What Ultra Smash on Wii U lacked in terms of features, Tennis Aces does a superb job of correcting those mistakes. The truth is, this was a release sorely needed to keep the Mario tennis franchise relevant.
Aces shines best in its gameplay, which is precise, slick and chock full of controls. Some might even say that the sheer number of controls is overwhelming (particularly if you are new to tennis games), but the good news is that you can play in a Simple Mode that limits the gameplay to only the essential inputs.
Zone Shots, Special Moves, slowing down time and more are all incredible additions that can drastically alter your strategy, provided that you master them. And this is where patience is due, as you'll be rewarded for learning how to pull-off these tricks at the right moments. Despite the greatness of these moves, I've actually found the Simple Mode more enjoyable because there is less pressure, though this is subjective.
Swing Mode allows you to play the game using the motion controls of one Joy-Con, which is your racquet. Being a veteran of Wii Sports, I half expected to be swinging the controller whilst the CPU did all the graft, but as it turns out there is still a lot of manual control involved. Not only can you move the player and control the type of contact using the buttons, but synergy between the position of the Joy-Con and the impact on the swing is amazingly lifelike. This may well be the biggest test within the game...
If the game falters however, it's unusually due to a lack of Nintendo polish. Animations and many of the graphics have simply been carried over from Ultra Smash, with the former sometimes looking a little lacklustre and robotic. There are no easy options to select a stadium in free play (Rather, you have to 'deselect' the stadiums you don't want to play on!), few customisation options with regards to equipment and attire, an inability to select the match length, a forced split-screen and no option to change the difficulty level of the CPU.
4/5 seems fair as I've no doubt that many of the missing features could easily be corrected in future updates. What's most important is that gameplay is on the ball, and I can see myself having hours of fun with friends and family.
We have a surprise for you
Find out all personalised promo codes that you are eligible for. Click here.
Frequently bought together
- +
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your basket.
Choose items to buy together.
More items to explore
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
Customer reviews
Rather disappointed child as no card inside the box. It was wrapped in sealed plastic but sadly just an empty box and a very dSad child on Christmas Day
Images in this review
Top reviews from United Kingdom
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 23 June 2018
Platform: Nintendo SwitchEdition: StandardVerified Purchase
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 21 July 2018
Platform: Nintendo SwitchEdition: StandardVerified Purchase
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 22 June 2018
Platform: Nintendo SwitchEdition: StandardVerified Purchase
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 8 February 2019
Platform: Nintendo SwitchEdition: StandardVerified Purchase
