Nintendo dropped the ball with Mario Tennis Ultra Smash for the Wii U, putting a stain on an otherwise beloved sub series for Mario. But they are trying again with Mario Tennis Aces. In the early stages of the trailer it looked as though Nintendo had failed to learn their lessons from the response to the previous title, placing tennis matches in stadiums rather than in creative locations, but this trailer quickly proved that Mario Tennis Aces might be worth a chance.
For the first time since the Game Boy Advance, Mario Tennis will have a story mode. In this mode players will be taken out of the stadium and taken on a tennis journey. Not much was shown off but there will be missions such as hitting all the piranha plants, and boss battles against antagonists such as Petey Piranha. At this time there does not appear to be much in the way of story through the mode but the variety of locations and activities does look pleasing.
Tennis matches will also see a slight overhaul. Aces will feature a greater focus on reading opponents’ positions on the field to determine the shot that will provide the most advantage.
We should learn more about Mario Tennis Aces as it gets closer to launch sometime this spring.
