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Tennis, Anyone For More?

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 38 / 42
Date: December 18, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Nintendo really has found so many ways to really make Mario a real household name again the past few years for the Nintendo Gamecube. He has been in so many wonderful video games including the vigorous racing game Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, the challenging and strategic Mario Party games 4, 5, & now 6, and the golf game that isn't just like any ordinary game, Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour. Those games have all done well, and yet from another Nintendo 64 classic, Mario Tennis, the game proved so well as one of the final games for the N64 system. Yet, the people at Camelot and Nintendo knew there had to be a sequel that was even more challenging, and yet it has happened.

Mario Power Tennis, follows through very well in the same path that Mario Tennis had for the Nintendo 64 in 2000. The game features Mario, Luigi, Bowser and company through several different and challenging courses including the traditional courses, as well as themed courses just like the Nintendo 64 version. The game also fatures new games and challenges like Artist On The Court, Mecha-Bowser Challenge, Ring Shot, and many more. The tournaments also range into differnt patterns as well, with a Gimmick version that has obstacles all over the tennis court, on themed courses for Donkey Kong, Wario Ware, and the original Mario Brothers games. The graphics are outstanding and improved the detail of each of the characters nicely in detail beyond the N64 version, and the gameplay is very challenging.

There are some downsides however: one of them is the overused motions for the power shots during the game. In exhibition mode, they can not be available if optional, but in tournament mode that is another story. Another is the control, on some of the characters which can be frustrating in certain cases including Yoshi who is very weak, but gets a power-up bonus later on, before he is as skilled as the other players. Yet, with a lot of practice, anyone can be the ace.

Mario Power Tennis happens to be a very well put Gamecube game, since there really isn't anyone out there for the Gamecube, unlike the other systems. This is a very enjoyable game for all gamers alike. It is exciting playing it alone, but better with a partner against you. I really know that his game is a must for any part of your Gamecube library.

Graphics: A

Sound: B+

Control: B-

Fun and Enjoyment: B

Overall game: B+

A review from someone who has actually played this game!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 61 / 82
Date: November 12, 2004
Author: Amazon User

OK so most of these reviews were written by people BEFORE the game came out. I own the game and have played it and need to gove my 2 cents about it. If you have played the N64 version you will find this very similar. Same cartoonish graphics, same nostalgic Nintendo characters. So similar that you really don't notice that you are now playing on a Gamecube - but I don't think anyone would buy this game for the graphics. This is a fun game with great replay value. The new feature is the power-up hit. This allows both offensive and defensive moves and allows stronger shots or allows you to hit a shot normally out of reach. This can be fun but very annoying as well. Annoying because when playing a tennis game (like Top Spin for XBox or Smash Court 2 for PS2) you can get into longer games becase of the many returns but yet on this game you get interrupted to allow for the animation of the power hits. The other annoying thing about this game is that the noises that the characters make are very repetitive and sometimes very annoying (especially Luigi) to the point where I had to turn the vloume off.

So basically if you enjoy golf games like Tiger Woods as opposed to Mario Golf or Hot Shots for PS2 and are looking for the tennis equivalent then I highly doubt you will like this game. It has elements of regular tennis games but is very arcade style with the cartoony graphics that you love (or hate) that makes Nintendo games famous.

Overall Not as Good as the Original

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 17 / 22
Date: November 14, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I wanted to love this game, I really did. The N64 original still stands as one of my favorite games for the system so i was looking forward to this update. The biggest flaw with this game is the newly added power shots. Each character has an offensive one that hits the ball in such a way its more dificult to return and a defensive one that you use to hit a ball you would've otherwise missed. Both kinds are accompanied by an animation such as Mario pulling out his hammer to hit the ball or Peach blowing a kiss at the ball to strike it back. These animations are fun the first few times, but they get annoying very quickly. They also distract from the actual tennis and they cause matches to drag on way too long especially the defensive ones. An example of a distraction I constantly encountered is Yoshi's offensive shot. He hits the ball and it is followed by a rainbow trail until the second bounce. The problem is the trail with all its bright colors and sparkly doodads immediatly catches the eye and your distracted. Many of the other character offense shots are the same. Worst of all you cant turn them off in the one player which is majorly frustrating. Thankfully the option is there for multiplayer so these arent really a problem there. In both modes though character balance is a problem. To put it bluntly Bowser Junior is a cheap bastard. There are a few other characters who just seem better than others all around but he's the worst. The game does look gorgeous however and there is alot to unlock. The multiplayer is still a blast and its definately better then the firsts if you turn those dang power shots off. Unfourtunately the single player despite having more to offer falls way behind the first. Overall if you really like tennis games and all you have is a gamecube then yeah youll want to buy this mainly because there are no other good options on the system. If you can gurantee you're going to have people over to have matches with alot then go ahead and buy this also. Just know that when no one else is around it will probably be gathering dust. Definately rent this one before buying if you intend to play by yourself. Maybe some of you will be better able to handle the "improvements" these power shots supposedly add to the game than I.

Not the most serious, but the most fun to play

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 13 / 16
Date: October 30, 2004
Author: Amazon User

This is a kid's review too, but hopefully with a bit more intelligence and comments badsed on the actual game, not screenshots.

I have a copy of the Japanese version, have only played on it for 6 - 8 hours, but can safely say that this game is better than Mario Tennis 64.

It is redundant to speak of Nintendo overusing the Mario name when games of this quality are being produced. I could care less if who fronts the game, at the end of the days what is most important is if it plays well and is good value for money.

The mechanics of the game are very similar to the N64 version, easy to get into, deep enough for those who want to take the game more seriously.

The courts are fabulous looking, animation is wonderful, even the crowds look good this time. Like the last game, ach of the players have different skills, and actually FEEL different when you play them, not like many other more "serious" tennis games.

Those worried about the flashy super shots with cut scenes needn't fear, they can be switched on or off so purists can also enjoy this game, it's not just a simple party game.

Although there are lots of party modes, more than in the previous game and better done, too.

Comparing this with top spin for XBOX...while top spin uses its "special" shot structure better (in this game I have found drop shots to be difficult and a bit unrealistic) Mario Power Tennis plays a better game, as you are able to use the court much more, in that the game is less about simply overpowering your opponent, but rather out thinking them.

Wait for the American release though, there is lots of Japanses text in the game.

If you are reading this, I wont insult your intelligence by saying that "fans of shooters and FPS might want to stay away"... if you like tennis games thi one MUST be played.

Better than Mario Tennis 64

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 12 / 23
Date: November 08, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Mario Power Tennis comes out today. This game is better than Mario Tennis 64. The Gamecube graphics are awesome for this game. The Power Shots add a really cool twist to the game. You have an offensive and a defensive move, and you power it up after sucessful volleys. The mini-games are also very cool since you can just relax and play some fun games if you don't want to play against other people or just wanna practice. This game is great because beginners can learn how to play this game very easily, but it takes a lot of practice to master this game. There are 18 characters in this game, and they all have different strengths, so you can figure out what's right for you. I can safely say this game is awesome.

Fantastic game, but...

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 5 / 6
Date: December 08, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I loved (still love) the N64 version of Mario Tennis, and I love this game and I think most anyone inclined to buy it should--but consider the special mentions--and a sort of workaround to the game's biggest flaw--below.

Like another reviewer mentioned, this game is terrific, but hamstrung by one big flaw, the new power shots. The power shots are basically cute to observe once or twice each, then they greatly detract from the overall experience. They're often too long, they upset the flow of the match, and they happen way too often, sometimes several times in a single rally. Why Camelot (the developer) chose to have the power shots regenerate so darn quickly, I can't imagine. The whole gimmick might have become partly bearable if they regenerated much less often. Further detracting from the gimmick (oops, I mean "feature" ;-) is the fact that often the offensive power shots are
*detrimental* to the player making them. For instance, if you're playing against the COM Bowser Jr, you can often just wait for him to use his power shot, and then just use your defensive power shot to return his shot, and it almost always goes by him, even if your shot moves slowly and within inches of his racquet, because he's still sort of "reeling" and recovering from the effort of his power shot. Very very lame. In my opinion, the power shot feature only detracts from and does not add to this game in any way.

Now, I expect cute gimmicks like that in a Mario game. No problem there. I knew that going in. But the amazing, inconceivable, unbelievable, sad, pathetic, puzzling blunder that Camelot made was to not allow the player to turn off the power shot feature in the single player tournament mode. Just unreal. Whoever made that decision at Camelot should be hit over the head with Mario's hammer-racquet. Camelot, WHAT would it have hurt to allow them to be turned off? 1. Sales? 2. User satisfaction? 3. Critical reviews? The
answers: No, no, and no. Dumb, dumb, dumb on the part of Camelot.

HOWEVER, note that there is some redemption in the fact that you CAN opt to turn off the power shots in multiplayer mode (which is fantastic all around, even better than the great multiplayer mode in the N64 version, and worth buying this game just for), ***AND*** in the single-player vs. COM exhibition match mode. Whew. Thank goodness for this. Now at least I can enjoy playing through a big slate of exhibition matches as every character and against every character. Like the N64 version, this game shows you a nice tote board with every player you've defeated marked off. So you can play through all the exhibition matches, at progressively better user-chosen skill levels, over weeks or months, and have the game track your progress until you see that you've defeated every character with every other character. You can do this and largely ignore the tournaments--if you're so inclined because you hate the power shots so much--and still have a great deal of fun with the game. Now, the snag here is that in order to fully enjoy the exhibition mode, you have to earn the "Star" versions (better abilities) of the characters. And to do this, you have to win a few (thankfully brief) low-level tournaments as each character. Then you can use the Star characters in the exhibition mode. Not too bad--playing those first 3 short tourneys with each character doesn't take toooo long. It's mostly bearable even if the power shots drive you nuts. In the advanced tournaments, they must be beyond maddening, and I'm not even going to try it.

One note, I wish Camelot had given people the ability to each play as the same characters in multiplayer mode (a singles match with your friend and you're both playing as Yoshi, for instance), so that you can play one another with the same *exact* abilities. They could have just applied different colors/outfits to the clones of each character, to help avoid visual confusion. This would have added to the multiplayer mode, and would have avoided any fighting over who gets to play as which character.

A must have for any tennis fan!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 6
Date: January 29, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Liked Mario Tennis for N64? Well if you did, you will love Mario Power Tennis. While there are similarities, the GameCube obviously is far more powerful, allowing for crisper graphics, more features, etc. Here is a breakdown of the game:

Graphics: A
Sound: B+
Fun Factor: A
Control: B-
Replay: A+
Overall game: A

I highly recommend a purchase if you are a tennis fan and a rental if you are not. A superb tennis game which is tons of fun.

Easy to pick up, tough to master, impossible to put down

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: February 27, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I was a big fan of the original Mario Tennis on Nintendo 64. It was a great game that withstood the test of time. I always wanted this game, and figured I would wait for it to drop in price. Well, it's been a while and it still costs $45, so I figured it was time to plunk down the dough.

The basic gameplay is sharp, a vast improvement to the original. In no time, I was pressing B>B for a super slice, A>A for super topspin, A>B to lob and B>A to drop the ball. The powershots are vastly improved too, although sometimes the animations can be distracting. There is defensive powershots, which will return nearly any ball automatically, and offensive powershots, which can disable an opponent that returns them temporarily.

The graphics are fun, Nintendo style cartoonish graphics. They're pleasant to look at and they do a much better job of distinguishing each character than in the N64 version. The sound is great, and often takes me back to specific moments in different games, whether Mario 64, Yoshi's Island, or even Wario Wares.

My favorite thing about this game is that when I get a little bored of playing regular tennis, there's a slew of mini games available to keep you occupied. My favorite is a tic-tac-toe type of mini game that took a while to understand, but has kept me hooked ever since.

This game is great for casual and hardcore gamers alike. My friends who never play games had no problem picking up the controller and having fun, while I spent hours playing, trying to win every cup with the characters and unlock all the goodies. The only reason you should not buy this game is if you are afraid to lose months of your life to the highly addictive variety of gameplay. A good solo and party game.

Lastly, this game has the best opening movie ever in any game.... seriously :)

yay!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 12
Date: November 02, 2004
Author: Amazon User

this game is so awesome. i cannot believe people would actually say that this game was bad because of its name?! i, for your information, got my dad to get me the japanese version of this game. and it's awesome. the gameplay is fantastic, lots of fun to play with friends. it's even fun to play by yourself, which is pretty hard to come by nowadays in sports gaming. one of the best mario sports games ever, so if you're a mario fan or just a sports game fan... you'll like this. please stop reviewing for things that you have not even tried out. that's considered spam, at least in my eyes.

Great game!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 5 / 7
Date: December 23, 2005
Author: Amazon User

This is a fun game to play when you want to play tennis when you don't have the chance! If you love tennis and Mario games, then this game will be a good thing to have! You can play as different characters, such as Mario, Luigi, Peach, Daisy, Yoshi, Koopa Troopa, Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, Boo, Shy Guy, Bowser, and Bowser Jr. However, this game gets four stars instead of five because sometimes you will find this game a little hard. The special mini-games are sometimes aggravating. You have to beat the time limit and everything, but, it's still a great game. Get it if you think it is fun!

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