Mario Tennis is one of Nintendo’s mainstay series that they seem to trot out for very nearly every system they make. Mario Tennis Open for the 3DS is the latest game in this series, and with the addition of 3D and new mechanics, might very well be the best.
The single player portions have you in a single elimination tournament bracket, playing for each cup. This can be done in both singles and doubles. The game supports both local and wifi play. Single player tournament has a quick save feature to let you drop and resume your game later.
The usual assortment of characters return including Mario, Luigi, Bowser, Peach, Daisy, DK, Diddy, Bowser Jr., Waluigi, Wario, Boo, and others. Each character is divided into a category such as power, technique, defense, speed, and tricky. This category determines their strengths, weaknesses, and play styles. By playing the game you will earn coins which can be used to purchase new wardrobes in the clubhouse for your mii.
The game has an arcade feel to it. You can fire off lobs, drop shots, and other shots by using either the button combinations or by pressing on the touchscreen. Hotspots will randomly appear on the court as you play. Hitting from these areas gives you a special return such as a sideways arc. Your AI opponent will also take advantage of these spots to mess with you. These shots give the game a touch of randomness and can be tricky to combat.
Open has a few other interesting single player diversions. The first is Ringshot, which has you going for a high score as you return the balls through randomly appearing golden rings. The next is Inkspot Showdown, in which three piranha plants shoot ink blobs and balls at you. Galaxy Shot is more interesting. In this mode you are playing against a Luma on the disappearing green panels from Super Mario Galaxy. Due to this you have to return the ball to a different spot on the court each time, or else it will be sucked into a black hole.
The final mode was easily the most exciting for me. In this you play tennis against a wall that has levels from Super Mario Bros‘ scrolling on it. Hitting blocks and enemies gives you points and more time. Mushrooms and fireflowers add strength to your shots. Hitting a pipe that you can travel down will take you to an underground area. I played levels 1-1 and 1-2. These levels were available in their entirety. It hasn’t been revealed how many other levels are available to play in this mode, but what I already saw was extremely interesting.
The game also supports Streetpass features, where you’ll be able to challenge opponents through a simulated play experience, among other things. Look for this title to be released later in May.
