Mario Tennis: The Tennis Saga by Camelot

SeriesMario TennisCamelot

A low-key debut on Virtual Boy before the breakthrough on Nintendo 64. Entrusted to Camelot Software Planning, the Mario Tennis series has been alongside nearly every Nintendo console since 1995. This guide retraces the 2000 N64 entry, the Power Shots of Mario Power Tennis, the HD era with Open and Ultra Smash, and the return of the adventure mode in Mario Tennis Aces.

Since 1995, the Mario Tennis series has turned the court into a wild playground where smashes, Warp Pipes and shells all collide. Entrusted to the studio Camelot Software Planning, this sports saga has been alongside nearly every Nintendo console, alternating between home and handheld versions. It even gave birth to characters who became icons of the Mario universe.

From its beginnings on Virtual Boy all the way to Mario Tennis Fever on Switch 2, here is the complete guide to a series that made tennis a full-fledged sport of the Mushroom Kingdom.

Contents

• From the Virtual Boy debut to the N64 breakthrough
• Mario Power Tennis and the Power Shots
• The HD era: Open, Ultra Smash and the Chance Shots
• Mario Tennis Aces: the return of the adventure mode
• Mario Tennis Fever: the new champion on Switch 2
• Quick recap
• FAQ

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From the Virtual Boy debut to the N64 breakthrough

The series starts quietly with Mario's Tennis, released on the Virtual Boy on July 21, 1995 (Japan). This red-and-black 3D title mainly served as a showcase for Nintendo's short-lived console.

The real kickoff comes in 2000 with Mario Tennis on Nintendo 64, developed by Camelot. The game is a landmark for the license: it features the first appearance of Waluigi, designed as the rival of Luigi, plus the big return of Princess Daisy and Birdo to the Mario universe. Released in Japan on July 21, 2000, it reached Europe on November 3, 2000.

Meanwhile, a Game Boy Color version (November 2000 in Japan) offers a story mode with role-playing mechanics, a quirk unique to the handheld entries of the era.

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Mario Power Tennis and the Power Shots

On GameCube, Mario Power Tennis (October 28, 2004 in Japan, February 25, 2005 in Europe) shifts the series up a gear. Its big new feature: the Power Shots, unique to each character.

• Offensive shots: spectacular strikes that push back or unbalance your opponent (Mario pulls out a hammer, Bowser breathes fire).
• Defensive shots: they let you return a ball even from far away and counter an opponent's offensive shot.

The game also introduces Gimmick Courts, interactive obstacle-filled courts inspired by the Mario universe: ghosts from Luigi's Mansion, conveyor belts from Wario's factory, and more. In 2009, the title was re-released on Wii under the New Play Control! label. A handheld counterpart landed on Game Boy Advance: Mario Tennis: Power Tour (2005), which keeps the RPG story mode.

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The HD era: Open, Ultra Smash and the Chance Shots

With the following generation, Camelot set out to modernize the formula. Mario Tennis Open, released on Nintendo 3DS in 2012, introduces the Chance Shots: color-coded markers that appear on the ground to trigger powerful, varied strokes. The game also leans on Mii customization.

On Wii U, Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash (November 2015 in Europe, January 2016 in Japan) builds on those foundations and adds the Ultra Smash, a super-powered smash triggered when your opponent loses their balance, and the Mega Mushroom that makes the player grow. Despite solid gameplay, the entry is often judged too light on content, with a classic mode that lets you switch off the bonus mechanics.

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Mario Tennis Aces: the return of the adventure mode

Released on June 22, 2018 on Nintendo Switch, Mario Tennis Aces truly revives the series. It is the first entry since Power Tour to offer a genuine story-driven Adventure mode: Mario, backed by Toad, must save his friends possessed by an evil racket named Lucien (Jeseth in the French version), across missions and boss battles.

On the gameplay side, Aces builds its depth on several mechanics:

• The Zone Shots: by reaching a star on the ground, you aim freely across the court in first-person view.
• The Special Shots, triggered with a full energy gauge.
• The Zone Speed, which slows down time so you can reach the tricky balls.

A strategic twist: rackets can break. A racket withstands three Zone Shots or a single Special Shot before shattering, and losing every racket means a K.O. The launch roster counts 16 characters, including the brand-new Chain Chomp, later expanded with many free DLC characters (Koopa Troopa, Blooper, Diddy Kong, Birdo, Pauline, Kamek...).

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Mario Tennis Fever: the new champion on Switch 2

The latest entry, Mario Tennis Fever, was released on February 12, 2026 on Nintendo Switch 2. Still developed by Camelot, it boasts one of the biggest rosters in the series with 38 playable characters, tied with Mario Tennis: Power Tour.

Its flagship mechanic: the Fever Rackets. By charging a Fever gauge during rallies, the player unleashes Fever Shots whose effects vary with the racket equipped (Ice Racket, Mini Mushroom Racket...). The modes on offer include a Tournament mode hosted by a Talking Flower, the Challenge Towers and a surprise-rules mode built around Wonder Effects. Fever thus delivers a wide variety of game modes.

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The main games in the Mario Tennis series

Mario Tennis (N64)	Nintendo 64 (2000)
Mario Power Tennis	GameCube (2004-2005)
Mario Tennis: Power Tour	Game Boy Advance (2005)
Mario Tennis Open	Nintendo 3DS (2012)
Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash	Wii U (2015)
Mario Tennis Aces	Nintendo Switch (2018)
Mario Tennis Fever	Nintendo Switch 2 (2026)

🍄 Want to keep the adventure going? Discover our Mario toys in the shop.

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FAQ

• What is the first Mario Tennis game?
  The very first is Mario's Tennis, released on Virtual Boy in 1995 (Japan). But it was the Nintendo 64 entry in 2000 that truly launched the modern series signed by Camelot.
• Who develops the Mario Tennis series?
  Every main entry is developed by the studio Camelot Software Planning and published by Nintendo. That same studio is also behind the Mario Golf series.
• Which character first appeared in Mario Tennis?
  Waluigi makes his debut in Mario Tennis on Nintendo 64 (2000), designed as Luigi's rival. That entry also marks the return of Daisy and Birdo to the Mario universe.
• Does Mario Tennis Aces have a story mode?
  Yes. Aces offers a story-driven Adventure mode where Mario and Toad take on bosses to free their friends possessed by the evil racket Lucien. It was the first true story mode since Power Tour.
• What is the latest Mario Tennis game?
  Mario Tennis Fever, released on February 12, 2026 on Nintendo Switch 2. It offers 38 playable characters (tied with Power Tour for the biggest roster in the series) and the new Fever Rackets.

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