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IGN Preview of Mario Tennis Open
It's been seven years since we got a new entry in the Mario Tennis franchise, but the developers at Camelot are bringing the series back to the spotlight with Mario Tennis Open for the Nintendo 3DS. The game will hit store shelves on May 20, and based on my recent demo, it's clear that Mario Tennis is coming back with a vengeance.
I got my first taste of Mario Tennis Open at this year's Game Developer's Conference, but my recent demo revealed several new tricks Open has up its sleeves. The game's main mode lets you play Singles or Doubles matches against the computer or friends (more on that in a bit). If you hold the system down, you'll be presented with a top-down view of the court - but if you lift the system up, it goes into an over-the-shoulder view that you can control via gyroscope by moving the system around. It's called Dynamic View, and it provides a different perspective of the court and can give you the ability to aim better in certain circumstances.
The game also lets you either use the face buttons or the touch screen to execute moves. Using the touch screen may be easier (and allow new players to keep up with Mario Tennis masters a bit better), but its ease comes at a cost. If you use the bottom screen to execute a move, you'll be unable to charge it, which you do by holding down the button as the ball approaches. This makes for less powerful moves - so while it may be a nice option to use sometimes, you certainly won't want to rely on it too heavily.
The touch screen serves another purpose too. If you're able to glance down at it without messing up your game, at a certain point right before the ball arrives on your side of the court you'll see whichever move would be a good bet light up on the touchscreen. Looking down is a gamble, but one that could pay off big if you're able to determine what move you should use, then execute an appropriate charge shot with the corresponding face button.
The action itself is far closer to the console Mario Tennis games than previous handheld versions, with no RPG elements, faster action, and no animations breaking up the flow of the match. Other small touches, like sliding back if you're hit directly by a particularly powerful shot, further add depth to the tried and true formula. The result is a very smooth, hardcore experience to sink into - and it's a brilliant change-up that befits the franchise very well.
Another exciting element of Mario Tennis Open comes in the form of the Special Games, tennis-related mini-games you can use to hone your skills. Super Mario Tennis has your character standing in front of a screen showing various levels of the original Super Mario Bros. It's up to you to hit the coins and enemies as they scroll by without losing more than three balls. It's harder than it sounds, especially on the more advanced settings, and an absolute blast.
Other Special Games include Galaxy Rally (where you're tasked with playing a match while sections of the court keep disappearing), Ring Shot (where you try to hit all the rings you can before time runs out) and Ink Showdown (where you have to hit all the balls that are sent your way, making sure to take out the ink blots before they splatter on your screen). I was impressed by how much the mini-games forced me to think about my game, and found that they're a brilliant way to discourage button mashing and help players sharpen their skills.
In addition to these Mushroom Kingdom regulars, Open also lets you play as your Mii if you so choose. The upside to using your Mii is that you're able to customize their attributes to an extent by outfitting them with various items from the item shop. Only Miis can be customized in this way, but if that's the route you choose to go there are tons of rackets, uniforms, wristbands and shoes to choose from, each affecting your Miis stats in different ways. You buy these items with the coins you earn from matches and mini-games - further incentive to keep playing so you can save up for the racket of your dreams.
As mentioned, Mario Tennis Open will be released for the Nintendo 3DS on May 20 - and what I've seen has me excited to polish my skills and get back into the Mario Tennis game for the first time in a very, very long time.
Audrey Drake is an Associate Editor of IGN.com and a proud member of the IGN Nintendo team. She is also a lifelong gamer, a frequent banisher of evil and a wielder of various legendary blades. You can follow her zany exploits on her IGN blog and Twitter. Game on!
©2012-04-05, IGN Entertainment, Inc. All Rights Reserved
I got my first taste of Mario Tennis Open at this year's Game Developer's Conference, but my recent demo revealed several new tricks Open has up its sleeves. The game's main mode lets you play Singles or Doubles matches against the computer or friends (more on that in a bit). If you hold the system down, you'll be presented with a top-down view of the court - but if you lift the system up, it goes into an over-the-shoulder view that you can control via gyroscope by moving the system around. It's called Dynamic View, and it provides a different perspective of the court and can give you the ability to aim better in certain circumstances.
The game also lets you either use the face buttons or the touch screen to execute moves. Using the touch screen may be easier (and allow new players to keep up with Mario Tennis masters a bit better), but its ease comes at a cost. If you use the bottom screen to execute a move, you'll be unable to charge it, which you do by holding down the button as the ball approaches. This makes for less powerful moves - so while it may be a nice option to use sometimes, you certainly won't want to rely on it too heavily.
The touch screen serves another purpose too. If you're able to glance down at it without messing up your game, at a certain point right before the ball arrives on your side of the court you'll see whichever move would be a good bet light up on the touchscreen. Looking down is a gamble, but one that could pay off big if you're able to determine what move you should use, then execute an appropriate charge shot with the corresponding face button.
The action itself is far closer to the console Mario Tennis games than previous handheld versions, with no RPG elements, faster action, and no animations breaking up the flow of the match. Other small touches, like sliding back if you're hit directly by a particularly powerful shot, further add depth to the tried and true formula. The result is a very smooth, hardcore experience to sink into - and it's a brilliant change-up that befits the franchise very well.
Another exciting element of Mario Tennis Open comes in the form of the Special Games, tennis-related mini-games you can use to hone your skills. Super Mario Tennis has your character standing in front of a screen showing various levels of the original Super Mario Bros. It's up to you to hit the coins and enemies as they scroll by without losing more than three balls. It's harder than it sounds, especially on the more advanced settings, and an absolute blast.
Other Special Games include Galaxy Rally (where you're tasked with playing a match while sections of the court keep disappearing), Ring Shot (where you try to hit all the rings you can before time runs out) and Ink Showdown (where you have to hit all the balls that are sent your way, making sure to take out the ink blots before they splatter on your screen). I was impressed by how much the mini-games forced me to think about my game, and found that they're a brilliant way to discourage button mashing and help players sharpen their skills.
In addition to these Mushroom Kingdom regulars, Open also lets you play as your Mii if you so choose. The upside to using your Mii is that you're able to customize their attributes to an extent by outfitting them with various items from the item shop. Only Miis can be customized in this way, but if that's the route you choose to go there are tons of rackets, uniforms, wristbands and shoes to choose from, each affecting your Miis stats in different ways. You buy these items with the coins you earn from matches and mini-games - further incentive to keep playing so you can save up for the racket of your dreams.
As mentioned, Mario Tennis Open will be released for the Nintendo 3DS on May 20 - and what I've seen has me excited to polish my skills and get back into the Mario Tennis game for the first time in a very, very long time.
Audrey Drake is an Associate Editor of IGN.com and a proud member of the IGN Nintendo team. She is also a lifelong gamer, a frequent banisher of evil and a wielder of various legendary blades. You can follow her zany exploits on her IGN blog and Twitter. Game on!
©2012-04-05, IGN Entertainment, Inc. All Rights Reserved