Mario Tennis Aces got it’s big time in the spotlight today, with a whole section of the Direct dedicated solely to it. Without further ado, let’s run through all the information that was revealed.
First up, the roster: over 15 characters from the Mario series are all going to be headed out to the tennis court. The currently confirmed roster includes Mario, Luigi, Wario, Waluigi, Peach, Daisy, Rosalina, Yoshi, Donkey Kong, Bowser, Bowser Jr., Toad, Toadette, a Boo, and, incredibly, a Chain Chomp.
All the different types of shots you’re used to are present in the game: basic shots, curveballs, and lobs are all present, but there’s plenty new under the hood as well. One of the new important abilities is the Zone Shot, a more targeted type of hit that lets you really control your trajectory. Using the motion controls included in the joy-con, you can go into first-person mode, and pinpoint a specific spot on your opponent’s field to launch the ball at.
Also new in this title is racket health. Tanking a powerful shot head-on with your racket will cause its health bar to drop. Take three heavy hits, and your racket will break altogether, causing the opponent to score a point immediately. So long as you block the shot with perfect timing, though, your racket won’t take damage, so make sure to time those blocks perfectly.
Another new mechanic is Zone Speed. This ability lets you slow down time for a short period when the ball is headed towards your side of the court. You only get so many chances to use it, but one more returned ball could mean the difference between a win and a loss, so don’t hesitate if you think it’ll help. Both this and the Zone Shot come out of a shared energy gauge, so keep an eye on that for when you’re looking to try a tricky technique. Keeping a rally going fills up this gauge, so the longer you play, the more intense the match will get.
Trick shots also make up another large part of the game’s systems. These are special, character-specific maneuvers that give you that extra little bit of distance when you just can’t make it to the ball. These also require energy and have specific timing and spacing required for each character. Screw up with one of these, and both your character and the ball will end up hurtling away in a direction you don’t want.
If you fill up your gauge completely, you’ll have the chance to use a Special Shot! These supermoves are seriously powerful hits that, if blocked improperly, will break an opponent’s racket in one hit. It’s not an instant-win button, but it’s a very important part of the kit to be aware of.
Plenty of other features are also packed into this tennis title. Simple Mode sends the game back to basics, leaving removing the energy gauge and leaving intact only the basic shots and your raw skill. Both this mode and the regular modes can be even played online in either a 1v1 or 2v2 format, letting up to four friends get in on the fun.
Online tournaments also are happening, allowing players to compete worldwide to see who the best tennis players are. Participating in these tournaments can even net you new costumes and playable characters, as shown via a silhouette that’s obviously Koopa Troopa. An adventure mode rounds out the title’s announced content, with a story and new scenarios getting you ready to explore the game’s world.
Finally, as an exciting bonus, the direct announced a pre-release tournament! Before the game releases, an online, worldwide tournament for Mario Tennis Aces will find out who’s the best at tennis, right from the get-go. No specific dates have been announced, but more details for this preview tourney will be given online at a later date.
And that’s all there is for Mario Tennis Aces! For everything Nintendo, keep posted to NinMobileNews.
