Review – Mario Tennis Fever

arrives on the Nintendo Switch 2 with the look of a Nintendo in full form, oozing colors, accessible, full of systems to master and, above all, with a lot of personality. After a hiatus since , launched almost ten years ago, the new chapter of the franchise is not concerned with reinventing the sport, but rather focuses on depth of mechanics, a gigantic cast, varied modes and a story mode.

In practice, this game works both as a gateway for those who just want to have a laugh with friends on the couch or online, and as a full meal for those who miss the late nights of intense rallies on the crazy courts of the Cogumelo Kingdom as they have existed since the Nintendo 64 or even their predecessors on the Game Boy and Virtual Boy.

A surefire return to Switch 2

Even though advertised as the main highlight, the story mode is far from being the main attraction of Mario Tennis Fever. The Adventure, as it is called within jogjo, abandons the timid structure that already existed in previous titles to develop a brief journey, really short as it lasts just three hours, like a kind of sports RPG.

After a slow and obligatory tutorial session, which lasts longer than the adventure itself, Mario and his friends end up on a remote island, where mysterious monsters transform them into baby versions of themselves. To break the curse, they need to relearn their tennis skills and face creatures in fights that mix sports matches with puzzle elements and bosses with famous dodge and attack patterns.

In this mode and with this plot, you need to go through missions that use gameplay concepts such as, for example, types of euphoric racket or court effects, placed in a character progression and narrative construction to avoid having to dedicate hours of training and isolated tutorials. Funny dialogues, neat cutscenes and increasing challenge, the story mode justifies your investment of time and is enjoyable, but older players of the franchise may find it dragging and slow.

Outside of the campaign, Mario Tennis Fever relies on a solid variety of game modes that extend the life of the package, whether solo or in groups. The Tournament mode features the classic bracket structure, but adds a humorous touch with Flor Chatarela commenting on each move, narrating mistakes, successes and even ironizing her decisions on the court.

Mission modes function as specific skill challenges, with objectives such as maintaining a rally for a set number of shots, hitting specific areas of the court with different types of effects or surviving matches with purposeful disadvantages. For those who like to perfect their technique, this mode really makes you train and improve your skills. Gymkhanas are the chaotic and festive side of the game, with matches that have unexpected rules, phenomenal effects that change the physics of the ball, the behavior of the courts and even the size of the players, creating moments worthy of the “Party Game” side that Nintendo always includes in its games.

Online, Mario Tennis Fever combines casual rooms with personalized rules, perfect for games between friends, and a ranked mode aimed at those looking to be competitive, really being the most interesting for advanced players who increase the replayability factor. After qualifying matches, which take place with stricter matchmaking and depending on your current level, many rewards await you, encouraging the search for evolution over time.

Between Aces and classics, Fever gets a lot right

In terms of mechanics and gameplay, Mario Tennis Fever maintains its original spirit, but with a noticeable refinement, in which topspins, slices and lobs gained more attention to the movements, in addition to the characters moving with more precision, all exuding a show of expression and charisma that Nintendo has been employing in its intellectual properties after the film adaptation of Mario Bros.

The new mechanics are the euphoric blows and rackets, bringing back the special abilities that characters acquire in other titles, but in a system responsible for encouraging and prolonging rallies and intelligent plays. By filling the euphoria meter, you allow the character to perform powerful euphoric blows, capable of turning a lost point into a gained point in a matter of seconds. The difference is how these moves are linked to euphoric rackets, which work almost like equippable skill accessories, with 30 different models, each with specific effects when combined with special moves.

These rackets allow you to freeze the court, shrink opponents, placing fire or electricity on the ground, making bananas appear, and even increasing status for a period of time during the match. These are strategic combinations for you to develop a more aggressive style, thinking about counterattacks or a more patient defense. All in a layer of customization that flirts with the RPG style, presented in Adventure mode, and that creates that desire to create your perfect build by exploring the 30 rackets and 38 characters available, all unlockable by playing all the content available in Mario Tennis Fever.

And for those who like it, the realistic mode uses the Joy-Con 2 as a racket perfectly, detecting movements more accurately than its predecessors, but without the physical exaggerations and far from being the most fun option, outside of playing between friends, even though it manages to fulfill its function very well.

Visually, Mario Tennis Fever exploits the Switch 2 hardware well, but without losing the charismatic and cartoonish style that it has always carried in other games. The courts range from modern stadiums, full of details, to fantasy environments typical of the Mario Bros. franchise, with elements that directly impact the match. The art direction is right to use more vibrant colors to highlight the euphoric effects, but in some cases the screen becomes chaotic due to the amount of elements and information. And the characters gained specific animations for their euphoric rackets, which reinforces that desire to test everyone at least once.

The soundtrack maintains the very high level of Nintendo games, accompanying the frenetic pace with tracks full of energy, which dictate the rhythm of the most intense matches, while calmer variants appear in story mode and on courts with more exotic themes. Even without revolutionizing and even barely recovering the most iconic themes, it manages to excite, while mixing with sound effects and the hilarious comments of Flor Chatarela.

Mario Tennis Fever is perhaps the definitive edition for those who follow the franchise, due to its vast content, new mechanics, and attention to detail, in a triumphant and chaotic return, making it clear that Nintendo can understand what has already been done in the past, to expand its ideas and finally find the balance for those looking for games for fun with friends and depth on the court.