Mario Tennis (Nintendo 64): Difference between revisions

{{Infobox

|developer=[[Camelot]]

|released='''Nintendo 64:'''<br>{{released|Japan|July 21, 2000|USA|August 28, 2000|Europe|November 3, 2000|Australia|November 3, 2000}}'''Virtual Console (Wii):'''<br>{{released|Europe|June 18, 2010|Australia|June 18, 2010|USA|June 28, 2010|Japan|August 31, 2010}}'''Virtual Console (Wii U) (Full Release):'''<br>{{released|USA|July 9, 2015|Europe|December 17, 2015|Australia|December 18, 2015|Japan|July 20, 2016}}'''Virtual Console (Wii U) (Promotional Release):'''<br>{{released|Europe|November 20, 2015|Australia|November 21, 2015}}'''Nintendo 64 - Nintendo Switch Online:'''<br>{{released|USA|October 2021<ref>Nintendo (September 23, 2021). [https://youtu.be/dG9fAtmYdlM?t=1260 Nintendo Direct - 9.23.2021]. ''YouTube''. Retrieved September 24, 2021.</ref>|Japan|October 2021<ref>Nintendo 公式チャンネル (September 24, 2021). [https://youtu.be/MegZz4gKSPk?t=1142 Nintendo Direct 2021.9.24]. ''YouTube''. Retrieved September 24, 2021.</ref>|Europe|October 2021<ref>@NintendoEurope (September 23, 2021). [https://twitter.com/NintendoEurope/status/1441166363037364229?s=20 ''"Play a growing library of Nintendo 64 and SEGA Mega Drive games anytime, anywhere with #NintendoSwitchOnline + Expansion Pack, a new membership launching in late October."''] ''Twitter''. Retrieved September 24, 2021.</ref>|Australia|October 2021<ref>@NintendoAUNZ (September 24, 2021). [https://twitter.com/NintendoAUNZ/status/1441167178850390018?s=20 ''"Play a growing library of Nintendo 64 and SEGA Mega Drive games anytime, anywhere with #NintendoSwitchOnline + Expansion Pack, a new membership launching in late October."''] ''Twitter''. Retrieved September 24, 2021.</ref>|HK|October 2021<ref>[https://www.nintendo.com.hk/topics/article/a_210924_07.html 新的服務計劃「Nintendo Switch Online + 擴充包」將於10月下旬登場。在Nintendo Switch上將可遊玩Nintendo 64等的作品。] ''Nintendo HK''. Retrieved September 24, 2021.</ref>}}

|ratings={{ratings|esrb=E|pegi=3|acb=g|usk=0}}

|media={{media|n64=1|wiidl=1|wiiudl=1}}

|input={{input|n64=1|classic=1|wiigcn=1|wiiu=1|wiiupro=1|wiiuremote=1|wiiuclassic=1}}

'''''Mario Tennis''''', known in [[Japan]] as '''''Mario Tennis 64''''' (マリオテニス64 ''Mario Tenisu Rokujūyon''), is a [[Nintendo 64]] video game. It features [[Mario]] and his friends playing tennis, and is the second installment in the [[Mario Tennis (series)|''Mario Tennis'' series]] (although the first in the modern incarnation of the series) and the follow-up to ''[[Mario's Tennis]]'' for the [[Virtual Boy]]. This game introduced [[Waluigi]] as a rival of [[Luigi]], and also [[Princess Daisy]] and [[Birdo]]'s re-entries into the [[Mario (franchise)|''Mario'' franchise]]. The [[Mario Tennis (Game Boy Color)|Game Boy Color counterpart]] is [[Transfer Pak]] compatible with ''Mario Tennis''.

[[File:MT64 Opening Toad.png|thumb|right|100px|Toad announcing with the Bob-omb]]

As [[Toad]] (who is the announcer) points and shouts, "What's-that!?", [[Bowser]] and the hovering [[Boo]] fall onto the court below, knocking Wario and Waluigi backwards. Everyone appears disgusted that Bowser would try to ruin a tennis match. To everyone's surprise, the pair announce they have come to play a friendly game of tennis. As everyone is baffled, Mario breaks the silence by exclaiming, "Let's all play!". As Peach and Daisy look to each other and agree, everyone, including Wario and Waluigi, follow suit. Out of nowhere, a [[Bob-omb]] makes its way onto the field. Without time to act, everyone is caught in the blast, and the game begins.

Including all the characters that can be transferred from the [[Game Boy Color]] version of ''[[Mario Tennis (Game Boy Color)|Mario Tennis]]'', the Nintendo 64 version of ''Mario Tennis'' features a total of 20 playable characters. Of these characters, 14 characters are default, 2 characters (marked with a double asterisk) are unlockable through playing the Nintendo 64 game, and 4 characters (marked with a triple asterisk) can be transferred from the Game Boy Color game. Aside from the transferable characters, characters are divided into 5 different play styles, listed below. Waluigi (marked with an asterisk) makes his first appearance in the [[Mario Tennis (series)|''Mario Tennis'' series]] and the overall [[Mario (franchise)|''Mario'' franchise]]. Short Game and Tiebreaker are the only modes that can be played with the same characters. When two of the same character is selected, the second player to select said character will have an alternate palette swap of the character. All of the returning cast from ''[[Mario Golf (Nintendo 64)|Mario Golf]]'' retains a returning palette from that game.

<gallery caption="All-Around">

Mario Colors.png|[[Mario]]

Luigi Colors.png|[[Luigi]]

</gallery>

<gallery caption="Technique">

Peach Colors.png|[[Princess Peach|Peach]]

Daisy Colors.png|[[Princess Daisy|Daisy]]

Toad Colors.png|[[Toad]]

Waluigi Colors.png|[[Waluigi]]*

Shy Guy Colors.png|[[Shy Guy]]**

</gallery>

<gallery caption="Power">

Warios Colors.png|[[Wario]]  

Bowser Colors.png|[[Bowser]]  

DK Colors.png|[[Donkey Kong]]  

DKjr Colors.png|[[Donkey Kong Jr.]]**

</gallery>

<gallery caption="Speed">

Yoshi Colorz.png|[[Yoshi]]

Birdos Colors.png|[[Birdo]]  

Baby Mario Colors.png|[[Baby Mario]]

</gallery>

<gallery caption="Tricky">

Paratroopa Colors.png|[[Koopa Paratroopa|Paratroopa]]

Boo Colors.png|[[Boo]]

</gallery>

<gallery caption="Varies">

Mt64alex.png|[[Alex]]***

Mt64nina.png|[[Nina (Mario Tennis series)|Nina]]***

Mt64harry.png|[[Harry (Mario Tennis series)|Harry]]***

Mt64kate.png|[[Kate]]***

===Non-playable characters===

*[[Bob-omb Buddy]]

*[[Piranha Plant]]

===Doubles partners===

Note: The name before the dash is the player's character, and the name after the dash is the CPU.

*[[Mario]] - [[Luigi]]

*[[Luigi]] - [[Princess Daisy|Daisy]]

*[[Princess Peach|Peach]] - [[Mario]]

*[[Princess Daisy|Daisy]] - [[Birdo]]

*[[Toad]] - [[Princess Peach|Peach]]

*[[Waluigi]] - [[Koopa Paratroopa|Paratroopa]]

*[[Shy Guy]] - [[Bowser]]

*[[Wario]] - [[Waluigi]]

*[[Bowser]] - [[Boo]]

*[[Donkey Kong Jr.]] - [[Donkey Kong]]

*[[Donkey Kong]] - [[Toad]]

*[[Yoshi]] - [[Baby Mario]]

*[[Birdo]] - [[Yoshi]]

*[[Baby Mario]] - [[Donkey Kong]]

*[[Koopa Paratroopa|Paratroopa]] - [[Bowser]]

*[[Boo]] - [[Wario]]

[[File:MT64 PowerShot.png|150px|thumb|[[Wario]] misses a Smash Shot.]]

To charge a shot, the player must press and hold either {{button|n64|A}}, {{button|n64|B}} or both . The player's character will begin to spark, indicating that power-up has begun. A charge-up shot is not only more powerful, but easier to control as well. Furthermore, while charging, the character will automatically hit the ball if it is within reach, and they will even leap if this is needed to reach the ball; however they will also move very slowly until they hit the ball unless they are a "Tricky" character. It is possible to cancel charging if they misaligned the shot. The player does this by tapping {{button|n64|Z}} in the midst of their charge-up.

 

{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; margin:auto;"

Doubles is a much different mode than singles. It can either be easier or harder than singles, depending on the player's perception of difficulty. The court is split into front and back sections. When the player is serving, it is their responsibility to cover the back. When they are not serving, they get to play the net. When being served to, the player's position will alternate. If the player is receiving the serve, they will play back on the point. If not, they've got the net. Another difference from singles play is that, on doubles play, the lateral extremities of the court count for the purpose of scoring, whereas in singles, when the ball lands in the side sections, it counts as out and the point goes to the opponent.

The exhibition mode offers the player a match in which they can customize their match. They may choose to either play singles or doubles, the length of the match, the difficulty of the opponent, and the court that they play on. The player can choose five different difficulties, which are Novice, Intermediate, Expert, Pro, and Ace. The player can also choose who their opponent or partner is.

[[File:Mt64tournament.png|thumb|right|A tournament board]]

There are three more tournaments available in ''Mario Tennis'', which need to be unlocked. To access the Rainbow, Moonlight and Planet Cups, the player needs to win all cups in singles and doubles with all 16 characters. Once done, the player must "star" a character by pressing and holding the {{button|N64|R}} shoulder button while selecting a player. This allows the player to participate in the Rainbow Cup. The player has to beat the Rainbow Cup to get to the Moonlight Cup, and win the Moonlight Cup to get to the Planet Cup. Beating all singles and doubles special cups with all 16 characters will unlock the Ace difficulty mode for computer players.

[[File:Bowsermatch.PNG|thumb|right|A group of characters holding items.]]

The other major difference between this and normal tennis are the power-ups that are collected and used. They hover near the center of the net in glowing cubes (similar to the ''[[Mario Kart (series)|Mario Kart]]'' games) and become useable when a player sends a ball through one. The power-up then appears in the corner of the screen and can be used by pressing the {{button|n64|Z}} button.

 

The Piranha Challenge pits the player against four opponents: one Mario team player and three Piranha Plants. The three plants spit fifty balls randomly, and the object is to return them past the net camper and out of play. The Mario team player stays mostly in the center of the net. If the ball somehow does make its way to the center player, the center player returns it, and it may not count towards the score. There are four courts for the challenge: Hard, Clay, Grass or Composition.  

Short Game is a multiplayer mode where the character or team must score up to 5 points to win the match. Tiebreaker is equivalent to Short Game, except it goes up to 7 points. Short Game and Tiebreaker are only for two players for a Singles Match and four players for a Doubles Match, and never use the computers at all.

The Tiebreaker mode is the only mode where two players can be the same character. When two of the same character is selected, the second player to select said character will have an alternate palette swap of the character. For example, if both players pick Mario, the second player to select him will have Mario in his [[Fire Mario]] outfit.

Ring Tournament is a Special Game challenge mode and service for players per copy of the game to have their high scores depending upon how many rings they each collected submitted to the leaderboard with the players' entered names to the Mario Tennis website. Before playing, the player was required to enter a code for each of the special cups, including character-based ones. The codes came from the former official N64 game website for that game which ran from 2000–2004, and would change from time to time. The service ended in 2004 after the game's sequels ''Mario Power Tennis'' and later ''Mario Tennis Open'' replaced it for that URL, and every possible code entry will end with the message "This code is incorrect". This Special Game mode has been removed in the Wii Virtual Console re-release of the game due to the service and URL being shut down. It still can be seen in the special games menu but it cannot be selected or even highlighted.

{| class="wikitable"

Every court plays a bit differently. Each court can be selected for Exhibition matches once unlocked.

 

{| class=sortable cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3 border=1 align=center width=100% style="text-align:center; border-collapse:collapse; font-family:Arial"

!width=15% |Picture

!width=15% |Name

!width=15% |Ball Speed

!width=15% |Bounce

!width=20% |Notes

{| class=sortable cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3 border=1 align=center width=100% style="text-align:center; border-collapse:collapse; font-family:Arial"

!width=15% |Picture

!width=15% |Name

!width=15% |Ball Speed

!width=15% |Bounce

!width=20% |How to Unlock

!width=20% |Notes

*'''Donkey Kong:''' Donkey Kong beats his chest while holding the trophy up. However, seeing some bananas next to him, he throws the trophy away and goes after them instead.

*'''Donkey Kong Jr.:''' Donkey Kong Jr. hops from leg to leg holding the trophy up. Donkey Kong walks in, and Donkey Kong Jr. jumps into his arms and holds the trophy up.

*'''Waluigi:''' Waluigi is hopping around on the platform and talking about how happy he is. A disinterested Luigi watching Waluigi decides to walk away, making Waluigi very angry.

*'''Daisy:''' Daisy begins celebrating and thanking the crowd before losing her balance and falling and giving a slightly embarrassed look to the camera.

*'''Shy Guy:''' An excited Shy Guy jumps around. A rotor comes out from him, turning him into Fly Guy, as he flies around.

WaluigiTennis64.PNG|[[Waluigi]]

Donkey Kong Jr MT64 art.png|[[Donkey Kong Jr.]]

DKandBabyMarioTennis.png|[[Donkey Kong]] and [[Baby Mario]]

{| class="wikitable review_template" style="border: 2px solid black; width:100%; font-size: 100%; text-align:center; margin-bottom: 5px;" cellpadding="4"

!colspan="4" style="font-size:120%; text-align:center; background-color:silver;"|Reviews

|Marcel van Duyn, [http://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/n64/mario_tennis Nintendo Life]

!colspan="4" style="background-color:silver; font-size:120%; text-align:center;"|Aggregators

{{main|Mario Tennis (Nintendo 64) Staff}}

[[Goomba]], [[Bullet Bill]], and [[Whomp]] were suggested to be made playable, along with a "Warupīchi" as a potential evil counterpart to Peach, but these were all dismissed for varying reasons, such as Goomba and the ''[[Super Mario 64]]'' Bullet Bill's lack of hands, and Whomp's rigid posture. The idea for a rival for the Princess was dismissed by [[Shigeru Miyamoto]].<ref>http://www.camelot.co.jp/gimon/gimon13.html Japanese Camelot Q & A</ref>

[[File:Mario Tennis 64 No Controllers.png|200px|thumb|Right|Luigi and Waluigi with a Nintendo 64 and controller being held.]]

*If the player does not have any controller plugged into the console, a scene with Luigi and Waluigi is displayed with a Nintendo 64 and controller being held by them.

*Alex, Nina, Harry, and Kate are no longer playable in the [[Virtual Console]] versions of the game, nor can the transfer-related personal courts be unlocked in that version as well, due to the [[Wii]] and the [[Wii U]] lacking an equivalent to the [[Nintendo 64]]/[[Game Boy Color]] Transfer Pak. Despite this, the data for all the characters are still in the game.

*This is the only game in the ''Mario Tennis'' series where the announcer is Mario himself. He is the referee unless he is playing, in which case a clone of him becomes the referee and wears different clothes depending on the tournament, as well as a blue version of Mario's cap. The clone is always the referee during the Star Cup and Planet Cup, regardless of whether or not Mario is playing.

**In the game's group artwork, as well as on the title screen, Peach can be seen sitting on the referee's seat, despite only Mario being the referee in-game.

*In Waluigi's trophy celebration, when Waluigi is angered after Luigi dismisses him, he actually uses Wario's growl when he charges a shot or serves.

*[http://www.nintendo.co.jp/n01/n64/software/nus_p_nm8j/index.html Official Mario Tennis Japanese website]

 

{{MT64}}

{{MarioGames}}

{{VirtualConsole}}