Mario Tennis Aces Serves up Tons of New Content

Mario Tennis Aces got a ton of new content announcements today during the Nintendo Direct, including major details on some of the new shot types coming. Check out below what you’ll expect to see in Mario Tennis Aces!

A special meter seems to be the focal point of much of the Direct. This gauge – which will appear in the top left corner of the screen, will fill up as you perform shots, play your way through long rally’s, and pull of special moves. You will be able to cash in your special meter – or parts of it – to perform Zone Shots, use Zone Speed, or Trick Shots, and Super Shots. As you do these tasks, your meter will deplete.

The other key new piece of information was the potential for your racket to break during the course of a match. Attempt to return too many Super Shots and your racket will begin to break. Have it happen three times, and you will be forced to forfeit the match. Don’t fret, however, as you will have the opportunity to block shots, saving your racket from further damage. Performing a block will take time to learn, but once you master the skill, you’ll save yourself the embarrassment of bowing out of matches early.

What I took away from the Direct, though, was that although Mario Tennis Aces is getting tons of unique trick shots, there is always a defense for even the most powerful shots, something that hasn’t always been the case in Mario sports titles. These new moves and shots also add a deep layer of depth to each match. Do you attempt to use a zone shot and put a ball out of reach of your opponent, or do you perform a Super Shot and attempt to break your opponents racket. Only time will tell which approach is better, but I have full faith in Nintendo keeping the balance here.

If you want to get your hands on Mario Tennis Aces prior to launch, be sure to stay tuned to Nintendo’s social media channels. The company will be announcing a pre-launch 1v1 tournament, giving all Switch owners the chance to play!