Mario Tennis Aces

Mario Tennis Aces is ultimately a solid party game whose weak spots mainly lie in the peripheral areas like the campaign, swing mode, and fairly limited customization. The core gameplay is enjoyable and takes center stage in the addictive, fun multiplayer modes.

Mario Tennis Aces is one of the best arcade tennis simulators on the market, especially when played with friends, but a lack of content will see many lose interest rather quickly.

It speaks volumes that even the multiplayer limitations don't entirely dampen my enthusiasm for Aces. The Tetris Effect is in full swing here; days after the credits rolled, I still crave the satisfying thwack from a Power Shot, mentally replay matches and imagine how I might do things differently given a bit more focus and know-how. Mario Tennis Aces does what this series has done best, and for the most part, improves what it's rarely gotten right prior.

Mario Tennis Aces doesn’t quite excel in all of the ways that it could have, but the core mechanics and multiplayer action are so good, it’s still worth diving in for some quality Mario Tennis action.

What’s included in Mario Tennis Aces makes the game a great choice for Mario and tennis fans alike, and we can see dedicated players competing in high-level player over the next few months, but we wish there was more meat. Unless you plan on becoming really good at online player, or constantly have visitors at your home, you’ll be limited to only a few modes, none of which are likely to keep you entertained for more than an hour or so at a time. For a commute, or something to play before work or bed, it does the job — but don’t expect it to keep your attention throughout the summer.

Mario Tennis Aces may not be quite as engaging as the Nintendo 64 game, but it’s a significant improvement over the poorly-received Ultra Smash on the Wii U.

Mario Tennis Aces has a chance at being a great game down the road. Right now, it's simply good. The gameplay is as addictive as ever and the Adventure Mode is a great way to educate people on the ins and outs of Mario Tennis. It's just missing features that, while small, make a world of difference when it comes to the longevity of the game. I want to play Aces for the rest of the Switch lifecycle, but right now it's not giving me much of a reason to keep booting it up.

Mario Tennis Aces is a solid Tennis game with some fresh ideas that breathes life into this franchise, but the package is not as complete as we would've preferred.

It plays a cracking game of tennis, both with simple mechanics or the enhanced ones and you'll certainly have fun with friends. For the solo player, you'll breeze through the tournaments with ease, though, and that Adventure mode is one of THE most infuriating gaming experiences I've ever encountered, which is a shame.

A highly entertaining and surprisingly nuanced multiplayer game that comes up short with its single-player offering.

Probably the best Mario Tennis game since the N64 era, but the trick shots can still frustrate and the story campaign is a disappointment.

Neither easy nor unforgiving, it makes you wonder who Aces is really for; stalwart Mario fans may love the premise but find the complex combos tricky to master, whilst tennis purists may love the core game, but also struggle to adjust to those special abilities...That said, it’s beautiful, it’s polished, and it will likely be a smash hit for anyone who’s been waiting all these years for a complex and challenging Mario tennis game.

Mario Tennis Aces is a good tennis game let down by an Adventure Mode that often feels as though it's cheating you.

It’s the best of Mario Tennis and Wii Sports motion tennis rolled into one game, but in distinct and very seperate modes, it just lacks one thing: being able to play a proper set of tennis.

Mario Tennis Aces looks and performs as well as anything you'd expect from the House of 'Tache, but its family friendly appearance disguises a brutally difficult single player experience that will surely alienate younger players. With a high skill threshold, it also loses out on the simple delights of pick up and play local multiplayer, but for those willing to put in the time and effort there's still enjoyment to be found in its surprisingly challenging, albeit embellished, take on the sport.

Mario Tennis Aces is a solid but incomplete title, which also lacks that note of color and imagination that we loved in Mario Power Tennis for GameCube. The technical and rewarding control system promotes competitive confrontation, and if Nintendo plans to frequently update the game with new contents and events, we will surely have a lot of fun for a long time.

Play through the story mode until you take out the first boss and you should have a good grip on how the game is played, once there I suggest you stop before the game turns you into a gibbering gibbon of pure hatred. Take that part as a tutorial and then play against your friends and you’ll have a whale of a time. I put the game in front of my family members, and for the first time ever I saw interactions that wouldn’t look out of place in a Switch infomercial, they were having pure, unadulterated fun and that’s where this game’s magic lies.

If you absolutely adore Waluigi as a character, you need to own Mario Tennis Aces for him alone. [Issue #35 – September/October 2018, p. 60]

Mario Tennis Aces isn’t a terrible game, but is a forgettable one. Online doesn’t work consistently, Adventure mode is pretty boring and uninspired, and there is a smattering of content. The game just lacks the heart that Nintendo titles have, and this leaves us with a bland and forgettable game that doesn’t do anything interesting. It’s not bad if you are just looking to get some friends or family together to play a few matches, but don’t expect the appeal to last much further than that.

There are too many caveats, too many pieces that have to fall into place to experience Aces at its very best. And yet a game between two evenly-matched characters and similarly-skilled human players is an unfettered joy. [Issue#322, p.122]

Mario Tennis Aces just feels lacking in ever sense of the world. Lacking real tennis rules, basic quality of life options, series staple characters, and really any personality at all.

Mario Tennis Aces has a lot more in common with fighting games than anything else. Zone Shots and Special Shots are basically the equivalent of an expertly-executed combo or special move, and consequently, can render a point to feel cheaply won in a flash. With no ranked mode available or cosmetic rewards to earn, there's not much to really keep players coming back to it either. Online Tournament and Free Play are fine and scratch the tennis itch, but fail to incite a competitive spirit. Overall with Mario Tennis Aces' lackluster (though sometimes exciting) Adventure Mode, finally-stable online modes, and the unique characterizations of every character, there's a solid package here, even if it doesn't feel like it has legs for the long term.

From the initial outset, Mario Tennis Aces looks and sounds like it should, with vibrant colours and familiar sounds. Camelot has gone far enough to refine the controls and gameplay to feel ostensibly different from other tennis games. However, the back to basics approach has left behind the legacy, rendering this as a title that has a severe lack of content when compared to the past greats.