In the new Mario Tennis, you are a newcomer to the Academy, a tennis school. You must work your way up the ranks from the junior class, to the senior class, and finally varsity.

The game play is pretty standard tennis, with the exception of a new feature that was introduced in the Gamecube version of Mario Tennis, the Powershot. These shots are crazy animations that send super powered shots that will often lead to a point. They also look good animations like lighting the ball on fire.

There are also light RPG elements like leveling up and upgrading skills. This lets you create a character that matches your play style, be it a power hitter or a speedy player.

There are also a bunch of mini games, some of which are fun, like the Treadmill, and then there are those who are just frustrating, like the Tacklebot. These games raise your powershot stats, which will then unlock newer, stronger powershots.

Overall, Mario Tennis is a game worth picking up or at least worth a rental. ;]