Mario Tennis Fever Review (Switch 2)

My active involvement in physical sports has seen a much painful hit since adulting took over. But my love for sports hasn’t faded away. Tennis has long held my keen interest. And while I may struggle to keep up with playing matches physically, video games are the one buddy I can rely on to always deliver. 

Most recently, the new Nintendo Switch 2 hybrid console has received its first sports game: Mario Tennis Fever. Now, this is far from playing the actual tennis game itself. But it does scratch the itch for tennis joy. That amazing feeling when you smack the ball just right remains true here. 

With it being an arcade sports type of game, less demanding than realistic simulations, it just might be the perfect fit for you to leisurely sustain your passion for tennis or join the fray anew. But first, have Camelot and Nintendo delivered on quantity and quality? Let’s find out in our Mario Tennis Fever review below.

Sweet Distractions

Far from the idea that sports games are all serious business, Mario Tennis Fever doubles down on purely chaos and joy. It features a story mode that doesn’t take itself too seriously as Mario games often do. This time, the Mushroom Kingdom’s beloveds have been transformed into babies by a strange curse. And the only way to return to normal is for baby Mario to go through the Tennis Academy, relearn tennis basics, and finally become the champion he is meant to be.

Obviously, the content here is stupid. Analyze it too closely, and you’ll surely come away with frustration. The characters, while having their flamboyant charms in speech and behavior, otherwise, don’t have complex personalities. They aren’t the profound characters you’ll find in adventure games and RPGs. But they sure will entertain you, thanks largely to their whopping variety (38 total), alongside fun costume customization options.

The talking flower from Super Mario Wonder Bros. Wonder is also here, and adds fun commentaries while you tackle tennis matches.  Feel free to switch his commentaries, though, when they start to get repetitive or straight-up annoying. I must say, character designs also knock the ball out of the park. Such delightful detail and textures –the best Mario has ever been, helped a ton by Nintendo Switch 2’s supreme capabilities.

Environments, as well, look absolutely gorgeous, along with the fun cutscenes and fluid animations. And the sound isn’t neglected, either, whether the music or the bombastic sound effects, as you smack the ball back at the opponent. It’s all a fun, charming package that makes any issues with the story’s weak writing and nonsensical plot easy to ignore. Plus, the story doesn’t overstay its welcome, wrapping up at just about four hours or so.

Down to Business

See, the story mode is more rightly the tutorial. And a shockingly basic one at that. It teaches you everything about tennis, down to the very basics, so much so that it starts to feel annoying. But all well and good, in preparation for the minigames, challenges, and boss battles. All, easy to cruise through, before things start to get a little more serious. 

Tournaments are back to test your knowledge against diverse characters. Time Trials, however, are new and a touch more intense. They have a gauntlet of set challenges you need to beat with limited lives. But you have special matches as well, to keep solo players busy with a variety of tennis. Those that turn the court into a hazardous danger zone. Some that add pinball bumpers, flippers, and slingshots. So much variety that keeps matches refreshing. 

You even have more difficult challenges for high achievers. Say, cruising through matches without taking damage. And overall, Mario Tennis Fever feels pretty content-heavy, unlike the sparse content Nintendo sports games have given us in the past. Well, still not yet on the level of Super Mario Bros. Some reigning champions in gaming aren’t easily slain. 

Yet, I still reckon multiplayer is more fun. Even with the generous roster, the varied match types and challenges, and the story mode Vis-à-vis tutorial, I still reckon players will have more fun playing Mario Tennis Fever with their friends, locally or online. 

Switch It Up

My reason for writing off solo play is the structure of the matches themselves. Firstly, unlocking the full roster creates an overwhelming need for experimentation. And what better way than challenging opponents to a fight? That way, you can test your mettle against others, switching up characters with every match to find the ones that fit best with your tennis skills and style. 

Characters not only offer unique appearances and animations, but also movement and skills. Some are slower but stronger. Others just look delightful wiggling about on the court. And experimentation helps to cement your go-to. The same goes for the courts, although with fewer types. Turning the court into a pinball machine or having pipes grow out of the ground creates room for discovery of how other players might approach different obstacles, and learning from their tactics. 

Add to that the huge variety of rackets you can use to switch up your play. And you have too much incentive to dive into multiplayer. The rackets, especially, are a game-changer. “Fever rackets,” they’re called, have different special abilities. But first, you’ll need to fill up the Fever meter by rallying opponents and hitting shots. Once full, you can unleash a Fever Shot, which is like a power-up that can either buff your stats, serve up offense strategies against the opponent, or put up defense. 

Game Changer

I call the Fever Shots a game-changer because of how chaotic they can be. Launch a mudslide on the opponent. Fling fireballs at them. Charge dopplegangers of yourself on the court. Or simply buff your health. The options and variety feel limitless, and when used at the perfect opportunity and moment, they can easily be the secret weapon you need to win. 

It gets more interesting when you discover clever ways of combining your character, court, and racket choices. Say, using characters who move faster to combat the opponent’s Fire Shot that slows you down. Matches, I feel, can get as strategic or as chaotic as you (and your opponent) like. Whether it’s a quick brawl or a friendly competition over game night.

Speaking of, Mario Tennis Fever fits nearly perfectly into the game night mold. It’s very easy for anyone to pick up and play, thanks to its smooth and accessible controls. A simple press of a corresponding button relays the type of shot you’d like to make, whether a drop or body shot. Finesse that with a curve swing, which actually has a Joy-Con Wii or Nintendo Switch Sports option for the Swing solo mode. 

It’s all very tight and responsive, leaving you to focus purely on strategy and experimentation. After several matches, you also discover more depth. Say, the Fever Shots, and how they actually only activate when the ball bounces. So, your Fever Shot could very well be used against you when you’re not too careful. Not to mention how limited Fever Shots are by the meter, and only two charges per match. 

Time Out

And so, it’s all the more crucial to assess your court and roster selection, but also your racket, and when’s the best time to use your cards against the opponent. Perhaps your opponent has taken too much damage and has to sit out a doubles match. This leaves them vulnerable to a Fever Shot that limits their reach. Position matters a ton, as much as your shot and swing. Have that locked in, and you can try out the relatively more competitive multiplayer ranked matches.

Here’s where I presume Mario Tennis Fever players will be spending most of their time. Even if just in short bursts while winding down from a long day or a party game, that raises the mood and energy levels. The question is how much longer Mario Tennis Fever will remain relevant. How replayable will it be, weeks and months from now? 

Verdict

Only time will tell whether Mario Tennis Fever sticks its landing for weeks and months to come. With most Nintendo sports games losing momentum over time, it might face the same risk of redundancy. But you cannot deny how content-heavy the game is. It’s the one thing Camelot delivers on beyond expectations. Just so much variety, be it the roster, match types, or courts. And especially when it comes to switching things up on the opponent mid-match using Fever Rackets. 

Combined with how smooth and responsive the controls are and how the game looks and feels, Mario Tennis Fever is well on its way to becoming among the best Nintendo Switch 2 games currently on the market. So, what say you? Will you be getting a copy of your own for $69.99? A little steep for what it offers. Nintendo just can’t seem to get pricing right. But certainly, a worthwhile playthrough.