Product Info

Platform

Switch 2

Publisher

Nintendo

Developer

Camelot Software Planning

Series

Mario Tennis

Genre

Party, Sports

Players

1-4

File Size (Minimum)

7.4 GB

Release Date (NA)

Feb 12, 2026

Purchase From

Amazon

eShop

Mario Tennis Fever is the ninth installment in the Mario Tennis series. While it may not be everyone’s top Mario Tennis game, it has a unique charm with a variety of ways to play that still make it a fiery enjoyable experience for all.

Swinging in Many Ways

Since its debut in 1995 on the Virtual Boy, the Mario Tennis series has steadily grown in popularity over the years. A tennis game has been released on every Nintendo console since 1995, and Mario Tennis Fever is the first title on the Nintendo Switch 2. 

Following the rules of regular tennis, the Mario Tennis series adds extra excitement with powerful, animated shots, and lively scenes to bring the game to life. Mario Tennis Fever continues this trend and adds more flair with its colorful, animated Fever Shots and Fever Rackets. In addition, Fever offers additional options for players to enjoy the sports game, such as the Adventure Mode and Trial Towers. Other modes like Tournament and Free Play are still available, and players can also partake in mini-games in Mix It Up. There are plenty of modes for players to delve into, although not all of them feel equally fulfilling. 

Tournaments can become tedious, particularly when playing in the final cup available, such as the Star Cup in Singles, due to the competitive nature of these matches. Trial Towers provide entertainment as players must win each set of matches within a limit of three hearts (continues). Each match presents unique challenges to overcome, such as banana peels on the court. There are three towers to conquer with a different set of difficulties . Mix It Up offers a variety of matches with different rules to win, like scoring points by hitting balls through rings or getting the ball in a hole three times on a pinball-style court. Players can also engage in multiplayer matches, offering a range of ways to play.

With GameShare, you only need one Nintendo Switch 2 console to own Mario Tennis Fever, and you can connect with up to four other consoles, whether they are Nintendo Switch or Nintendo Switch 2, although access to certain modes may be restricted. Local Play allows you to team up with another Nintendo Switch 2 owner to play together. For online, players can go online for Ranked Matches or random matches in the Online Room, but require a Nintendo Switch membership.

Ranked Matches allow you to enhance your standing in matches using a Fever Racket or without one, with ranks resetting every month. In the Online Room, you can invite a friend to play with you on the same console and compete against others online. There are a variety of ways to enjoy playing tennis, and the Adventure Mode, a new feature in Fever, is designed for solo play only. Players can also use the console’s Joy-Con controls for more motion integration and overall, it feels quite good if you want some more movement in your day.

Going on an Adventure

The Adventure Mode is a cool concept with role-playing game (RPG) elements. The story begins with Daisy falling ill from an unknown sickness, and the only cure is a golden fruit. However, things take a 180-degree turn after Mario and the gang acquire the fruit, turning them into babies. Now, they must rebuild their strength and skills through tennis in order to return to their normal size and defeat the enemy responsible for shrinking them. It does carry that silly storyline that many Mario spin-off games enjoy doing. It’s the gameplay that matters more, let’s be honest.

At the start of the mode, the game takes you through a series of tutorials that feel like an overwhelming amount of information to get going. You will participate in various mini-games and tennis matches to improve your stats and tennis rank. You must reach Rank A before you can embark on your quest to break the curse. Along the way, you will engage in tennis matches against enemies and play more mini-games, such as extinguishing fires on your airship by hitting water balls. Some of these mini-games may become repetitive and lose their appeal over time. If you have a moderate understanding of the game mechanics, you should be able to navigate your adventure successfully. However, completing some of the Level Three exercises may pose a challenge.

Whether you are training in mini-games or matches, you will earn experience points to level up and enhance your tennis skills. The mode incorporates RPG elements to help you improve your stats and character levels. I find it enjoyable to see Baby Mario’s stats grow throughout the game. While the concept is interesting, the mode could benefit from more depth and additional characters to aid in stat growth.

Got the Fever to Win

Another new feature in the latest Mario Tennis game is the Fever Rackets. They bring a new power-up to the game of tennis, making playing more fun but also frustrating. Each tennis racket carries a unique style of power when unleashed by a player initiating the Fever Shot. Fever Shots can be used when the gauge is filled, and you can store up to two Fever Shots.

Initiating it can cause damage to your opponent, but also to yourself if not careful. For example, with the Fire Flower Racket, you can set flames on the court. When this occurs, the player has to maneuver around it, making it challenging to play tennis. If the player runs into the flame, the character will not only lose health points (HP) but also run around in circles due to being caught on fire. Over a short amount of time, the power effect wears off on the court. When the character’s HP runs out, they become immobilized for a short period, making it the perfect time to win.

There are various types of power, some feeling better and some feeling quite overpowered depending on the character and their stats. Creating balance issues. For example, facing off against Bowser Jr. with his Bullet Bill Fever Racket in the Star Cup tournament is formidable due to the quick speed of his Fever Shots constantly occurring. Players will have to choose a character that’s quick but also creates directional shots, along with a Fever Racket that can give payback to Bowser Jr. as a Fever Racket with just a stat power-up doesn’t seem to cut it for the long run. Players can cancel their opponent’s Fever Shot power-up attack by hitting the ball before it hits the ground, causing the power-up to hit their side of the court. Be sure to stay on your toes and pay quick attention as some of these opponents will respond fast.

Color Me Surprised

The game is bright, vibrant, and clean, as one would expect from a colorful franchise. Colors pop and clean designs featuring a cast of Super Mario characters give off an approachable and fun vibe. Character selections are wide in the Super Mario universe, with each character carrying their own stats for speed, power, control, and spin, affecting how well they can play the game of tennis. With this, and selecting a specialized racket, it feels like a tennis version of Mario Kart.

There are thirty-eight base characters and additional color options for some characters, such as Yoshi and Shy Guy. The game does not overwhelm players with multiple baby versions of characters, this time only featuring five. Color variations do not take up more than one roster spot either, allowing for more room for other characters like Chain Chomp. However, half of the roster of characters need to be unlocked. Unlocking these characters presents some difficulty curve, but the majority of them are manageable to unlock in a short amount of time, as a large handful of them are playable after playing a certain number of matches in any mode.

Courts feature unique settings that can change up your gameplan during your tennis play. For example, ice courts are slippery. Additionally, each court can adjust the bounce and ball speed, not to mention the different types of balls available, each with their own set of stats. There are unique courses that players can unlock, some of which are quite quirky, like Waluigi’s Pinball Arcade, which tries to imitate an arcade cabinet as a tennis court, adding an extra level of challenge. Each court has its own theme, mostly whimsical, fun, and full of energy. It’s-a fun! 

The game’s user interface is clean and easy to understand for all ages. The designs closely resemble tennis objects, such as the texture of the tennis ball. Font choices for main headlines, like “Main Menu,” give it a tennis style with colors and placement. The game’s settings give players the option to add server shots to buttons (Lob, Drop Shot), adjust audio, and tone down or turn off the talking flower, camera views, and more.

Serve Up!

The mechanics of Fever are simple and easy to control. You hit the ball with a press of a button, and each button setup can create different styles of play such as Topspin, Slice, Flat, Lop and Drop serves. With the right character, you can be a dangerous opponent, but the same can be said for the opposing side. When the ball comes back your way and you need to get there quickly, the game automatically knows what you are doing and paces your character towards the ball. If the ball is going far beyond you, your Fever Shot can help save the day or prevent you from getting to the ball on time. It’s best not to rely on the Fever Shot if you are looking to go after the ball from a distance; instead, rely on your partner (if playing in Doubles) or a serve from one of the controller buttons.

The Final Serve

Mario Tennis Fever is a lively and content-packed tennis game with creative modes and chaotic Fever Rackets that spice up matches. While some modes may feel short and occasionally repetitive, its charm, variety, and vibrant presentation make it a delightful addition to the series.

A Nintendo Switch 2 review code was provided by the publisher for this review. Mario Tennis Fever is now available for the Nintendo Switch 2. Fans can visit the game’s official website for additional details and purchasing options.