Mario Tennis Fever Delivers Hilarious and Chaotic Fun

I send a charged topspin shot flying across the court. To my dismay, Baby Waluigi, that cheeky little menace, returns it with a surprisingly powerful flat shot. But he hasn’t counted on my doubles partner, Birdo, who’s right at the net and unleashes a Fever Shot that floods the other side of the court with a wave of ink. Petey Piranha counters with his own Fever Shot, creating a volcanic eruption on our side, spewing globs of magma. Birdo gets scorched, and we’re down fifteen-love.

If that sounds a bit chaotic, let me clarify: a doubles match in this game can be pure pandemonium. At its peak, it feels like four opera singers belting it out in a room full of fireworks. Sometimes, the chaos resolves into something harmonious, but other times, it’s just racket-wielding anarchy.

But amidst all the madness, the core gameplay remains as smooth and refined as ever. Each of the 38 characters comes equipped with three basic shots, each assigned to a face button: a powerful flat shot, a slow-moving slice, and a bouncy topspin. You can also execute a lob or a drop shot with a simple combination of inputs, allowing you to place the ball strategically in your opponent’s court. Mastering these five shots and positioning your character wisely is key to clinching victory, no matter how much magma is thrown your way.

Then there are the Fever Rackets, which turn a straightforward game of tennis into a wild spectacle of fire, goo, and swirling tornadoes. You select a racket during character selection, each boasting a unique and whimsical ability. For example, the Lightning Racket creates a crackling electrical field where the ball lands, while the Fire Flower Racket lets you unleash fireballs with every swing.

Choosing a racket is akin to picking your kart in a racing game; instead of just affecting speed or handling, it gives you the power to zap Princess Peach. A fun twist is that you can send your opponent’s Fever Shots back at them by returning the ball before it bounces on your side. This mechanic often leads to frantic net-side duels as players volley the Fever-infused ball back and forth, desperately trying to avoid turning their side of the court into a chaotic mess.

For those who appreciate the pure arcade essence of tennis, there’s an option to disable Fever Rackets or play in separate ranked online lobbies without them. While they do add a layer of chaotic fun, I can’t imagine wanting to play without them, especially during the exhilarating moments of multiplayer matches.

Yes, they can be frustrating, and some may feel overpowered, but deploying them effectively still requires skill and timing. Plus, there’s something immensely satisfying about transforming your opponent’s pristine court into a chaotic scene filled with Spines and roaring flames, making balance less of a concern when you’re on a winning streak.

The game features a robust roster of 38 characters, from iconic favorites like Mario and Peach to unexpected choices like Nabbit and Pauline, and even the bizarre Baby Waluigi.

Surrounding this polished core experience is a variety of multiplayer and single-player modes, offering a smorgasbord of tennis action. Tournament mode presents a straightforward series of knockout matches, playable solo or in co-op, culminating in a simple victory screen. While it resembles the Grand Prix format of racing games, the experience of consecutive matches on the same court lacks the variety and progression found in traveling through different themed tracks.

Trial Towers mode spices things up with a series of minigames to conquer, allowing you to ascend the tower with each victory. Swing Mode introduces motion controls, creating a surprisingly challenging test of coordination that combines analog stick movement with swinging your racket. Then there’s Mix It Up, a collection of score attack minigames and uniquely themed tennis courts.

If you’re looking for a substantial single-player experience, you might dive into Adventure mode first. Unfortunately, this campaign feels like a tacked-on mobile game. The flimsy story has Mario, Luigi, Wario, and Waluigi turned into helpless infants, and the only way to revert them back is to become skilled enough at tennis to defeat some monsters.

On paper, the campaign sounds engaging—minigames, puzzles, boss battles, and the promise of turning Baby Waluigi back into an adult. However, in practice, it’s shockingly dull, featuring a tedious text-based narrative punctuated by lackluster tennis action. By forcing the core gameplay to fit its story—like having Baby Mario volley flying monsters or extinguish fires with water orbs—the game loses the grounded, precise feel that defines the rest of the experience.

Despite my frustration during the three-plus hours of this campaign, I was always just one multiplayer match away from laughter. The joy of launching ink, mud, and fireballs at friends—while still trying to think about court positioning and shot types—is pure, chaotic fun. It’s a shame that, at launch, the game doesn’t deliver a more complete package.