| Mario Tennis Fever | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Release Date | Gameplay & Story | Pre-Order & DLC | Review |
Mario Tennis Fever Review Overview
What is Mario Tennis Fever?
Mario Tennis Fever features the Mario series cast in a back-and-forth duel on the tennis court on Nintendo Switch 2 on February 12, 2026. The game features 38 playable characters and 30 different rackets, each with unique abilities.
It includes new moves like slides and defense-focused footwork, along with familiar shots such as topspins and lobs. Players can enjoy various modes, including Tournament, Trial Towers, Mix It Up mode (which features Wonder effects
), and an Adventure mode where characters are turned into babies and must fight monsters to return to normal.
Mario Tennis Fever features:
⚫︎ Up to 4 Players
⚫︎ Adventure Mode
⚫︎ Variety of Mini Games and Other Modes
⚫︎ 38 Playable Characters
⚫︎ 30 Different Rackets
⚫︎ Variety of Stages and Rule Types
⚫︎ Joy-Con 2 Motion Controls
For more gameplay details, read everything we know about Mario Tennis Fever’s gameplay and story.
| Digital Storefronts | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Switch 2 |
|||||
| $69.99 |
Mario Tennis Fever Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
 Simple and Fun Arcade Gameplay Stunning Visuals Has Actual Unlockables |
Lackluster Adventure Mode Balancing is an Issue Other Game Modes Are Hit and Miss |
Mario Tennis Fever Story - 4/10
Mario Tennis Fever’s narrative is as straightforward as they come. Given how historic the franchise is, you can expect the same heroism from everyone’s favorite plumber. Only this time, it’s centered around tennis. However, the campaign suffers from its bad pacing: the academy segment runs a little too long, and everything else is generally boring or introduced a little too late.
Mario Tennis Fever Gameplay - 7/10
The gameplay loop of Mario Tennis Fever is also simple, as the goal is to create a fun sports game for everyone of all ages. But it’s fairly one-dimensional. The gameplay itself lacks depth, as Fever Shots are often the only factor determining a set's outcome. It’s mostly only enjoyable as a party game, since its side content doesn't bring much else to the table.
Mario Tennis Fever Visuals - 10/10
The visuals are possibly its best element, as the game looks great and runs smoothly. Despite the chaotic nature of Fever Shots and their respective rackets, visual effects remain clear and easy to distinguish, and don’t overwhelm the players even when there’s a multitude of them on-screen.
Mario Tennis Fever Audio - 9/10
The audio design is also noteworthy, as every aspect of it matches the game’s vibe. If there’s one thing to take note of, it’s the sound effects, as the different shot types are mostly recognizable even with the use of sound effects alone.
Mario Tennis Fever Value for Money - 6/10
While the game offers a variety of modes, the inherent simplicity of the core gameplay makes the other mini-games and challenges feel even more shallow. Additionally, the campaign is a little too short, making it an even more lackluster experience than it already is. There are a couple of things for you to unlock, which means it encourages you to engage with its side content at the very least.
Mario Tennis Fever Overall - 72/100
Mario Tennis Fever follows the same DNA as the franchise’s sports games over the years—simple, easy to learn, has amazing presentation, and is enjoyable to play with friends and family. Yet its gimmicky new mechanic, as well as its weak additional content, make it feel much more shallow than its previous iterations and don’t justify the price tag.
Mario Tennis Fever Review: Not an Ace We Were Hoping For
Not the Greatest Set
There are two things every Mario Sports spin-off is known for: having simple controls and being fun for everyone. Be it Mario Golf, Mario Superstar Baseball, or even Mario Strikers Charged, they all thrive off its simple yet effective formula. So much so that one particular spin-off is a household party game in my family: Mario Tennis on the N64.
Be it a birthday party, a small dinner party, or even an unplanned visit from my cousins, one way or another, Mario Tennis always gets brought up, and bragging rights are always at stake. Something about its simplicity, fluidity, and overall effectiveness just can’t be beat, even by the subsequent sequels that the spin-off eventually had.
Which is why I feel disappointed about Mario Tennis Fever. Mario Tennis Fever is the latest iteration of the Mario Tennis spin-offs released for the Nintendo Switch 2, introducing a new Fever Shot mechanic that changes depending on the chosen racket.
While the core gameplay is still simple, it feels as if the newer Mario Tennis titles have lost the essence of what made the original special in favor of more gimmicks. Don’t get me wrong, though, it’s still fun for what it offers, but I definitely thought I was going to have more fun than I expected.
A Long Tutorial Adventure
Let’s first talk about the Adventure Mode, which puts you in the shoes of Baby Mario. I won’t spoil why he became Baby Mario, but let me summarize: Mario and co. had to find a cure for Daisy’s sickness, and paid the price for Wario and Waluigi’s foolishness. Without their rackets, they couldn’t defend themselves from the dark forces that baby-fied them, and now they have to relearn all their skills to get their bodies back.
I’m not going to lie, the first few hours of the Adventure Mode were more boring than I thought. Simply put, it was a glorified tutorial that sprinkled in mini-games that didn’t really add anything. I appreciated the drills and practical tests that taught me to use different shot types, but the mini-games and extra matches felt like padding to extend the campaign’s length.
Which brings us to the game’s actual adventure, or, rather, the events after the Mushroom Tennis Academy. It was here that I was baffled by the game’s campaign structure, since they honestly could’ve just omitted the academy entirely and tied the entire tutorial phase to Baby Mario and Baby Luigi learning the mechanics of the game during the adventure itself.
The whole thing just feels disjointed, which is a shame, since I feel like it would’ve gone much better if the events were sequenced differently. In my opinion, the whole campaign would’ve felt much better if the Academy segment had been shorter, and then they put in the extra stuff into the actual adventure. Instead, we have a campaign where the tutorial makes up more than half of the entire experience, and we don’t get to play in some of the wackier environments.
Still Simple and Fun, But Fever is All Gimmicks
I know I said I was disappointed with the intro, but make no mistake: the gameplay is still fun. Using the same skeleton they’ve had for decades now, the core gameplay still revolves around timing and positioning, while strategizing the right shot given the circumstance.
Top-spin to drive the ball and create wider angles of attack, slices to change the timing and direction of your shots from time to time, lobs to attack against those who want to challenge close, and drop shots for those who want to hang back.
These are some of the things they impart when teaching you the mechanics of the game during the campaign, which is definitely how you would approach the sport even in real life to a degree. The only real issue I have with the gameplay is the new gimmick, Fever, as it definitely creates a lot more chaos and prevents actual strategy with the right setup.
For instance, a Rosalina with an environment-altering, damage-centric Fever Racket is hard to beat, since they can set up hazards at the back of the field, reduce your HP to slow you down, and use her special lob shots to make it extremely hard to return. It’s a very oppressive combo, and yet that’s just one of many that feel very bad to play against.
While you can counter a Fever Shot with an immediate volley, it isn’t an easy task. The shot itself is quite fast, and you have to be in the right position before your opponent goes for it. A failed attempt at a counter or choosing not to volley it would mean that it’s at least one to two possessions where you’re at a disadvantage.
Sure, you can argue that there’s strategy involved with the Fever Shot placement and how you got the enemy to move in the first place, but that doesn’t mean that it’s a good mechanic on its own. It feels like matches are decided by who fails on countering a Fever Shot, and the set is lost or lopsided when it goes through.
Actual Unlockables
One of the things that I will commend the game for is actually having things you want to strive for and unlock, as it’s become a sort-of dying feature in most games. Some unlockables range from the completion of challenges, like winning tournaments or tower trials, while others just need you to repetitively play matches.
I appreciate the fact that there’s a point to playing the game’s multiple modes and being rewarded for doing so. It also helps maintain interest in playing the game and exploring everything it offers, beyond Free Play. It may not have the most fun side content, since not all of it is great, but at least there's an incentive to play through them.
Buttery Smooth Visuals
Lastly, I can’t ignore the game’s visuals and how amazing it runs. It’s clear they built on the same engine used in Mario Kart World, as the game’s vibrant visuals are similar to those in that game. And it’s great that they did, since the smaller scale gives more focus on the sporty character designs, unique courts, and special effects.
The game's performance is also remarkable, as it runs smoothly at 60 FPS and loads extremely quickly. It doesn’t take a few seconds for the game to start up as soon as you open it from the Switch 2 Home Screen, which absolutely floored me.
Is Mario Tennis Fever Worth It?
Decent on Sale, Best With Gameshare
Overall, Mario Tennis Fever is a decent party game, but not the best in its series. The tried-and-true, simple gameplay formula is still fun at its core, but the new mechanics and weak Adventure Mode leave much to be desired. There are other game modes to play and things to unlock, but it may not be enough to sway someone into paying full price.
It’s a game that’s at least worth picking up on sale, especially if you have tons of friends and family who can play with you either locally or online. Gameshare is also very useful in this scenario, since you only really need one copy for everyone to enjoy. And if that wasn’t enough, the game actually does have multiplayer modes that are enjoyable for up to four players locally; you just need to have enough Joy-Cons to play with.
| Digital Storefronts | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Switch 2 |
|||||
| $69.99 |
Mario Tennis Fever FAQ
Is There a Nintendo Switch 1 Version of Mario Tennis Fever?
No. Mario Tennis Fever is a Switch 2 Exclusive. However, you can play the game via Gameshare with your Nintendo Switch 1.
Are There Multiple Control Schemes in Mario Tennis Fever?
The controls are customizable. You can set specific buttons for different shot types instead of the default control scheme.
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Mario Tennis Fever Product Information
 |
|
| Title | MARIO TENNIS FEVER |
|---|---|
| Release Date | February 12, 2026 |
| Developer | Nintendo |
| Publisher | Nintendo |
| Supported Platforms | Nintendo Switch 2 |
| Genre | Sports |
| Number of Players | 1-4 (Local, Online) |
| ESRB Rating | E |
| Official Website | Mario Tennis Fever Official Website |
