Mario Power Tennis (Nintendo GameCube, 2004)

As far as Mario sports games go, as soon as you get past the annoying sound effects and cartoony players, you're left with a solid tennis game with plenty of replayability. As with most non-adventure mario games, this game is easy to pick up and takes quite a bit of effort to master. the characters all have a unique style to them which makes for interesting matches all the time. the Multiplayer is where this really shines though. You could spend hours playing with friends and having tournaments, making this a good party game to have along. The only gripe i have is when playing the tournament mode with a doubles partner, it seems that you HAVE to use a computer partner, which i thought was ridiculous. Being that this is a party game, who doesn't want to take a friend with to go through and unlock the extras? All in all, a worthwhile game to add to the collection.

This is an excellent video game for kids and adults as well. I have enjoyed hours and hours of fun with my 6 year old son playing this game.
It has also made him want to try tennis for real (the same happened with Mario Baseball) and now he wants Super Mario Strikers (he is already in a children soccer league).
Anyway, this game provides you with the option of picking up a player from the Mushroom Kingdom. Every one has their own abilities and flaws when playing and a different powershot. You can also select their strenght from easy to expert.
You can select from several different stadiums and to play singles or doubles games. You can also select how many sets and matches and per game you would like to play.
This video game also comes with several minigames that can also played with the Mushroom Kingdom characters.
Overall this is an excellent video game for everyone in the family.
I recommend this 100%, especially if you have kids.

I must say I don't like most sports games. I already owned Smash Bros. Melee and Mario Kart Double Dash. So I decided since the Game Cube is ending, I wanted to get any possible games I missed. One I found of interest was Mario Power Tennis.

I read a few forums about the different abilities of all the funny Mario characters. The levels can be obstacles in themselves. Every character has their own styles, speed, technique, power, and tricky. Also, everyone has their own Special Power Move. Fan favorites are in this, including a few not seen often.

The game lets you select which cup you want to play for. Each cup is more difficult as you progress. It can get very hard later on. You can play doubles with the computer or a friend.

The only flaw with the game for me is that some matches can take a very long time. The computer will be wherever you hit the ball, almost ALL THE TIME! This is especially on the harder cups. I come to rely on Power Moves to get through the harder cups.

This is a very fun and different tennis game. Filled with individual moves, a variety of courts, and funny characters. This game is getting very hard to find,so if you want this game, I suggest you get it now.

Simply fantastic. The game is so deep and has an almost infinant replay value. It's classic Mario fun with quirky mini-games and a wide variety to play the sport. Gimmick courts as well as standard (grass, clay, and concrete) courts provide for tournament surfaces. The game reaches its pinnacle when playing with a friend. It's a challenge to play against them and four difficulty levels make any player sweat as they head onto the court. Mario Power Tennis is one of if not the best sports game available for the Gamecube. Buy it if you like tennis, Mario, or just a downright fun game. Highly recommended!

Mario Power Tennis is a solid update to a great Nintendo 64 game. The fundamental play mechanics are more or less the same, which is in my book just fine given that I liked them to begin with. The selection of playable characters and courts -- both immediately available and ready to be unlocked -- is likewise impressive. Meanwhile, the overall presentation, graphics and audio are all very well done, for the most part. In short, the core is still intact, and it still works.

That said, some of the additions are a mixed bag. The new power moves, while cinematic and certainly pretty, can jar the flow of matches and make it difficult to continually follow the ball. And the new Gimmick Courts, sometimes filled with flashing lights and other obstructing obstacles, share exactly the same problem.

Still, this is a fun game, and especially so if you have two or three friends to play with. If that's the case, don't hesitate to pick it up.