with casual, arcade sensibilities. They focus on fun rather than hardcore simulation. As a result, the Mario Sports line has become a beacon for sports fans who love the game but don’t want to get bogged down in yearly roster updates and photo-realistic visuals. With Mario Tennis Aces, developer Camelot has strayed from this classic formula, building a tennis experience that plays more like a fighting game.
Players pick their favorite Mushroom Kingdom resident and attempt to lob, drop shot and overhead their way past opponents. Shots are assigned different face buttons. Each character has different advantages for speed, strength and defense. It’s a tennis game, and a great feeling one at that. Moving around the different courses is smooth and visually spectacular. But that’s just the basics of Aces; it isn’t long before the real game reveals itself.
As players rally and charge their moves, a power meter increases next to their character. This meter can be spent to slow time, leap across the court or spike shots with precise aim. More powerful shots can even break an opponent’s racket. It’s a complex game of meters, with an impressive degree of strategy to discover. Reading your opponent’s next move is key to survival. This depth is unexpected from a game starring Mario and friends but is totally welcome. It’s just a shame that discovering this depth can be such a drag.
The story mode starts out promising with an elaborate cutscene that shows Luigi discovering an ancient tennis racket that corrupts his soul and sends him on a quest for world domination. Mario then sets off on a quest to retrieve a series of magic crystals that will power the racket and save his brother’s soul in the process. It’s pointlessly elaborate — a world-ending tale that inexplicably revolves around tennis. But the story mode itself isn’t much to write home about. There’s a series of matches against AI opponents on novelty courses (such as a pirate ship with a mast in the center of the net), some frustrating boss encounters and a set of skill games that emphasize the finer points of tennis. But these games don’t do a great job at actually teaching the complex skills needed to excel in competitive play. It’s a missed opportunity to make this game more accessible to new players.
It’s that division between casual and hardcore play that feels like Aces‘ biggest failing. There’s a deep, competitive experience here — the sort that can keep a group of friends going long into the night. This is an arcade sports game done right, and one that will earn long play sessions among the players who see what it has to offer. Unfortunately, too many players may come in expecting an easy day at the court — only to find themselves failing to stick with the game.
Follow Chris on Twitter
(Split Tooth may earn a commission from purchases made through affiliate links on our site.)
