Mario Tennis Fever Review: Game, Set, Match

The Nintendo Switch era for Mario sports was a tale of two stories.

On the one hand, all three delivered solid gameplay experiences. However, they were severely lacking in terms of any meaningful depth. It's a shame, as it was a stark contrast to the impressive depth available in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, a game with so much content that we happily played it for hundreds, if not thousands, of hours.

With that being said, there's a lot of pressure on Mario Tennis Fever, especially in the wake of how disappointed people were in Mario Kart World (I wasn't one of them, but there's no denying that Mario Kart 8 is a superior title).

We enjoyed our time with Mario Tennis Fever at a recent hands-on event, but that was in a limited environment. How would things hold up over an extended period of time? Well, to be honest, that's a tricky one. You see, Mario Tennis Fever is easily better than any of the Mario sports games on the Nintendo Switch, but I can't help but feel like it's still a little lacking.

Mario Tennis Fever Nails the Basics

Let's get one thing out of the way: this is a very enjoyable way to play tennis.

The Mario sports games have always done well to stick with the fundamentals of each sport, albeit with a unique twist, and that's no exception here. Mario Tennis Fever is one of the best Mario Tennis games you'll play.

A big reason for that is how well every character handles and plays. There's a total of 38 characters on the game's roster, and each comes with its own stat breakdowns. As you'd expect, certain characters like Yoshi excel at speed and quickness, while Bowser is known for a more powerful shot.

Then there's Mario, who, as you can imagine, is a well-rounded character. A true jack of all trades but master of none. With its impressive roster, this alone would be enough to have me satisfied, but Mario Tennis Fever doesn't stop there. Every character will have their own unique traits to go along with these stats. Boo, for example, excels at curved shots. When you add these in with every character’s stat builds, you have the recipe for success.

Fever Rackets Are a Very Welcome Addition to Mario Tennis

As the immortal Billy Mays would say: “But wait, there's more!”

Like with any Mario sports game, Mario Tennis Fever has a brand-new gimmick: Fever Rackets. Upon building your Fever Gauge, you'll be able to unleash a Fever Shot, the result of which depends on the racket you've equipped. Think of this as the "Mario sports twist" on the established sport of tennis.

It's not just about finding your zone, returning your opponent's shots, and putting the pressure on them. It's also about unleashing your Fever Shot and throwing ink spots on the ground to block their screen. Or shards of ice that can freeze them. You know, the type of stuff Roger Federer had to deal with back in the day.

I was all set to accept Fever Rackets as yet another shallow and wasted gimmick, but truth be told, they're a natural fit to the already well-established Mario Tennis gameplay loop. Combined with how different all 38 characters feel, you can truly go wild with customization options and find a character that plays to your strengths.

This also means that the core gameplay experience is far more replayable than Mario Tennis Aces ever was. That's more important than ever, because the one weakness of the Nintendo Switch era of Mario sports games is still present today.

There's Still a Lack of Gameplay Modes

The first time I booted up Mario Tennis Fever, I saw that there was an Adventure Mode waiting for me. Imagine my surprise when I was treated to an opening cutscene that hinted at a narrative-driven single-player campaign. Sadly, it's 2026, and I should have known better to expect such a thing from a Mario sports game.

Adventure Mode is simply an extended tutorial that will, at best, run you a couple of hours. Despite that opening promise and potential, including seeing my character level up and evoking memories of Mario Golf from the Game Boy Color, Adventure Mode is a massive disappointment.

You can honestly say the same about the game's extended options. There are additional modes to spruce things up, leaning into the Mario Tennis side of tennis, as well as challenge towers to complete, though some of these challenges are a little boring and lack creativity. Sadly, you'll maybe spend all of five hours before you complete everything.

It's a shame because there are solid bones here in Mario Tennis Fever, and I'm not just talking about the gameplay. I mentioned the strength of the roster and how well the Fever Rackets work to keep things fresh. There's also an achievement tracker that lists what you've unlocked, what's left to unlock, and how to obtain these rewards. These include characters, skins, rackets, and courts. The problem, though, is that due to the lack of depth from its gameplay modes, Mario Tennis Fever feels like it's all dressed up for a Saturday night with nowhere to be.

Mario Tennis Fever Lives and Dies By How Much You Enjoy Its Core Gameplay

Despite these issues, there's something satisfying about playing through Mario Tennis Fever.

Does it boast the biggest roster in franchise history? Yes. Are the courses an enjoyable mix of traditional gameplay and over-the-top wackiness? You bet. Do the Fever Rackets help keep things fresh and enhance the game's strategy? Absolutely. Do I wish there were more to do? Most definitely.

This is where the lines in the sand will be drawn when it comes to how we rate Mario Tennis Fever. If we're looking for an enjoyable Mario twist on tennis, then yes, you'll enjoy yourself. Then again, I really wish I were getting some more bang for my buck.

Thank goodness it's not an $80 game at least, right? The good news is that the game's only multiplayer works smoothly. In a world where a game's strength is its core gameplay, you need to make sure that the multiplayer experience goes off without a hitch. Nintendo has (rightfully) gotten a lot of flak over the years due to its poor net code, but Mario Tennis Fever thankfully gets it right.

Mario Tennis Fever May Not Have the Depth, But it Does All the Little Things Well

In a way, this is the perfect way to sum up the Mario Tennis Fever experience. In terms of big, grandiose gameplay modes that boast replayability and depth, there's not much here. Sure, you can collect those skins and unlock anything, but if you're looking to collect things for dozens of hours, look elsewhere.

Instead, those dozens of hours are just going to be spent playing the game itself. That's because everything just works so well together, which is what makes this review so difficult.

The game is so incredibly balanced that I'm truly impressed. No one character feels too strong or overpowered, and all the Fever Rackets come with their own pros and cons. It's a testament to the game's development team that they were able to nail this balance.

Far too often, we see similar games completely whiff at fine-tuning characters or abilities. Just look at Mario Kart 8 and the era of Waluigi/Wiggler. It's a night-and-day difference, and I think that's why I'm having so much fun.

Mario Tennis Fever is one of the best Mario sports games in years. Does it solve all the issues we've seen in the genre over the past decade? No, and sadly, it suffers a lot of the same problems when it comes to depth. Thankfully, the one thing it gets right is its incredible gameplay, which keeps you coming back for more. It's not perfect, but Mario Tennis Fever is a much-needed step in the right direction.