Okay, so we’ve seen the likes of Virtua Tennis and Top Spin on those ‘other’ consoles. We’ve seen the highly detailed character models, we’ve played the game of tennis how it was meant to be played, and we’ve done it through our televisions.
But what if we don’t want to stick to the rules? What if we want a whole new take on tennis? What if, instead of a serious, realistic, and (dare I say it) dull tennis sim, we want something new? Something fresh, something more original – something fun. Move over, Tim Henman, and make way for Mario.
Yes, everybody’s favourite portly plumber and his motley mix of friends and foes are making their way to the tennis courts once again, having dusted off their rackets and grabbed their (tennis) balls. Mario Power Tennis is the sequel to the highly entertaining original Mario Tennis on the Nintendo 64, where it was given particular praise for its fast and frantic multiplayer modes. Can the GC iteration possibly reach the same standard – or better it?
The visual style of Mario Power Tennis is not dissimilar to the likes of Toadstool Tour and Double Dash – that is, Nintendo have opted for vibrant and colourful environments and character models as opposed to attention to detail, and to be perfectly honest it’s an excellent choice. Upon gazing at the screenshots for the game you’ll notice how much more...alive the game looks, much more interesting and exciting than your run-of-the-mill tennis stars and their dull, uninspiring tennis courts. That said, if all you’re after is a bit of regular tennis, but with a bit of Mario style thrown in, the option to do so remains there, along with your choice of all the regular Mushroom Kingdom characters. That said, the Nintendo all-stars have a few tricks up their sleeves (or down their shells…or whatever). Each character has his or her own specific abilities to give them an edge in the game, which lends Mario Power Tennis a bit of a tactical feel. Do you plump (pardon the pun) for one of the heavyweights like Bowser, who can hit extremely powerful ‘Megaton Balls’? Do you prefer a more skilled approach, and go for the likes of Shy Guy and his Tornado Returns? Or do you go for our good friend Mario and his...um…giant hammer. The choice, as they say, is yours.
If you’re after a bit of true gaming lunacy, however, you can always head for one of the Mario themed courses to play your games on, or play some of the varied (and mental) mini-games, which range from collecting Shines to playing against a giant octopus. There looks like there’s plenty of fun to be had in these modes if you get bored of standard tennis.
As for the structure of the gameplay, during the game you gradually progress through tournaments and competitions which become tougher as the player gets better. As you do so, new characters and courts can be unlocked, giving an excellent incentive to live up to the challenge offered by the single player modes. Alternatively, play with up to three mates in some of the ace (get it?) multiplayer modes, which are promising the same fast and furious gameplay that made the original such a hit.
The game looks to improve on everything the N64 version needed to improve (not that there was much). The game looks bigger, bolder, and many times more fun. Consign regular tennis to the professionals – come the release of Mario Power Tennis, the Mushroom Kingdom’s going to be where the fun really begins. JH
