Mario Tennis

Written by Alan Rumpf  on September 02, 2000

Review: Who knew it was so much fun to bounce balls with a plumber?

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Mario Tennis features many different modes, although all basically the same. It is 1-4 players, and the single player modes are as follows:

Exhibition (Play a regular singles match, or doubles match with a computer controller partner)

Tournament (Compete in a singles or doubles tournament and win trophies)

Ring Shot (Try to get the ball through as many rings as possible, and win in different scenarios)

Bowser Stage (You can use items as you play on a topsy-turvy court)

Piranha Challenge (Face a barrage of balls from the Piranha Plants as well as an opponent)

Exhibition, Ring Shot, and Bowser Stage are the only three available in multiplayer, however Ring Shot has some different twists to it. I would have liked to see a Tournament mode for multiplayer but it does not really take away from the joy of the multiplayer experience. Multiplayer is as fun as ever, the fast paced action and easy learning curve is sure to make this game a hit at parties. Not for a long time has a multiplayer experience as enjoyable as Mario Tennis has come along. You and all your friends will have a host of characters to play as too. There are 14 of our favorite mascots playable at first with the addition of the newly introduce Waluigi (equivalent of Wario). There are also two secret characters that can be unlocked by performing certain deeds in the game. There are also four different surfaces to play on Hard, Clay, Grass, and Composition Courts. There are also three slots on the game to save games or tournaments in progress. No Controller Pak saves however. The game also features Rumble Pak compatibility to feel the blasts of the serves. Overall it's just the right mix of options and modes to keep the game well rounded.

The replay in Mario Tennis is what you would expect from any sports game...now multiply that by 10. While single player may run out of steam after you beat all the tournaments and unlock the two players, 2-4 player multiplayer games will keep this game in your N64 for a long time. The multiplayer experience is great, and time flies by as you say "just one more match!" Over all one of the best replay values for any game out there on the market today.