Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash: Difference between revisions

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'''''Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash''''' is a multiplayer sports [[List of games|game]] in the [[Mario Tennis (series)|''Mario Tennis'' series]], developed by [[Camelot Software Planning]], for the [[Wii U]]. It is the third home console installment in the series and the seventh overall. It was first released in November 20, 2015 in Europe and North America. Up to four players can locally play the game.

The game, as an installment in the ''Mario Tennis'' franchise, features traditional tennis gameplay with various [[Super Mario (franchise)|''Super Mario'' franchise]] elements mixed in, such as the playable characters and the gimmicks introduced in courts. It retains several elements from two predecessors, ''[[Mario Power Tennis]]'' and ''[[Mario Tennis Open]]'', while introducing Mega Battles and Jump Shots; Mega Battle is a mode where players can grow larger from picking up [[Mega Mushroom]]s to increase their offense and defensive capabilities, while Jump Shots enable players to leap into the air to perform more powerful shots. The [[Wii U#Wii U GamePad|Wii U GamePad]] is taken advantage of in two-player singles, allowing a second player to use a separate screen for the perspective of their character.<ref name="Overview Trailer">Nintendo (NintendoWiiUUK) (October 22, 2015). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKPjDi_qwZ8 ''Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash'' - Overview Trailer (Wii U)]. ''YouTube''. Retrieved October 22, 2015.</ref> If players download the game from the [[Nintendo eShop#Wii U|Nintendo eShop]], the software requires 888 MB to be installed.<ref>[https://checkout.nintendo.com/#/item/WUPNAVXE/billing Checkout for ''Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash''] ''Nintendo''. Retrieved November 1, 2015.</ref> The game also features [[amiibo]] support, allowing players to use compatible amiibo to train and play with a CPU-controlled character.

 

*Courts are unlocked with either plays of any mode or with coins:

''Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash'' has 16 playable characters. Out of them, [[Rosalina]], [[Toadette]], and [[Sprixie Princesses|Sprixie Princess]] are new playable characters to the series, with Sprixie Princess also being playable for the first time in any game. In addition, [[Toad]] is playable in the ''Mario Tennis'' series for the first time since the [[Mario Tennis (Nintendo 64)|Nintendo 64 installment]], while [[Dry Bowser]] is playable for the first time in a home console ''Mario Tennis'' installment after previously being playable in ''[[Mario Tennis Open]]''. Of the character-types, there are three All-Round, two Speed, two Technical, four Power, two Defensive, and three Tricky. The unlockable characters, in addition to the "standard" unlock methods, can be unlocked by purchasing them (using [[coin]]s earned during gameplay) off the rewards menu. This is the last game to feature Mario, Luigi, Wario, and Waluigi in their normal clothing, as the next game, ''[[Mario Tennis Aces]]'', would depict them with tennis uniforms.

''Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash'' features only stadium-themed courts, but players can choose between nine different variations for them, which affect ball behavior and/or character behavior in different ways.<ref name=NWR>Koopman, Daan (October 30, 2015) [https://www.nintendoworldreport.com/hands-on-preview/41398/mario-tennis-ultra-smash-wii-u-hands-on-preview ''Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash'' (Wii U) Hands-on Preview.] ''Nintendo World Report''. Retrieved October 25, 2015.</ref> The following courts can be selected:

''Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash'' received mixed reviews from critics with aggregate scores of 58 from 58 critics on Metacritic<ref>[http://www.metacritic.com/game/wii-u/mario-tennis-ultra-smash Metacritic scores on ''Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash'']. ''Metacritic.'' Retrieved November 18,2015</ref> and 55.78% based on 36 reviews on GameRankings.<ref>[http://www.gamerankings.com/wii-u/168676-mario-tennis-ultra-smash/index.html GameRankings score]. ''GameRankings''. Retrieved November 18, 2015.</ref> Reviewers praised the graphics and presentation, but lambasted the stark lack of overall content and basic features, both offline and online, calling it bare-bones, especially when compared to the previous ''Mario Tennis'' games. Chris Carter of Destructoid was severely disappointed and harshly criticized the game, noting the lack of content, the forgettable Jump Shot and Mega Battle features, and the lack of lobbies or other extra features.<ref>Carter, C (November 18, 2015). [http://www.destructoid.com/review-mario-tennis-ultra-smash-320462.phtml Swing low]. ''Destructoid''. Retrieved November 18, 2015.</ref> He ends by saying that players are "better off just playing any other previous game in the series, which is particularly easy to do since the first game is on the [[Wii U]]'s [[Virtual Console#Wii U|Virtual Console]] for just 10 bucks." He gave the game a 5.5/10. Marty Sliva of IGN had a similar opinion, stating that "''Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash'' is about as paint-by-numbers as you can get. The lack of modes, characters, and new ideas make it a step backwards from the series' debut on the [[Nintendo 64]] back in 2000." He cites the Mega Mushroom feature as bad and gimmicky, appearing to be arbitrary and imbalanced. He also compared it unfavorably to its predecessors by stating "that ''[[Mario Power Tennis]]'' on the [[Nintendo GameCube|GameCube]] managed to include more characters, interesting modes, and varied courses a decade ago is a bit insulting." He gave it 4.8/10, a score labeled as "bad". Kyle Hilliard of Game Informer expressed similar disappointment, praising the game's core gameplay for being solid and fun but wishing the game offered much more.<ref>Hilliard, K. (November 18, 2015). [http://www.gameinformer.com/games/mario_tennis_ultra_smash/b/wii_u/archive/2015/11/18/mario-tennis-ultra-smash-game-informer-wii-u-review.aspx Nintendo Drops The Volley]. ''Game Informer''. Retrieved November 15, 2015.</ref>

{| class="wikitable reviews"

|align="left"|"''Mario Tennis Ultra Smash feels stingy. It's a disappointment akin to visiting a favourite restaurant and ordering your usual, only to find the portions are half the size they were last time you came. It tastes as good as you remember, but you still come away feeling short-changed.''"

*''[[Mario Tennis Aces]]'': The Classic Tennis mode from this game returns. Marina Stadium bears a strong resemblance to the stadium in ''Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash''. Models and animations for returning characters from this game are reused.

{{Super Mario games}}