Mario Power Tennis Review - GC

The most versatile plumber in the history of the trade has swapped golf cleats for a pair of tennis shoes in Mario Power Tennis, the second sports game featuring Mario and crew on GameCube. Of course, the term “tennis” doesn’t quite do justice to developer Camelot’s distinctive take on the sport. Mario Power Tennis is packed with vibrant color, quirky animations, and enough personality to bring a smile to the crankiest gamer on the block – even the boorish Wario is having a blast in this game. While tennis purists will wrinkle their noses at the simple, arcade-style controls and unusually boisterous atmosphere, those who normally shun sports titles will find themselves embracing this game with open arms.

A Game with Character

It’s one thing to slap classic characters into an existing sports game. It’s quite another to make it seem like they belong there. Mario Power Tennis takes what Camelot learned while developing Mario Tennis on Nintendo 64 and upped the zaniness quotient by a factor of 10. Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Bowser are joined by the critter characters of the Super Mario franchise, including Shy Guy, Koopa Troopa, and Boo. Each character specializes in a particular skill, from power and technique to speed and being tricky. Making this group fun to play is the tangible differences in play style and control. Wario waddles his way across the court, while Waluigi (who debuted in 2000’s Mario Tennis) struts in such an exaggerated motion you’d think his feet were on fire.

Simple Strokes for Different Folks

If the controls were any easier, they’d be on autopilot. Only two buttons are used for 99 percent of the available shots, with the A button initiating topspin and the B button used for slice. Tapping the two buttons in sequence performs either lobs or drop shots, while pressing both buttons simultaneously results in smashes. As in the N64 game, players can hold each button to charge up shots for added power. Three control schemes differ in the amount of control players have in performing lunges or in selecting and activating power shots, which are new to the Mario Tennis series. The default setting has characters automatically lunging and selecting the appropriate power shot based on their position. All you have to worry about is deciding when to use a power shot, which offers its own strategy.

Power Trip

Power shots are best described as a character’s special attack, which are activated by pressing the left shoulder button whenever a character’s racket glows. Each contestant has his, her, or, in the case of Shy Guy, “its” own shot for offense and defense. For example, Diddy Kong’s offensive stroke calls upon the strength of the almighty banana for a wicked curve. His defensive shot, on the other hand, has him strapping on a barrel and launching into the air to hit the ball from anywhere on the court. Activating each power shot triggers a short animation sequence that helps opposing players determine its characteristics. You then have time to react by getting into position or activating one of your own power shots. One of Peach’s moves has her blowing a kiss that gently pushes the ball over the net as a lob, which is easy to counter once you know what you are looking for. Donkey Kong’s cannon ball blast, however, literally scorches the court in a streak of fire, making it difficult to stop unless you have split-second timing -- so a defensive power shot of your own may be needed just to make contact.

Fast-paced Fun

None of the game modes are particularly long or in-depth, but what they lack in longevity they more than make up for in entertainment. The main mode, tournament, is an eight-character competition to win one of an assortment of cups. The tournaments are over quickly, since you only have to play a total of three matches, and earlier matches are short sets. Yet winning a cup in either doubles or singles play opens up additional tournaments, reveals a hidden character, or unlocks new options in exhibition mode, so the replay value is high. The special games mode offers multiple challenges to complete on each themed court. These tasks range from whacking a tennis ball at roaming ghosts in front of Luigi’s mansion to blasting a mechanical Bowser from the lava pit featured in Super Mario 64. Once you complete a task in the allotted time, a more difficult challenge opens up.

Pranks for the Memories

Even the exhibition mode is worthwhile, since you have options outside of playing a straight game on the featured courts. An alternate gimmick mode brings a court’s scenery elements to life to wreak havoc on players. Wario’s factory from the Wario Ware games can be played on an active conveyor belt, for example, while Donkey Kong’s jungle has Klaptraps grabbing onto an opposing player’s leg after being hit by a tennis ball. Other modes include ring challenges, where the object is to aim the ball through rings while also winning points. Item battle throws a Mario Kart-style wrinkle on the competition, with the ability to hit boxes filled with power-ups or projectiles like koopa shells, banana peels, and stars.

Supa Dupa Koopa

As slick as Mario Power Tennis is from a gameplay standpoint, there are a few “faults” in the overall package. For starters, the character selection could have benefited from more of Nintendo’s franchises, and the voices are weak. Mario still sounds like he’s been kicked in the meatballs. It’s also a little disappointing that there’s no stat tracking or custom profile feature for competitive-minded players. The lack of a true career mode or create-a-player feature is also a letdown, as is the inability to acquire additional special moves or to put points into improving a character’s core abilities. Of course, the focus of Mario Power Tennis is fun, and it delivers that in spades. If you’re in the mood for some wacky solo tennis or are craving multiplayer mayhem, you’ll find Mario Power Tennis serves up nothing but aces.