Mario Tennis Fever Game Review
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Mario Tennis Fever: A Casual's Perspective
Nintendo and Camelot Software's latest offering, Mario Tennis Fever, is a unique experience. At its core, it functions surprisingly well as a fighting game. The game provides a story mode and various trial modes designed to introduce newcomers to the controls and mechanics. The diverse roster of characters encourages players to discover specific playstyles, and learning the button inputs for different moves is essential for success. While it's not necessary to be a master to enjoy Mario Tennis Fever, its long-term appeal will likely depend on dedicated players within the Mario Tennis community who invest countless hours mastering the game.
As someone who doesn't typically engage deeply with fighting games, my perspective on Mario Tennis Fever is based on a casual experience. My last encounter with the franchise was playing Mario Tennis on the Game Boy Color. Despite this, I find the game appealing. There is something intuitive and invigorating about Mario Tennis Fever that sparks a desire to become a skilled player.
Legibility and Game Mechanics
One of the most successful aspects of Mario Tennis Fever is its legibility. Players with even a basic understanding of tennis will quickly grasp how the game translates the sport's actions into a video game format. Tennis revolves around spatial control and positioning opponents. Fever translates this by mapping different shots to specific button inputs and giving characters varying reach, movement speeds, and ball control.
The introduction of "Fever Rackets" adds another layer of strategic depth. These rackets, which become available as a meter fills, possess special effects such as area-of-effect hazards or movement speed boosts. Doubles matches with multiple Fever effects active can feel overwhelming. However, they bring a new element to the game of tennis that I find enjoyable.
Lack of Depth Beyond Core Mechanics
If players don't develop a strong connection to the game's mechanics, Mario Tennis Fever has limited offerings. While a few game modes attempt to diversify the experience, it's apparent that the game is designed for competitive play, either locally or in online ranked matches. This emphasis is especially evident in Mario Tennis Fever's story mode.
The story is bizarre, even by Mario spin-off standards. It also showcases what feels like a fetish. Mario Tennis Fever begins with Princess Daisy falling ill. Mario and his companions seek healing fruit from a magical tree to aid her recovery. Events take an unexpected turn when Mario and the main cast are transformed into babies. This leads to debates about whether Baby Mario is simply Mario as an infant or an infantilized version of the character. Baby Mario and Baby Luigi attend tennis school to strengthen their bodies. Then, they embark on a journey to defeat the monsters responsible for their transformation and return to adulthood.
Adding to the strange narrative choices, Daisy becomes the only adult member of the team. The level introduces a "Mud Racket" that almost guarantees she will be covered in mud during the main tennis match.
Incongruent Elements
These points highlight the misalignment within Mario Tennis Fever. The story mode's narrative clashes with the family-friendly aesthetic. The mechanical depth aims to establish a competitive audience while simultaneously appealing to children. While these elements blend together more cohesively in other Nintendo spin-off games, they feel disjointed here.
Despite these issues, fans of the Mario Tennis franchise will find elements to appreciate. However, the game is ultimately too inconsistent to fully satisfy a casual player.
Final Thoughts
Mario Tennis Fever has the potential to be a fun and engaging experience. But it suffers from a lack of focus and a questionable story mode. The core gameplay is solid and provides a unique twist on the sport of tennis. However, the game's incongruent elements ultimately prevent it from reaching its full potential.
Grade: B-
Graphics: B
Sound/Music: C+
Gameplay: B
Presentation: C
Pros:
- Effectively expands on the sport of tennis using the affordances of video games.
Cons:
- Odd story choices.
- Shallow offerings outside of co-op/ranked matches.
- There needs to be more dialogue for the Talking Flower if it's going to color commentate on every match.
