Mario Power Tennis

"Sadly, there are better Mario sports games."

Mario is a man of many talents, from hero to villain, from kart-racer to golfer. Mario Tennis is another of Mario's many ventures into the world of professional sports. On the N64, it did a good job of making a game like tennis into an interesting new experience for all ages. Now, Mario's tennis skills are on the Gamecube. Can Mario Power Tennis set the bar like the N64 game?

Graphics 8/10

Graphics have their traditional Mario style. Bright colors are everywhere. Even in some of the most basic levels, the entire screen bursts with colors. Mario and his crew are animated well and have many different techniques to use on the court. Basic lobs and serves look good and more advanced techniques look even better. The newest twist to Mario Tennis is the Power Shot, where the player executes some crazy, over-the-top technique to attack a serve or save a far-off shot. These are really cool to watch, from Mario's Hammer Attack to Diddy Kong's Rocketbarrel Boost. Each one feels new and is great to watch. The many minigames feature some interesting gimmicks, from playing tic-tac-toe with water to painting with paint blobs. The game screams bright colors which is great, despite the lack of a few more interesting techniques. Overall, great graphics.

Audio 7/10

Audio is standard. Mario and his buddies do have their small voice quips, as always. The ball smacks and lobs do sound good and differ depending on contact. Music is your traditional Mario tunes. But where is the new stuff? The audio in Mario Power Tennis is anything and everything you would expect from a Mario game of any type or genre. Good, but nothing new.

Gameplay 7/10

The great thing about Mario games is that they can make something completely standard and make it totally new by adding a bit of the Mario charm, while also making the gameplay not only accessible, but deep and fun. Mario Power Tennis, however, fails at making the game anything more than a normal tennis game with Mario tacked on.

The controls themselves are generally responsive and accessible. Using different combinations of the A and B buttons, you can perform slices, lobs, or other tennis standards. Using the L button, lunges can be performed. Using the X, Y, or R buttons, you can perform Power Shots, special techniques that can be either offensive or defensive. Now, you can execute a saving shot with the push of a button...and that's the problem. The Power Shots are ridiculously powerful; it's far too easy to score points on the AI players. Not only that, but you can easily regain the power needed to make another Power Shot, making them not only cheap, but far too overused to be of any challenge.

Mario Power Tennis offers different modes to choose from. Exhibition Mode allows for a quick Singles or Doubles game against the AI or another player. The Tournament Mode offers two different styles of play: Standard and Gimmick. Standard is a traditional tennis game on normal courts. Gimmick involves Mario-themed courts, each with their own twists and obstacles to overcome. In DK's, for example, Klaptraps will roam and hitting one will cause them to attack. These courts are fun for a little bit, but the shallow gameplay makes the game feel pretty stale. Not even the colorful assortment of Mario characters makes the gameplay any more than passable.

A highlight of the game is the interesting assortment of minigames. In these well-done sequences, Mario and crew must complete some pretty odd objectives, from painting a picture of Mario with paint blobs to gathering coins. These are surprisingly well-done and addictive to play. Each one has multiple difficulty levels to keep you coming back for more Mario mayhem. Best of all is the variety and challenge mixed into these minigames. Technique is essential in completing these sequences. The minigames are some of the best parts of Mario Power Tennis.

Mario Power Tennis tries to bring some Mario into the world of tennis but most of the technique in tennis is wasted due to the AI's abysmal level of challenge. Although they do get a little more difficult, the game's Power Shots don't deliver enough of an upgrade to constitute a full-fledged sequel and instead make the game too easy. Unless you're playing against another human opponent, the many different tennis moves will feel useless. Also, the lack of the plethora of modes seen in games like Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour make this game feel shallow for a Mario sports game. Quickly, you'll just feel like you're playing Pong. Don't get me wrong, Mario Power Tennis has some good minigames and fun multiplayer, but for a Mario game, it doesn't feel as smooth and complete as others.

Replay Value 7/10

There just isn't enough to do in this Mario sports game. While other Mario games like Mario Kart: Double Dash and Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour had plenty of single-player and multiplayer modes, Mario Power Tennis doesn't feel as deep. The gameplay is better when competing against a human opponent, however, but the lackluster AI isn't good enough. It does feel good to play doubles against some friends, but overall, Mario Power Tennis just feels weak.

Final Verdict 7/10

The other Gamecube Mario titles successfully expanded on the successful N64 series, but Mario Power Tennis did not. Some weak AI, lack of engaging modes, and unbalanced Power Shots brings the game down. However, the fun multiplayer and exceptionally entertaining minigames do provide a very fun time. Despite some good moments, Mario Power Tennis is merely rental-worthy unless you love Mario or tennis. If you love Mario, pick up Double Dash or Toadstool Tour. If you love tennis, well, Mario Power Tennis is passable, but really should've been better, especially for a Mario sports game.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 01/04/06