Mario Tennis Open

by Nintendo

• Play with 2-4 friends online or go solo in an open match. Play singles, doubles, download play, or co-op modes locally. Or just jump into single-player tournaments and exhibition games
• The fast-paced tennis gameplay is exciting. Touch screen controls allows anyone to jump in and have fun. More advanced players will want to master multiple types of skill shots.
• StreetPass features enable the game to continue when you are on the go. Swap Mii characters and show off your skills!

Product Details

• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B007BGUGVO
• Product Dimensions: 4.9 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches ; 1.6 ounces
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: May 20, 2012
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (54 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,112 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
  • #2 in Video Games > Nintendo 3DS > Games > Sports

Product Description

Instantly jump into the multiplayer fun, locally or online, as your Mii or your favorite Mushroom Kingdom character. Discover simple touch screen controls as well as strategic depth with different tennis swings, both which propel the tennis experience into an ever-intensifying crescendo of fun as the volleys go on.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars They Did It Right May 23, 2012

By Pat Kelly

Fun: 5.0 out of 5 stars   

Now, with some Mario games they tend to become annoying and they try to do too much with what worked. ie, Super Smash Bros was great, but they started adding power moves and special crap in Brawl, which took away from the classic game. Super Mario Strikers has some weird power-ups. Point is: too many power ups and special moves, not as much fun. This game stuck to its roots, but changed in a way that works.

It's more skillfull than other Mario games. You learn what works against what moves, what buttons to press without thinking, and some technical advantages. But overall, everyone is equal and the game doesn't try to do too much.

There are only a few tournaments, so if you like only one character then you won't play as much, and won't have as much fun. But if you try to play all tournaments with every character, it'll be fun. Also, you play the minigames and if that's not for you, again you're missing out on something. Other than that, there isn't much. Online is very jump-in and play, then leave, then play another. So there's not much to that other than some increased difficulty.

Local multiplayer, which I'm sure not everyone has played yet, is the best. I have played my friends who have 3ds or the game multiple times, and playing each other is fun, so is playing doubles on the same team as them. Download play is great, so both people don't need to buy it (but i'm sure if they have a 3ds they will be convinced to get it anyway). You can also play some mini-games with them, which I'm sure is fun for a bit.

Graphics are good, and 3d isn't overwhelming nor does it try to be. it's there for depth and making it look nice, not trying to overdo it. Even 2d is fine, but i feel like it's missing something. It's all preference.

Controls are great. At first, you kind of button mash. Then you learn what to press, and to get the hang of it you use the screen. But then you learn what is what on the buttons, and if you prefer, then you start using the buttons only. It takes some learning. You learn that top-spin is red and A, and lob shot is A-B and yellow. Eventually it becomes second nature and you see they are hitting a flat shot at you and it's purple, so you react with a flat shot or Y. So it does take more practice than most mario games, but not to a point of unplayability if you don't know.

In conclusion, it was 40 bucks well spent. I know mario tennis games can't be played forever, so I'm trying to not burn myself out with it. I'm playing small amounts. But I enjoy it, and anyone can. Some of my friends who don't have a 3ds played it and they enjoyed it. The best is definitely playing local multiplayer with a friend. So try it out, it's hard to be disappointed. They didn't do anything to ruin the game, only make it more skillfull to say. If you never liked Mario Tennis, don't try it. But if you did, you'll enjoy this one too.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Could have been so much better ~ December 19, 2012

By Christopher Barrett TOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Fun: 4.0 out of 5 stars   

Two big problems:

One. You cannot use the stick to aim shots while in the close up view. You must tilt the actual 3DS to aim shots. With the 3D turned on, this is a nightmare. And it's not very accurate. Plus, the game auto runs your player. Letdown... You have to use the overhead view for the ability to fully control your player as well as aim your shots.

Two. All the neat swag you unlock can only be used by your 'Mii' character. So you can't change out equipment on the Mario Bros characters. This makes it kind of pointless to unlock and buy equipment if you are someone like me that enjoys walloping people with Boo or Diddy Kong. The developers could have had each of the Mario characters come with their standard equipment already and then have the ability to change the standard equipment out. Like Mario Kart 7. Alas...

Another interesting and wonky thing is that you can't set a stable camera angle even in the 3/4 perspective. The camera rocks and tilts and moves sporadically, creating a headache of a view angle. Plus, the 3D is not really very good in this game, so you don't really get the effect of the shots in proper 3D. I actually turned the 3D down after several hours.

The gameplay is not true tennis by any stretch. You basically make contact with the ball in any fashion and the game compensates. The only time it doesn't is when you are late in hitting and the ball hits your player instead. The trick to winning is to use shots that are effective against the shots your opponent hits. Standing in the colored 'special' circles gives that effect to your shot. For example, if the blue squid lights up in the circle, run to the circle and power up a shot. The shot then gives a huge arcing shot that is more difficult for the opponent to hit. Fire flowers, stars, mushrooms, and bob-ombs all give different effects.

The best and most interesting part of this game is the ability to 'play' the original Super Mario Brothers by hitting the screen with tennis balls. It's weird and strangely addictive. Plus, it gets tough. Especially at first when you are looking at the screen you're attacking and not really controlling your player that well. I found that most of the time when I lost was when I was trying to do something and completely forgot to hit the ball with my player.

Multiplayer is good, but with the style of gameplay it can be frustrating. It is a setup that makes it so that even newbies can play effectively against veterans. As long as they keep hitting X (regular shots), and getting into the special circles, they can present a challenge. I also found that it is stupidly easy to get back into position for tricky shots. For example, if I hit a long shot and then drop a slice over the net on my next shot, the opponent usually gets up to catch the shot despite being miserably far back in the court.

It's a decent game and it's fun. But there are quite a few tweaks the developers could have made to improve it. More camera angle options would have been a good start. Then the ability to change Mario Bros character gear. And perhaps improved the scale of the players to the courts making it a bit tougher to reach out of place shots. It's a game with training wheels (at least in tournaments and matches - not as easy on the option when you play SMB1), it seems aimed at a younger crowd. And usually I dig games even if they are aimed at younger audiences, but this is one that I think could have been a lot better with more options and settings. Perhaps we can get a Mario Golf game soon with some more depth. In the meantime I will be playing Mario Kart 7.

Of note: I've heard this is mostly material from Mario Tennis 64. I will be checking into this, I never actually played it on my N64, but judging by the screen shots, it looks very similar with the exception of some characters and the SMB1 mini game. Perhaps one could download it on an emulator to see if that is the case...

Also of note: received 6.5 / 10 by IGN and has very mixed reviews from most critics. I didn't discover this until after I played it and penned this review. Gladly I checked this out from my local library rather than shelling out $40.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great sports game for the 3DS May 29, 2012

By Nicole S

Fun: 5.0 out of 5 stars   

As soon as there is a new game that comes out my daughter reads about if from Club Nintendo emails. I saw the day this game was released Toys r us was having a buy one get one 40% off so I jumped on the chance to get another 3DS game for her. She loves it. She has found 4 of the released online unlock able extras through club Nintendo. She says the game is fun not too hard and it doesn't get her sick. There was one game that she played on her 3DS that she actually made her self dizzy because the controls were hard to use. I tried this game too the graphics are really good.