Mario Tennis Is the Wrong Sport to Revisit, and One of 2025’s Best Games Proves It

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Mario is well-known for games that branch out from the main series, and Nintendo is always coming up with fresh takes on these spin-offs. We’ve seen him in everything from wild party games to racing in Mario Kart, and competing in lots of different sports. Tennis seems to be a particular favorite – Mario Tennis Fever was the first Mario sports game on the Nintendo Switch. But it makes you wonder if a new Mario Tennis game is really what fans are hoping for?

I’d love to see Mario in a football game, but I’m hoping Nintendo will revisit a surprisingly fun idea from the 3DS: horse racing. Mario Sports Superstars included a fantastic horse racing mode, and it’s been missing ever since. With the recent success of Umamusume: Pretty Derby, a popular game about horse-girl racing, 2026 would be the ideal time to bring this back.

Mario Tennis Is Fun, but It’s No Longer Fresh

Mario Tennis games have a strong history, and I fondly remember playing the originals on Nintendo 64 and GameCube. They were fun and easy to pick up, with a unique, lighthearted style. However, more recent games haven’t lived up to that standard. Instead of building on the original charm, they feel like pale copies, constantly trying to recapture the past with increasingly pointless additions. By the time Mario Tennis Aces came out, the gameplay had become repetitive, relying too much on the same special moves, courts, and overall rhythm.

The latest Mario Tennis Fever follows a familiar trend: it offers improvements and new faces, but doesn’t drastically change the formula. Because tennis has set rules, there’s only so much the game can do, even with the Mario twist. The series hasn’t been a failure, but it’s become predictable, and new releases rarely drive console sales. What’s even more puzzling is that other Mario sports games, like Mario Strikers, Mario Golf, and Mario Baseball, get even fewer new installments. Mario Tennis plays it safe, but Mario sports should be more daring, like they used to be.

Gamers crave a diverse range of sports games, but Nintendo typically releases only one or two per console generation, making each new title a big deal. With another tennis game on the way, fans are wondering what other sports options might be overlooked. What makes Mario sports games fun is the variety, and that’s currently shrinking as tennis consistently takes a spotlight. While ‘love’ is a good score in tennis, fans aren’t thrilled with the series receiving so much attention over other potential sports games.

Mario Horse Racing Is Long Overdue for a Full Nintendo Revival

The horse racing in Mario Sports Superstars was a pleasant surprise. It was surprisingly fun and had enough interesting features that it could have easily been developed into a standalone game. It combined racing with simple management elements, and the familiar Mario style made it easy to pick up, even if you don’t usually play racing games. Sadly, Nintendo hasn’t explored this idea further, seemingly considering it a one-time addition rather than a potential full game.

The popularity of Umamusume: Pretty Derby demonstrates that people are interested in horse racing games if they’re updated with modern visuals, engaging gameplay, and a compelling story. The game successfully combined horse training, exciting races, and a focus on character development, attracting a large player base. It proved that horse racing can be popular when done well, and while the adorable anime horse girls certainly contributed to its success, Nintendo already has plenty of charming characters of its own.

Nintendo is in a great spot to create a fun horse racing game. Their characters already work well in racing scenarios, and the Mario world is known for its imaginative ideas. A Mario-themed horse racing game could be really unique, with colorful tracks, smart racing strategies, and even a bit of adventure. They could even let players breed or train Yoshis instead of horses, use power-ups during races, and explore different parts of the Mushroom Kingdom. This kind of creativity is something you just don’t get with a typical tennis game anymore.

One of 2025’s Best Games Shows What Nintendo Is Missing

Last year, Umamusume: Pretty Derby wasn’t just a hit – it showed that games about unusual sports can become incredibly popular with great design and a dedicated community. The game won a major award, gained a huge following, and brought horse racing to a wider audience in gaming. Importantly, it also demonstrated that big game companies, like Nintendo with its established characters and rich history, could really excel in this surprisingly untapped genre.

Nintendo is known for taking unusual sports and turning them into incredibly popular games. They did it with kart racing in Mario Kart, chaotic soccer in Mario Strikers, and even the surprisingly popular Mario Hoops 3-on-3. They consistently succeed when they try something different. This trend extends beyond Mario titles, as Splatoon and ARMS also demonstrate. Horse racing feels like a natural fit for Nintendo, and they’ve already shown they can make it enjoyable with Mario Sports Superstars. Now, it’s time for them to fully commit to the idea and create a dedicated, full-fledged horse racing game.

It feels like Nintendo is missing out by sticking with tennis. While Mario tennis games are fun, they’ve become predictable and many players, including myself, are starting to lose interest. Horse racing, however, offers a fresh opportunity for innovative and exciting Mario sports titles. Considering the success of games like Umamusume: Pretty Derby, Nintendo could easily create something equally captivating, given their history of quality games.

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2026-02-10 23:44