Mario Tennis Aces

 Switch
User Score
7.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 605 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 321 out of 605
  2. Mixed: 170 out of 605
  3. Negative: 114 out of 605
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  1. StoneColdBread
    Jul 17, 2018
    6
    Tough to give the game a 6 when I can honestly say that I really enjoy the game. Below I made two lists of what, I believe, are the game's good characteristics and what are the bad ones.

    The Good: 1. Online Play has a fun tournament style matchmaking system 2. Standard Mode (with the energy/special moves) is actually REALLY FUN and good for competitive play 3. Shorter matches makes    Tough to give the game a 6 when I can honestly say that I really enjoy the game. Below I made two lists of what, I believe, are the game's good characteristics and what are the bad ones.

    The Good:
    1. Online Play has a fun tournament style matchmaking system
    2. Standard Mode (with the energy/special moves) is actually REALLY FUN and good for competitive
    play
    3. Shorter matches makes a ton of sense and feels right
    4. Playing with friends is fun

    The Bad:
    1. ELO system for matchmaking needs to be better (currently you could be matched with anyone
    regardless of skill, only matters what stage of the tournament you're in)
    2. Adventure Mode is boring and not too challenging for the most part
    3. COM Tournaments are too easy for all three cups
    4. Characters need to be balanced (Looking at you Bowser Jr.)

    Final Recommendation:
    I would recommend this game for fans of the series who can play with friends often or want to get online and smash some rackets. However, I would not recommend the game for anyone who is thinking of just playing it's (very short) story mode.

    *IF Nintendo adds online Doubles so that I can play with friends I will give this game a 7/10 but as of today that is not the case.    … Expand
  2. Wsm87
    Jul 18, 2018
    6
    I loved the original Mario Tennis back on the 64 (obsessively so) - sadly this doesn't seem to have the same magic. It's a fun game with some serious flaws (online balancing, latency issues, terrible character balancing etc) that just make it a tad less than the special game I'd been hoping for.
  3. GoldyTrez
    Oct 31, 2019
    6
    This one ain't that great. The gameplay mechanics are great, but all the side content is lacking and the courts don't reach close to the creativity from the older games. This game is greater with friends, like every party game.
  4. 2bitplayss
    Mar 16, 2021
    6
    the game is fine its not bad but it doesnt have the same charm as mario power tennis the menu feels bland. the gameplay is fine not the biggest fan of the zone shot things. i also wish there where extra fun game modes like in power tennis like fighting a mecha bowser painting a wall defeating ghosts running from a chainchomp you know stuff like that.. i also wish there where more uniquethe game is fine its not bad but it doesnt have the same charm as mario power tennis the menu feels bland. the gameplay is fine not the biggest fan of the zone shot things. i also wish there where extra fun game modes like in power tennis like fighting a mecha bowser painting a wall defeating ghosts running from a chainchomp you know stuff like that.. i also wish there where more unique wacky characters the roster is kinda generic. again its not bad but ive seen better (mario power tennis)… Expand
  5. Quizoid
    Jun 24, 2018
    6
    The basic game play of Mario Tennis Aces is on point. The new system, with limited brackets that break, interplay with the normal rules of tennis to create interesting, on the fly strategic decisions. It's really fantastic. Do you try and block that power shot with perfect timing, or just let it go by so you don't risk damaging your racket? What choice you make depends on where you are inThe basic game play of Mario Tennis Aces is on point. The new system, with limited brackets that break, interplay with the normal rules of tennis to create interesting, on the fly strategic decisions. It's really fantastic. Do you try and block that power shot with perfect timing, or just let it go by so you don't risk damaging your racket? What choice you make depends on where you are in the match and how much life is left in your racket; and what choice you make can be the difference between a win or loss. The basic, arcade game play of Mario Tennis Aces was exceptionally well-designed.

    Everything else is unfinished and sub par for a AAA Nintendo game. I really wish they took more time to make a quality game than do what they did.

    When I say, "unfinished" I mean that literally. I honestly think Nintendo did not finish this game before they put it out. Examples:

    1. You can only pick stages randomly in free play. As an inconvenient workaround, you can toggle stages on and off (effectively letting you choose if you toggle everything off but the one you want).
    2. You can't play doubles in tournament mode. You can only do doubles in local and online free play.
    3. The main campaign has to do with collecting "Power Stones." When you get one, a magical chest opens, dramatically revealing... nothing. The way the shots are composed, it really looks like something was supposed to be floating out of that. There's even one shot where the camera zooms way back after a chest opens. I can just see, in my mind's eye, the Power Stone floating up out of the chest: the power stone they never made.
    4. Some challenges in the story campaign involve doing certain things within a time limit. Many challenges have several phases. In good game design, they will give the player a time bonus, or reset the time, after each phase. This way, if the player takes so long on phase one that they'll never have time to finish phase three, the game just cuts the player off right there (instead of pointlessly letting them play phase 2). In the early part of adventure mode, the game is designed this way. In the later part of adventure mode, you get your time up front in a big lump. I think they meant to go back in later and divide it out, but just never did.

    Ever since the 80s, the "Nintendo Seal of Quality" has meant something. I worry about the direction of this company if they continue pushing out unfinished products like this one.    … Expand
  6. KingOfRock
    Jun 23, 2018
    7
    Mario Tennis Aces is a good game, but not a great game. Now, the game itself is serviceable, but there are some questionable decisions Nintendo made on this. I'm sure in the future some of these problems will be patched out, so in a couple months my review may come off as a bit silly and I'm willing to accept that, but I'm reviewing the version I played on launch.

    There's really 2 major    Mario Tennis Aces is a good game, but not a great game. Now, the game itself is serviceable, but there are some questionable decisions Nintendo made on this. I'm sure in the future some of these problems will be patched out, so in a couple months my review may come off as a bit silly and I'm willing to accept that, but I'm reviewing the version I played on launch.

    There's really 2 major issues I have with this game. The first is there's no option to play a traditional tennis match. I don't understand that decision. That's honestly the biggest issue I have. It's sold as a tennis game, but plays more like a tennis-lite game. The matches are just so much shorter and I don't like that too much. Apparently a lot of people in Europe have actually been trying to get refunded because they found the title a bit misleading because of this. I wouldn't go that far, but I do think it hurts the game. Not enough to ruin it, but it certainly doesn't help.

    Another issue is, and this is the one I think will be patched first, but why is there no option to retry a level in adventure mode? That's far more frustrating than it sounds like. Especially if you're down to the point you're sure you'll lose then you want to just play again from the beginning to speed things up but you can't. So your options are lose or quit. Either way, you'll be forced to watch the cutscene afterwards. For some reason you can skip the cutscene before matches but not after. I don't understand that.

    But, it's not all negative. The core gameplay is still solid. The controls are smooth and the adventure mode is still a great addition, even if it has its flaws. The graphics are great. I truly love them. And overall, it's a good game. But it's not great. It stops too short of being great to truly make me recommend buying this.    … Expand
  7. sscott0829tw
    Jun 22, 2018
    7
    Well it's way more better than ultra smash.
    The story mode is a bit lazy without many cutscene, the plot is laughable but it get it's job done. it features many cool levels and bosses, and take you a while to complete the story mode.
    The game mechanic is fun and challenging and takes time to master it. Both standard and simple mode need a bit of skill to defeat your component. The    Well it's way more better than ultra smash.
    The story mode is a bit lazy without many cutscene, the plot is laughable but it get it's job done. it features many cool levels and bosses, and take you a while to complete the story mode.
    The game mechanic is fun and challenging and takes time to master it.
    Both standard and simple mode need a bit of skill to defeat your component.
    The swing mode is a bit weird and sometimes the actions feel laggy, but it's pretty fun and you can do a lot of exercise.
    I hope the game can add some co-op mode or something for this to become a better game.    … Expand
  8. EnerjuBitsu
    Jun 22, 2018
    7
    Don't believe the hype, the game is okay but it's definitely not amazing. The first game is better.

    Pros + Gameplay feels weighter + Graphics are much nicer than the original + The switch's capabilities make it so that tournaments are larger and overall the game feels like a mario themed tennis game more than the first. Cons - Clunky controls, the controls always seem to respond    Don't believe the hype, the game is okay but it's definitely not amazing. The first game is better.

    Pros
    + Gameplay feels weighter
    + Graphics are much nicer than the original
    + The switch's capabilities make it so that tournaments are larger and overall the game feels like a mario themed tennis game more than the first.

    Cons
    - Clunky controls, the controls always seem to respond correctly to my opponents but it's touch and go with me, no matter how hard I press the buttons and my switch is relatively new
    - lack of customization. Seriously, they have a faux RPG system in the single player but it's ultimately meaningless. Same with the rackets.
    - Really frustrating online. It seems like you get matched with people either way better at the game than you or the controls respond more fluidly to them and not to you, even if you do the same thing as them.
    - Single player is kind of a joke. Feels ramshackled in and not a lot of effort was put into it. The focus is clearly on the single-player tournaments and online tournaments as opposed to any sort of campaign. Which is fine if you like that sort of thing but I vastly preferred the RPG elements in the original DS game.

    All-in-all, it's an okay sports game. If you like sports games, then perhaps this is for you. I was hoping for a revamped system of the old game so, in my opinion, this is not worth the $60 price tag I paid for it. That being said, it's not a bad game if you know what you're in for.    … Expand
  9. SketchingMoose
    Jun 24, 2018
    7
    Best Mario Tennis since the N64, but not a masterpiece.
    The game plays great, as you would expect.
    Unfortunately, the single player mode doesn't make you feel like you are doing anything worthwhile. The only thing you really unlock is new arenas. All the characters (except DLC and future free updates) are unlocked at the start. The only additional skin (for Mario) was available through    Best Mario Tennis since the N64, but not a masterpiece.
    The game plays great, as you would expect.
    Unfortunately, the single player mode doesn't make you feel like you are doing anything worthwhile. The only thing you really unlock is new arenas. All the characters (except DLC and future free updates) are unlocked at the start. The only additional skin (for Mario) was available through the Demo. The story mode lets you acquire different, unique looking rackets, but they are only used in the Story Mode and aside from some minor stat changes, they don't offer any cool effects (fire, ice, etc)
    What I BELIEVE they needed to do for this to be worth $60 was to, at the very least, allow us to unlock characters, skins, rackets, and a number of courts to be used in Free Play mode or Multiplayer mode so we can feel a sense of accomplishment as we play. Perhaps an in-game currency from winning matches or progressing through the Story Mode to purchase these items in a shop.
    I am hoping that this game get's the Splatoon treatment and gets a lot of Free DLC and update support in the coming year to help flesh out the content in the game and/or address some concerns many have with the in-game options.

    Aside from my 'What-If' wish list, a few things you should know:
    + Large roster of characters, many are quirky and unique in how they play.
    + Single player mode has fun and unique challenges that will test your skills
    + As expected, audio and visuals are stellar. (the sound of the tennis ball is so satisfying)
    + The gameplay is great and is fun to play. You will find a lot of enjoyment in playing matches.
    - Cannot play standard tennis Game-Set-Match in free play mode (only First to 10 points)
    - Cannot select an arena in free play mode / multiplayer
    - Single player mode, while unique and fun, feels empty in its reward system.
    - Most of the game forces you to use new mechanics (which are fine, but sometimes you want to play the simple, old school way of playing with no trick shots, etc)
    - $60 price tag seems hefty for a game with features such as this one has.

    Final Verdict: If you love Mario Tennis games of old and can look past the cost, pick it up. If you just enjoy the past iterations of this game and are interested in checking it out, keep your eyes open for a good deal for a used copy on ebay. This game is worth some playtime.    … Expand
  10. awolcz
    Jun 27, 2018
    6
    The game is ok. Core gameplay is really fun, but with some problems with balancing. There are like 2 OP characters and trick-shots are often abused by players (back and forth trick-shot spamming). Another problem is that there is not enough content. There are no unlockables, no customisation options, no mini-games and really bad and short story mode. This game is a missed opportunity. ItThe game is ok. Core gameplay is really fun, but with some problems with balancing. There are like 2 OP characters and trick-shots are often abused by players (back and forth trick-shot spamming). Another problem is that there is not enough content. There are no unlockables, no customisation options, no mini-games and really bad and short story mode. This game is a missed opportunity. It could be so much better... Not worth $60 in a current state.… Expand
  11. leasemonkey
    Jul 6, 2018
    7
    Playing this game made me compelled to make an account on here.

    As others might have said, the gameplay is really solid, but there's a lot of incredibly frustrating clunkiness that can't be overlooked. I will elaborate. -Can't retry in story mode objectives. I am not the best gamer, I admit, and some of those challenges are really challenging. I get the feeling that the fun part is    Playing this game made me compelled to make an account on here.

    As others might have said, the gameplay is really solid, but there's a lot of incredibly frustrating clunkiness that can't be overlooked. I will elaborate.

    -Can't retry in story mode objectives. I am not the best gamer, I admit, and some of those challenges are really challenging. I get the feeling that the fun part is doing them over and over again. And that's fine, but do I really have to see Mario and Toad shrug and wait 2 minutes on loading EVERY. SINGLE. TIME? I just wanna play the game! This whole situation shovels even more frustration onto a pile of some pretty frustrating objectives. Perhaps this was done to add "fear of death" to the game, so you have to face some sort of punishment for losing. In this kind of game, I fail to see the point in that.

    -UNINTUITIVE CONTROLS. I try to lob and instead I do a flip and miss the ball. I know that there's a way to avoid this, but it's counter intuitive when every other shot you want to mash the button down to get the max effect.

    -Difficulty spikes. Some things are pretty easy and some things are unexpectedly hard. A lot of swapping back and forth. I beat the second boss on the first try, but the "mid boss" before that took a lot of time. Which is good, I like challenge and it forced me to use all my shots. However, I've always, always hated timers in games (besides racing games and 'real' sports games) and it's just such a kick in the guts to have to deal with all this stuff. Plus your timer is your "health". I'd rather have a real health bar, and I don't like the "challenge" that having to complete a boss on a timer adds. AT LEAST SPLIT THE TIMER SO YOU CAN'T GO INTO A NEW PHASE WITH NO HOPE OF WINNING.

    There is a great game underneath these things, and Nintendo has put out great game after great game on both the Wii U and the Switch, with some misses, like the Wii U Mario Tennis.

    This game makes up for that, but it's frustrating in so many ways. It feels incomplete, and in some ways downright sadistic.

    It's like if someone handed you a Terry's Chocolate Orange and one of the slices was made of orange-flavored human feces.

    Yeah it's all the same color, and it's still MOSTLY chocolate, but...    … Expand
  12. milazar90
    Jun 28, 2018
    7
    I'm definitely enjoying my first few days of Mario Tennis Aces gameplay and overall have to say the idea of an adventure mode came off quite well. Although, like many other reviewers here, I feel like some things seem to be missing or unfinished.

    Why is it such a big deal to reclaim power stones in adventure mode, yet you never physically get to see any of them? Open the treasure chest    I'm definitely enjoying my first few days of Mario Tennis Aces gameplay and overall have to say the idea of an adventure mode came off quite well. Although, like many other reviewers here, I feel like some things seem to be missing or unfinished.

    Why is it such a big deal to reclaim power stones in adventure mode, yet you never physically get to see any of them? Open the treasure chest in a Zelda game and what happens? Usually you see the treasure, no? When you receive a new tennis racket you do get to see it, so this is just a glaring exclusion.

    There are other minor things as well, such as the font being unusually small on menu screens at times, or failing to add the crucial "Retry" button for the most frustrating challenges and then suffer annoying failure dialogue multiple times.

    What I love: the difficulty, overcoming the learning curve, online play, and boss/sub boss level designs.
    It's a great game and feels like a worthy successor to the Mario Tennis series, it only seems that despite their best intentions, Nintendo definitely shot themselves in the foot with a rush job.    … Expand
  13. AudioSuede
    Jun 28, 2018
    7
    Mechanically, Aces is a fun throwback to classic arcade sports games. It's tight and satisfying, with nail-biting matchups possible every time. But it's not without its flaws. Load times make failing a mission in the Adventure mode a slog (as others have pointed out, the lack of a "restart" or "retry" option is baffling and infuriating). Many missions are incredibly difficult to the pointMechanically, Aces is a fun throwback to classic arcade sports games. It's tight and satisfying, with nail-biting matchups possible every time. But it's not without its flaws. Load times make failing a mission in the Adventure mode a slog (as others have pointed out, the lack of a "restart" or "retry" option is baffling and infuriating). Many missions are incredibly difficult to the point of cruelty. The story is slapdash and the seemingly endless dialogue is tedious. But when it comes to playing with friends, the game shines, and having the ability to turn off special moves and energy bars gives people who just want a simple tennis game a chance to relive the joys of classic titles like Virtua Tennis.… Expand
  14. Malooga
    Jun 22, 2018
    7
    *TIME SAVER REVIEW*

    It's fun enough. Wait for a sale unless you are a die-hard Mario Tennis fan. Plays like all other Mario sports titles, not much here in terms of redefining the genre.

    Better with two players, but fun single player as well. The story is kind of a wash but who expected a masterful story about a plumber playing tennis?

    7/10 - A $40 price tag or lower.
  15. Captiosus
    Jun 24, 2018
    6
    Probably the first purchase I've made for my Switch that I'm disappointed in. Based on the pre-release marketing and the Treehouse Live at E3 gameplay displays, I was certain this game was going to appeal to both single players AND multiplayer-centric players. It looked like it was going to be a solid single player RPG style Tennis game with an Adventure mode and progressively harderProbably the first purchase I've made for my Switch that I'm disappointed in. Based on the pre-release marketing and the Treehouse Live at E3 gameplay displays, I was certain this game was going to appeal to both single players AND multiplayer-centric players. It looked like it was going to be a solid single player RPG style Tennis game with an Adventure mode and progressively harder tournaments for players to level through and get better with. Sadly, this is not the case.

    Adventure mode is really just a lengthy tutorial with a fixed difficulty setting. The computer AI in tournament mode is so ridiculously easy that I was able to win all three tournaments using the same extended volley shot cheese. The AI NEVER adapted. Free play is the only place where you can truly have difficult matches, but only if you set the AI to pro.

    It looks like the bulk of this game is designed around multiplayer tournaments and local multiplayer. If you're not interested in either for whatever reason, your enjoyment of this game will be short lived and it will simply become a casual "I feel like doing an AI match for a few minutes" game. Not really worth $60 in that case, in my opinion.

    Also, rather than repeat what he said, everything Quizoid said in his review about the game feeling unfinished is on point.    … Expand
  16. askeptic
    Jun 22, 2018
    5
    Typical Metacritic, people giving this game 10's and 0's, none of which are even close to being accurate. Here is a short to the point review from someone who actually bought the game: This is another release by Nintendo that leaves much to be desired. Has Nintendo completely lost their magic lately? This game is the very basics of Tennis, almost only including what they needed to squeakTypical Metacritic, people giving this game 10's and 0's, none of which are even close to being accurate. Here is a short to the point review from someone who actually bought the game: This is another release by Nintendo that leaves much to be desired. Has Nintendo completely lost their magic lately? This game is the very basics of Tennis, almost only including what they needed to squeak by. The lack of customization and repetitive game play leave much to be desired on the court. If Nintendo had priced this at 50% of what they are currently asking, it may of been a decision to make, but as it stands, I wish I never purchased this game. Is it the worst game i've played - no, not even close. However it is far from good. From the outside looking in, it would appear that Nintendo is now pushing games out too fast just to say they have a title on the Switch. Shame.… Expand
  17. ANKPlays
    Jun 22, 2018
    5
    Mario Tennis Aces isnt perfect. Far from it. I'd go as far to say the game isn't worth your money, let alone at full price. Yes, it looks nice, Yes, it has a decent amount of characters for a sports game, yes, the music is nice, but the gameplay is frustrating and tricky. You can say that I'm only complaining because I'm bad, but some of the reasons for losing are outright stupid. TheMario Tennis Aces isnt perfect. Far from it. I'd go as far to say the game isn't worth your money, let alone at full price. Yes, it looks nice, Yes, it has a decent amount of characters for a sports game, yes, the music is nice, but the gameplay is frustrating and tricky. You can say that I'm only complaining because I'm bad, but some of the reasons for losing are outright stupid. The story mode is basically a well-overstayed tutorial, that you are required to beat to unlock all the stages. The simple mode is just ACES tennis minus the fun, and freestyle is buggy and also unfun, even with friends. The online can be really laggy and I will get disconnected and removed from tournaments, sometimes even penalized, for no reason. My internet is very stable and runs other switch games smoothly, so it's absolutely the games fault. You cant pick the stage you want, and you can't customize match length. The game is definitely a step up from Ultra Smash because at least the gimmick this time around isn't as terrible. This game isn't worth 60$. It is worth 20$ at Best. Nintendo really needs to proof their games more and remove the rage factors if they plan on marketing towards kids. This game is mediocre, and once again, not worth your money. There are much better games on the switch than this.… Expand
  18. YourVillain
    Jun 26, 2018
    7
    The controls are tedious and irrelevant to actual tennis (more like a tennis/fighting hybrid). The Adventure Mode is overhyped and worthless. The local multiplayer is lacking in features. The only reason I give it a 7 is for online play (even this is sorely lacking in content). Do yourself a favor and buy the 3DS version or better yet, buy a N64 with the original as it is a leagueThe controls are tedious and irrelevant to actual tennis (more like a tennis/fighting hybrid). The Adventure Mode is overhyped and worthless. The local multiplayer is lacking in features. The only reason I give it a 7 is for online play (even this is sorely lacking in content). Do yourself a favor and buy the 3DS version or better yet, buy a N64 with the original as it is a league above this offering. Save your sixty dollars. Trust me.… Expand
  19. TheSlyOne
    Jun 28, 2018
    6
    Gameplay = excellent
    Online = good, but some matches lag
    Story = okay, but not much depth, short, and may be too hard for some. Serves as an excellent tutorial for the game though, and if you can complete the entirety of it, I can assure you that you'll be much more prepared for matches against real people. Modes = Not many. Don't go in expecting much. Most of the game really seems to    Gameplay = excellent
    Online = good, but some matches lag
    Story = okay, but not much depth, short, and may be too hard for some. Serves as an excellent tutorial for the game though, and if you can complete the entirety of it, I can assure you that you'll be much more prepared for matches against real people.
    Modes = Not many. Don't go in expecting much. Most of the game really seems to be centered around online matches (and playing with friends). Thankfully since the gameplay is so good, there's a great deal of fun in just playing a bunch of matches.
    Tournaments = Okay. There's COM tournaments that you can play that kinda just suck. There's 3 of them, and they're all pretty easy (up until the very last match). The online tournaments are good, but as stated before, there's lag and there's not a proper ranking system yet. Often you can just get blown out of the water (or do the same to your opponent) because there's not a good matchmaking system yet. This is supposed to change soon though.
    Options/Customization = Poor. Will hopefully change, but for now it's really not great. Wanna change what length your match is? You can either do a tiebreaker or a 2-game 1-set match. That's it. There's other things, such as stage selection, that are done poorly.

    Overall it appears to be a fairly decent game with an excellent core and a weaker outer shell around it. I'd wait for 1) the price to drop and 2) updates fixing some of these issues. If these things happen, definitely get the game, as it'll be totally worth it. For now though, it's hard to say. I bought the game at full price and I don't know if I regret it or not. To be on the safe side though, just wait. It'll probably be very much so worth it sometime soon.    … Expand
  20. Nicklope
    Jul 3, 2018
    7
    The second to second gameplay of Mario Tennis Aces is terrific - though that doesn't give the game a pass for being not user friendly and at times convoluted. The shot color system (along with Special, Trick and Zone shots) gives Aces a chess-like strategic edge you'd expect from a fighting game. The campaign is passable and does have the colorful surface polish you'd expect from a gameThe second to second gameplay of Mario Tennis Aces is terrific - though that doesn't give the game a pass for being not user friendly and at times convoluted. The shot color system (along with Special, Trick and Zone shots) gives Aces a chess-like strategic edge you'd expect from a fighting game. The campaign is passable and does have the colorful surface polish you'd expect from a game staring Nintendo's mascot, but at times it did feel samey and was a bit short. Needless to say Aces is most enjoyable in Tournament mode.

    I'd advise starting the game in Adventure mode to a get a grip on the mechanics. The campaign does an excellent job on teaching the player the ropes. Aces has 5 types of basic shots: Topspin (a fast shot with a high arc), Slice (a slower shot that curves), Flat (a straight, fast shot), Lob (a very high arc, deep-court shot) and Drop shot (a shot that falls near the front of the net). Topspin, Slice, and Flat are color coded red, blue, and purple respectively; the Lob and Drop shot are yellow. Each shot is mapped to a different button and if the button is pressed early, the shot can be charged, which causes the ball to travel much faster (and potentially knock back your opponent). To prevent knock back from a fully charged Topspin, the player can counter with a Slice (and vice versa). The color coding of each shot allows simplicity in determining how to counter. The player could also counter any basic shot with a Trick shot ( a flashy movement maneuver that quickly transports the player to the ball), but beware, if not timed properly Trick shots eat up your energy gauge (essentially a magic meter, replenished by performing basic shots). Charging shots and perfectly timed Trick shots replenish your energy gauge quicker than basic shots. Energy is utilized through Zone and Special shots, as well as the defensive maneuver Zone Speed.

    If you thought the shot counter system made things a bit strategic, Zone and Special shots really mix the gameplay up. When an uncharged shot is heading to your side of the court, a star will sometimes appear showing where the shot will land. The player has the option to stand in the star and fire back with a quick Star shot (faster, enhanced version of a shot that doesn't require charging) or perform a Zone shot. When performing a Zone shot, time is slowed and the player has the ability to aim (with gyro controls, if preferred) a powerful shot where ever they choose on their opponent's side of the court. To block these shots, the player must utilize Zone Speed (an ability that slows time and drains your energy). While time is slowed during Zone Speed, the player must get to the ball and perfectly time their button press to block the shot. If not timed properly, the defenders racket takes damage. Special shots are essentially the same as Zone shots but they come with a neat startup animation unique to each character, don't require the star, and when they are not blocked properly they will shatter a racket. Utilizing energy is where the game really starts to become strategic and satisfying,
    Proper energy management (while simultaneously gimping your opponents energy by forcing them into Zone Speed and Trick shots) is the key to consistent wins. This entire gameplay system is innovative and bold, i applaud Camelot for taking Mario Tennis to this level.

    I know the mechanics all sound a bit complicated, but the campaign does act as an excellent pair of training wheels. As for story, its basic and silly but that's understandable considering this is a game where dragon turtle kings and tie-wearing apes duke it out on the tennis court. The campaign quickly got boring after i realized there was around 3 basic challenges the player had to repeat, each time with a new coat of paint. Some of the courts and bosses mix it up very slightly, but not enough to hold the attention of someone looking for an evolving, fresh gameplay experience. That being said each new coat of paint was a bit of a delight to look at. One thing i did find frustrating in Adventure mode was the inability to reset challenges from the pause menu, which often led to me just putting the controller down after an early botch.

    The cast is fun and diverse and comes in 6 flavors (All-around, Powerful, Defensive, Technical, Tricky, and Speedy). At first you may wonder why anyone would choose an All-Around character (like Luigi or Daisy) when rather they could gimmick and cheese it up as the Defensive Bowser Jr. You will realize though that character choice doesn't matter as much as the players skill; I've seen characters from each class tear it up in tournament mode.

    The most frustrating issues in Aces is the complication and unfriendliness of the Versus mode's menu and options. For example, stages cannot be directly chosen; rather they are cycled and can be toggled on or off.

    While a bit bare-bones, Mario Tennis: Ace's mechanics is the saving grace of this experience.    … Expand
  21. shofixti
    Jun 24, 2018
    6
    The short version: While mechanically and aesthetically pleasing, the single-player modes are not up to par for a full-price Mario title.

    The slightly longer version: Aces is at its best in short bursts. Pounding charge shots across the court is satisfying, and the game has lots of color, plenty of fun things to see and hear. Watching Chain Chomp bounce around the court after scoring a    The short version: While mechanically and aesthetically pleasing, the single-player modes are not up to par for a full-price Mario title.

    The slightly longer version: Aces is at its best in short bursts. Pounding charge shots across the court is satisfying, and the game has lots of color, plenty of fun things to see and hear. Watching Chain Chomp bounce around the court after scoring a point is adorkable, or you can see Bowser quake in rage after missing a point.

    Really though, the game is at its best for competitive online gamers. If you are looking for good single-player play, I'm sorry to tell you that Aces lands out of bounds. Adventure mode, while again having colorful graphics and such, is just a somewhat frustrating "git gud" mode that's strictly gated. Having trouble with one of the challenges? Too damned bad, son; you keep doing it until you get it right. The tournament mode against COM players is a cakewalk; again, it's satisfying to hammer them with shots and smash their rackets to flinders, but in the end you haven't earned anything and there's nowhere to go from there. Other than, of course, that glowy door labeled "Online Tournament," which is quite clearly the intent for this title.

    I have nothing against online-focused games, there are piles of them and they're great. But when I reach for a Mario game, even a sports one, I expect there to be something to keep me coming back, and Aces just doesn't have it.    … Expand
  22. arh3399
    Jun 24, 2018
    7
    This is a solid tennis game, but compared to the N64 and gamecube mario tennis games it feels a bit empty. The story mode is very formulaic and repetitive. Its also pretty short. I finished it all in the same day. Their arn't many characters to unlock and the one that are unlockable are timed out over the next four months after the game's release day and you get them by winning onlineThis is a solid tennis game, but compared to the N64 and gamecube mario tennis games it feels a bit empty. The story mode is very formulaic and repetitive. Its also pretty short. I finished it all in the same day. Their arn't many characters to unlock and the one that are unlockable are timed out over the next four months after the game's release day and you get them by winning online matches. If you don't win enough matches then you just automatically get them the following month so if you buy this game four months after release you will automatically have all the characters to start with. I hate this system as it doesn't really reward you for doing anything in the game. There is no point to ever play a COM tournament, just play online to rack up points to unlock the new characters. Also, the different minigames and things that were in the gamecube game that gave you a little more variety in gameplay arn't back for this game. Its just your standard tournaments either with the computer AI or online. Thats really the whole game and for a full $60 I'm disappointed. The tennis is good, but honestly I wouldn't pay full price for this game again knowing what I know now. Wait for it to go on sale or buy it used. And if you wait a few months they will just give you all the characters in an update.… Expand
  23. toonlinkman
    Jun 22, 2018
    6
    Don't believe the fan boy reviews who work for Nintendo. This is a poor game. It has to rely on Mario brand to even sell.

    If you want a causal game which is fun to play and aren't worried about a 5 hour life span then buy this.
  24. GrumpyReviewer
    Jul 10, 2018
    7
    Mario Power Tennis, for the GameCube, was one of the best 'party games' I had back in the day, along with Mario Kart etc. We would spend hours having a lot of fun (and drama) with that game.

    When I saw that Nintendo was bringing Mario Tennis Aces to the Switch I was hoping the game would have that same "feel". And although it can be fun and entertaining, most of the time, I can't shake    Mario Power Tennis, for the GameCube, was one of the best 'party games' I had back in the day, along with Mario Kart etc. We would spend hours having a lot of fun (and drama) with that game.

    When I saw that Nintendo was bringing Mario Tennis Aces to the Switch I was hoping the game would have that same "feel". And although it can be fun and entertaining, most of the time, I can't shake the impression that this is a very lazy game. I expected more from Nintendo.

    The game is incredibly simple, in terms of what it offers for that full price: an adventure mode, tournaments (both local singleplayer and online), as well as free play. The roster of characters is incredibly small, there is almost zero customization, almost zero replayability (once you beat the campaign, that is). I mean... after a few hours, you are left with a bare bones tennis game that does not live to the expectations. The old Mario Tennis games were way, way better than this.

    But it's not a lost cause. The core of the game is awesome. The gameplay is fluid and a lot of fun and matches can be challenging. Nintendo should keep supporting this game - adding more features, more characters. Right now this looks like a third party game, licensed by Nintendo. Not a Nintendo game, with that good old Nintendo quality.

    The game is good. Not great.    … Expand
  25. Professorfett
    Jul 9, 2018
    7
    Mario is back to sports for the first time on the Nintendo Switch with Mario Tennis Aces. So if you and your friends want to play tennis, but don't want to get eaten because of bears that lurk outside then Mario has you covered.

    The game actually has a story mode which surprised the hell out of me. It also does that annoying thing of dropping you directly into the story without a    Mario is back to sports for the first time on the Nintendo Switch with Mario Tennis Aces. So if you and your friends want to play tennis, but don't want to get eaten because of bears that lurk outside then Mario has you covered.

    The game actually has a story mode which surprised the hell out of me. It also does that annoying thing of dropping you directly into the story without a selecting. So if you want to just play with friends you're going to have to press the hell out of the skip button. The story from what little I saw is basically Mario trying to gather the Infinity Stones for the Infinity Tennis Racket to save Luigi. The games mode is fun when you are actually playing the tennis part, or doing a boss battle. The other third of your time is spent with this annoying mini game timed challenges that are harder than they should be for a Mario game. These challenges require you to be fast and accurate, and are mandatory to continue. This is definitely a case of git gud noob but for this type of game I am most certainly not going to practice for hours to continue this "story". I can't say how pissed off I got at this game. It will frustrate the living hell out of you because of these **** timed challenges. I just wanted to play tennis Mario!

    If you don't want to break a controller playing the story mode you can play against the AI in...well tennis. Weird right? The game has three cups that progressively get harder, but never even close to being impossible. It also has a swing a fake racket in your living room mode. I didn't do that for obvious reasons. They gameplays like the most fun tennis game I have ever played. You vs some friends will have a blast just playing tennis. Each character (which you have around 16/17) all play unique. You have balanced characters (Mario, Luigi), and power characters (Bowser, DK), and tricky characters (Boo, Rosalina) plus many more. Each character gets a special move that is basically a automatic point with a fun animation. Waluigi's was without a doubt my favorite. Seriously if you haven't seen it go put that in Youtube and check it out. The only part of the gameplay that is on by default is the racket breaking KO system. Basically if you mess up blocking a special hit you can break your racket. If that breaks you lose. So even if you are winning, but your racket breaks you will lose.

    Overall this game is a blast you will have such a fun time playing with friends it'll melt the day away. Especially when you get the matches that go on for 15 minutes, and each player is just waiting for someone to mess up to take the win. The story mode would be fine if they at least made the stupidly annoying timed challenges just go away. The game isn't bad, but besides taking it out for when you have people over there is no reason to ever just sit down and play Mario Tennis Aces. I say if you find this at a huge discount and I mean under $20. I give this a low BARGAIN BIN.    … Expand
  26. DeusGod
    Jun 26, 2018
    7
    It is a well made tennis game, but a character and system balance patch is urgent.
  27. Jahz
    Jun 24, 2018
    6
    The game looks, sounds, and feels awesome to play. The gameplay on court feels smooth and rewarding, and this will be a lot of fun to play with friends.
    The real issue with this game (and it's a big one) is its lack of content. While the adventure mod offers some interesting "mini-games" to test your accuracy and logic, it lacks in every other department as it is short, doesn't provide    The game looks, sounds, and feels awesome to play. The gameplay on court feels smooth and rewarding, and this will be a lot of fun to play with friends.
    The real issue with this game (and it's a big one) is its lack of content. While the adventure mod offers some interesting "mini-games" to test your accuracy and logic, it lacks in every other department as it is short, doesn't provide much reward and is a bit clumsy in its development.
    I remember playing Mario Tennis on Game Boy Advance, where you could evolve as a player around the tennis club, and hoped for Ace tennis to offer the same kind of experience.
    Unfortunately, level progression and new rackets are kind of useless and cannot save the Adventure mode.
    Same goes for offline Tournament - 3 short tournaments that offer no real difficulty and about an hour of gameplay before being entirely done.

    I will be playing a lot of Ace Tennis with friends, and I'm sure hoping DLCs will improve the solo experience over time.    … Expand
  28. PlayerOneLycre
    Jun 26, 2018
    6
    The core tennis game play is addictive and fun, it's lovely to finally see the single player story is back in the game, it was sadly missed for the WiiU game. Sadly tho the same can't be said for the online. Most of characters are HUGELY unbalanced and some are easily exploitable (Boo, Bowser Jr Chain Chomp are examples). For Nintendo to actually leave those characters untested is veryThe core tennis game play is addictive and fun, it's lovely to finally see the single player story is back in the game, it was sadly missed for the WiiU game. Sadly tho the same can't be said for the online. Most of characters are HUGELY unbalanced and some are easily exploitable (Boo, Bowser Jr Chain Chomp are examples). For Nintendo to actually leave those characters untested is very unlike them, here hoping for a patch soon. It is nice that you can play the game without those trick shots or fancy moves in Simply class, but most players will go for Standard class. For a tennis game, its very laughable to not have any matches go for more then 3 games, like it would of been nice to be able to do 1 set, 3 sets or even 5 sets. Who thought that would've been a good amount of games.

    For my score i give this game a 6 out of 10, the story is lovely, the game runs amazing and the sound is right on for tennis, hitting those shots really makes you feel like you did that with a real racquet, But Leaving those characters unbalanced and down right exploitable, plus not being able to play a full set of tennis is unacceptable.    … Expand
  29. Zulu189
    Jul 9, 2018
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Overall, it feels more like a rental game than a full price game.

    Took me about a day to complete the Adventure Mode. The Adventure Mode is generally fun, although pretty short. There are three levels of difficulty (beginner, intermediate, advanced), which gives you enough time to get familiar with the controls and the gameplay at the beginning until the game becomes quite unforgiving at the later levels. With its fairly simple controls, the story mode is easily completed for any average gamer. The hardest level for me was Kamek, which took me about ten tries. I enjoyed the bonus stages and the regular tennis matches, but I thought the boss fights we unnecessary. It's like they tried to add platforming content into a tennis game, which doesn't work for me.

    The Tournament Mode allows you to try different characters. Similar to the story mode, it has three different difficulties divided in three cups. The variety in difficulties provide enough content for different levels of gamers, although the beginner mode feels a little too easy (it's like the computer doesn't even try to hit the ball at times). This mode versus computers doesn't add much gameplay to the game, maybe one hour or two. There is also an Online Tournament menu, which I haven't tried yet.

    The online play is probably the best aspect of the game since it offers additional replay value. The challenge versus human players is also greater than the hardest levels on story or tournament mode. The only problem is the lag issue that many players seem to be dealing with. If they can fix their server issues, the online play could be worth the purchase by itself.

    Pros:

    -Fun story mode
    -Different difficulties for different levels of players
    -Controls are responsive and easy to master
    -Online play add value to the game
    -Of course, the Mario universe

    Cons:

    -Very short Adventure Mode and Tournament Mode. They could have made the Adventure mode longer
    -No "retry" option when you fail a level. You have to go through the loading screen and the little animations every time you fail a stage, which make you waste about a minute
    -Some later stages can be frustrating until you figure out a pattern (Kamek stage)
    -Laggy online mode

    Recap: Recommended if you don't mind overspending for a game and you enjoy the Mario universe/tennis games. Not recommended if you expect more value for your buck.    … Expand
  30. Stonewallish
    Oct 20, 2018
    5
    MTE feels extremely bare bones, with its only saving grace being the fun and perfected gameplay. The story, simplistic beyond words and not able to engage players in any way, feels like an afterthought more than anything.

    For the majority of your time with this game, you’ll be playing the Online Torunament. It too feels shallow and empty, with only ONE single stage available.    MTE feels extremely bare bones, with its only saving grace being the fun and perfected gameplay. The story, simplistic beyond words and not able to engage players in any way, feels like an afterthought more than anything.

    For the majority of your time with this game, you’ll be playing the Online Torunament. It too feels shallow and empty, with only ONE single stage available. Customization of any kind is completely absent as well. Don’t even think about changing characters outfits or rackets, because that’s not a thing.

    All I can think of when I think of MTE is: disappointing.

    If you’re thinking about getting this game, my advice is to definitely wait for a chunky price drop.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

11
#11 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2018
8
#8 Most Shared Switch Game of 2018

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
75

Generally favorable reviews - based on 86 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 60 out of 86
  2. Mixed: 25 out of 86
  3. Negative: 1 out of 86
  1. Nintendo Insider
    Oct 28, 2019
    80
    Mario Tennis Aces may well feature the best mechanics the series has seen to date, its new Zone manoeuvres and Trick Shots adding an exciting, madcap layer of depth to the sport. While Adventure isn’t the big single player hook I’d have hoped and some options feel a little too stripped down, it’s the game’s multiplayer that will keep this title a firm favourite for months to come. Golf next please Camelot.
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  2. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Dec 31, 2018
    80
    Brisk pace, easy control, good gameplay, lots of ideas and game modes. This is the new Mario Tennis Aces which is a wise purchase for your Switch. [Issue#288]
  3. CD-Action
    Sep 27, 2018
    80
    I’m pleased that we finally got a new full-fledged game by Camelot. What’s more, it will appeal to a whole lot of different people ranging from hardcore fighting games fans to your grandma and grandpa, though the difficulty level can be painful at times. The most important thing is that Waluigi begins his special move with a rose between his teeth, which puts Mario Tennis Aces dangerously close to the GOTY territory. [08/2018, p.64]
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