Mario Tennis Fever Is Nintendo’s Best Sports Spin-Off In Years, But It’s Still $70 (Review)

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For years, Nintendo has successfully released spin-off games featuring Mario characters playing various sports, and it’s easy to see why – they’re enjoyable and perfect for families. Starting with the original Mario Tennis, these games have put a fun spin on sports like golf, baseball, and tennis. Now, Mario Tennis Fever is the first Mario sports game designed specifically for the new Switch 2 console. I recently had the chance to preview this latest installment in the Mario Tennis series, which launches on February 12th.

With a record-breaking 38 playable characters to unlock, Mario Tennis Fever offers a huge roster and six different character types, each with unique strengths for varied gameplay. The biggest new feature is the “Fever Racket,” which adds an exciting twist to every match. After trying out all the game modes, I believe this is the best Mario Tennis game yet. However, at $70, it might be a bit expensive for players who don’t typically play tennis games, considering how much playtime they’ll likely get.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Pros Cons
Biggest character roster in Mario Tennis history Adventure mode is fairly short and basic
Fever rackets keep games interesting Can get repetitive pretty quickly, making $70 a bit hard to justify 
Multiple play modes to mix up the formula  Joy-Con controls only available in one game mode
Solid graphics and performance 

A Massive Roster & Multiple Gameplay Modes Keep Mario Tennis Fever Interesting 

Mario Tennis Fever features a large and fun cast of characters from across the Nintendo universe. While you start with a good selection, you can unlock a total of 38 playable characters. Each character has different strengths and weaknesses, making each one feel unique – playing as Peach is noticeably different than playing as Mario or Daisy. If you enjoy a challenge, you can spend hours perfecting the skills of every character, and the game even encourages you to do so!

As a big fan of playing games by myself, I was really happy with how much Mario Tennis Fever had to offer. So many sports games focus on multiplayer, but this one did a great job of letting me have fun on my own. I especially loved that there were several different ways to play! Adventure Mode was a good length – I finished it in about 4 hours – and it was completely designed for single players. Plus, modes like Tournament and Trial Towers were fun whether I was playing with a friend or going it solo, and they didn’t feel unbalanced either way.

Honestly, I was a little bummed that Adventure Mode basically makes you play as Baby Mario the whole time. It would’ve been way cooler to be able to switch between the different baby characters, especially since others play a role in the story. But thankfully, the other modes really push you to try everyone out. I especially liked the Trial Towers – they give you different challenges, and each one forces you to play as a different character. It’s a great way to get a feel for how each one plays, and I really appreciated that variety.

Beyond the large selection of characters, Mario Tennis Fever offers six main ways to play, along with ranked and online matches. This provides a decent amount of variety, though many of the modes are relatively short. I completed the Adventure story in only four hours, and both Tournament and Trial Towers have limited options. After finishing these challenges and unlocking everything, most players will likely find the multiplayer modes the most engaging.

Fever Rackets Are a Fun & Frustrating Gimmick That Keeps You On Your Toes

When I first tried Mario Tennis Fever earlier this month, I thought the Fever Rackets were a great new addition to the series, and after playing it extensively for this review, I still feel that way. These special rackets are used in multiplayer and really mix things up, offering fresh challenges. Each one has a unique effect during gameplay, and some are more difficult to master than others. As a longtime Mario Tennis player, I quickly remembered how to play, but the Fever Rackets kept things interesting by forcing me to adjust my strategy and stay engaged.

Fever Rackets are enjoyable to play with, though they can be tricky when someone else is using them. Rackets like the Inky and Ghost Rackets, which make it harder to see the ball, can be especially challenging. However, mastering the timing to hit an invisible ball or play through the ink splatters is really rewarding. Getting new rackets is fairly easy, and the game nicely encourages you to keep playing by introducing fresh gameplay elements as you progress.

While single-player options like Adventure and Trial Towers introduce the game’s unique features, they really come to life in competitive play. Being able to battle friends or other players online, mastering each of the 30 different Fever Rackets and learning how to counter them, is what truly sets Mario Tennis Fever apart from previous games like Aces, which had enjoyable but less impactful power-ups.

Like Any Mario Sports Game, Mario Tennis Fever Can Get Repetitive Fast

As a huge fan of the Mario Tennis series, I have to say Mario Tennis Fever is easily the best one yet! But, at its heart, it’s still a Mario Tennis game. While they’ve added a bunch of different modes to keep things interesting, you’re still basically just hitting a tennis ball. It can get a little repetitive pretty fast, even with the new Fever Rackets. Most of the game uses regular controls, and there’s only one mode that really pushes you to use the Joy-Con motion controls. Those motion controls are super sensitive and take some practice, and honestly, I kind of miss when these games got really creative with how they used motion controls.

Currently, Mario Tennis Fever is a very good sports game. It successfully maintains the enjoyable aspects of the previous title while introducing new content that makes it feel revitalized. As I noted during my initial playthrough, the game’s visuals are impressive, truly showcasing the Switch 2’s improved capabilities. However, it’s questionable whether these improvements fully justify the game’s cost.

At $70, Mario Tennis Fever is $10 more expensive than the last game, which is typical for new Switch 2 titles. However, some players might hesitate at the price. While the game offers lots of different modes, characters, and unlockable items, the core tennis gameplay can become repetitive. I had fun playing it, but I don’t anticipate spending a huge amount of time with it after finishing the single-player content and unlocking everything.

If you’re a fan of Mario Tennis games, you’ll likely enjoy this one. It’s a good follow-up to Mario Tennis Aces, with plenty of content for both solo and cooperative play. However, those who only play casually might find it doesn’t offer enough to make the $70 price tag worthwhile.

The game Mario Tennis Fever will be released on February 12th for the Nintendo Switch 2. We received a review code for Mario Tennis Fever from the publisher.

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2026-02-10 17:14