Mario Tennis Fever launches officially on Thursday, February 12, but reviews are already live for Nintendo’s latest sports entry. It’s currently sitting at 77 Metascore on Metacritic, based on 67 critical reviews at the time of writing. PCMag says it’s a must-have arcade sports game, praising the creative modes and colorful presentation. But other publications, like VideoGamesChronicle, point out the short adventure mode and balance issues with some of the characters.
It’s Shaping Up To Be Great For Multiplayer
Of all the reviews published so far, there’s one common theme: praise for multiplayer. It looks like Mario Tennis Fever dials up the chaos with Fever Rackets — surprisingly fun powerups that turn serves into fireballs or boomerangs. This sort of chaos is perfect as a party game, and it makes both local and online matches an absolute riot. Reviewers are also a fan of the massive playable character roster, with deep cuts like Spike, Petey Pirhana, and Chain Chomp.
Importantly, NintendoLife’s review points out how the game is easy to pick up and play, with the Fever mechanics adding to the fun instead of making things overly complicated. That was the main problem we had with its predecessor, Mario Tennis Aces. It’s good to hear that Nintendo has managed to make Mario Tennis fun without messing up the flow of the game.
There’s another common theme seen in the reviews, and that’s the grip with the single-player mode. Most reviews called it bland and short, which is not something you want to hear. Unlock grinds wear thin fast, and the cup tournaments appear to lack challenge variety. Some reviewers also said that the finicky precision shots were hard to master.
With a 77 rating on Metacritic, it’s already a bit higher than Mario Tennis Aces (75 rating). Some reviews state the overall feel is also a bit similar to the previous game, though. Innovation has been a common critique of the Mario Tennis series, and it looks like things haven’t changed yet with the latest installment. Still the game sees like its worth it for those who are looking for a fun party game to add to their rotation.
