Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash Reviews
Mega Battle is great fun, especially in local multiplayer, and has seen me both laughing and cursing aloud, but with no mini-games or notable campaign to speak of, and without the overblown power-ups I'm used to in Mario games, it's a game that I'll have all but forgotten by the time Wimbledon rolls around next year.
Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash feels like it was rushed into the holiday season to mask the absence of Star Fox. You're better off just playing any other previous game in the series, which is particularly easy to do since the first game is on the Wii U Virtual Console for just 10 bucks.
This is a good game of tennis, in fact I'd even say a great one. Though, it's not the best use of the Mario brand, honestly. This feels like filler in the Wii U's holiday line up and nothing convinced me otherwise.
After more than a decade of handheld titles and digital re-releases, Mario Tennis finally returns to consoles with Mega Mushrooms, online multiplayer, and a disappointing lack of content.
Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash is a mechanically decent game that is slew-footed by a lack of interesting gameplay modes. There's online play, but outside of that there's nothing of real substance to be found. As such, the game feels light and lacking, and doesn't have the type of hook that one would hope for. It's a shame, really, given how great Mario Tennis used to be.
If you're looking for a casual tennis game to play with friends, Wii Sports Club Tennis is still where it's at. You can grab it for your Wii U on the eShop for under $15. Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash will do ya if you're big on using buttons instead of swinging Wii Remotes or if you absolutely must perform fancy shots. Just know that this is a full-priced game that says, "Here, play some tennis," and not much else.
Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash serves up a feast for the eyes, but Camelot has lost too much of the charm and character that made its predecessors so special.
Nintendo's best competitive sports title is just as thrilling as ever, but feels a little too familiar and light on content.
While Camelot is typically known for rich and deep experiences in their Mario sports games, the bare bones Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash feels like a step backwards for this series.
Treat it as an HD remaster of the N64 game and this is actually one of the best Mario Tennis games since then, but the lack of features and extra content is a real turn-off.
Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash is a bare-bones, lackluster addition to Mario's sporting adventures.
The fact that it's a mechanically solid sporting experience can't save it from mediocrity or a lack of any real reason to come back, and that's really the worst sin a sports game can commit.
Despite these shortcomings, Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash does offer a well-made tennis game. Mixing up your shot types, using the new jump, and balancing your use of Chance Shots to catch your opponent off-guard are essential for victory. Local and online multiplayer is competitive, fun, and the true appeal of the game. Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash has all the tools be an elite tennis game, but doesn't offer enough content to achieve that goal.
Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash is a well-built game, but feels like one of the weakest in the 'Mario Sports' series in terms of content.
Mario Tennis' transition to the Wii U feels like one step forward and two steps back. The addition of Mega Mushrooms is clever enough, but the game doesn't commit to the idea of power-ups enough to sustain it. Meanwhile the no-frills package feels so anemic that I was burned out on the experience after only a few hours. If you want a great Mario Tennis game, stick with the better, cheaper, and more complete 3DS version.
In the end, Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash is a solid tennis game that feels thin when it comes to content. But the gameplay is fun and the visuals are great eye candy. Playing with friends in a living room is a fun way to kill a few hours.
The core gameplay of Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash is enjoyable, but disappointing side modes, online restrictions and gimmicky power-ups make this return go a little wide of the mark.
[A]s a whole, Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash feels like a rushed Christmas pick-up after the incredible fan-service of Super Smash Bros and Mario Kart 8.
Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash is a barebones installment of a beloved franchise on Wii U that leaves gamers with very little to do outside of a few traditional game modes.