Prima Game of the Week | Mario Tennis Aces

Why You Should Play

• A wide variety of characters.
• Decent single player Adventure mode.
• Casual and tournament modes for online play.
• Optional motion controls provide a Wii Sports feel.

If you’ve liked any of the previous Mario sports titles, Mario Tennis Aces should be right up your alley. There are plenty of characters ready and available to play at launch, with several more coming for free over the next few months. With multiple character classes, each character offers something unique to create a fun tennis experience for people who just like to play games. You don’t have to be a tennis fan to enjoy your time with Mario Tennis Aces, but it probably helps if you’re a Nintendo fan.

Gameplay

As the title suggests, Mario Tennis Aces is a tennis game at its core. While there are plenty of Nintendo-themed stages and special power moves that make the game far more enjoyable for Nintendo fans than your typical tennis game, you’re still playing tennis. All of the characters have different attributes and abilities, meaning you can play around for some time before you find all the different nuances between the characters. In fact, despite being a tennis game, there are more than a few similarities between Mario Tennis Aces and fighting games.

The personalities of each character, the Toad commentary during matches, and the unique tennis courts really bring Mario Tennis Aces to life. If you’re a Nintendo fan, you’ll see what looks to be a traditional Mario format, going up against Bowser and other bad guys in the Adventure mode, but instead of collecting fire flowers and mushrooms, you’re playing tennis. Of course many of the courts offer unique hazards to keep things fun and entertaining, but there’s something here for tennis enthusiasts as well.

Players who enjoy tennis games or wish to take their skills to the next level can also find enjoyment in Mario Tennis Aces. The simple mode allows players to turn off all the fancy extras in the game and just play tennis. You’ll still have different shots and counters to each of those shots, but you won’t have to worry about super powered abilities, court hazards and other aspects that add the Mario to Mario Tennis Aces.

Visuals and Performance

Visually speaking, Mario Tennis Aces looks like most other Mario sports titles. Graphics have been improved from Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash on the Wii U, but it’s not a night and day difference, especially in docked mode. When playing in portable mode, the sharp screen make the graphics stand out a bit more, but it’s not a system showcase title.

Luckily you don’t need to have 4K ultra smooth graphics in a tennis game. The gameplay is smooth as silk in portable or docked mode, and with so many controller options there’s a little something for everyone. If you want to play it like Wii Sports, you can use motion controls. If you want to play with friends on the go, you can detach the Joy-Cons and play, or plug in your pro controller. There are so many different ways to play, people are bound to find an option that works well for them.

Game of the Week

Mario Tennis Aces is the latest release in what’s now become a long line of smash hit Nintendo Switch games. While it’s not quite the all-encompassing series defining entry like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, it offers almost everything a Mario Tennis fan could ask for, and that’s why it’s the Prima Game of the Week. Hop online and play some casual matches, or get into the June tournament before the month comes to an end.

While you’re at it, you can check out some tips and tricks, shot counters and more in our Mario Tennis Aces game hub! It’s filled with everything you need to raise your skills and take down the competition!