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5 tips to master Mario Tennis Aces
The new Mario Tennis title is not particularly easy to master, but we’ve been on court with the inhabitants of the Mushroom Kingdom and have these tips to help you take them down.
Mario Tennis Aces is shaping up to be one of the best tennis games we’ve seen on this generation of consoles. While the big franchises such as Virtua Tennis and Top Spin have laid dormant for years, Mario and his crew are back after a reasonably successful Wii U outing a few years ago. This time they bring a brand new story mode, some new mechanics and lovely visuals to improve almost every aspect.
When it comes to playing tennis in a video game, the standards have been set for years and there isn’t all that much to change. Face buttons are for different types of shots, while analog sticks are for movement and shot direction.
Mario Tennis Aces doesn’t deviate from those standards. But as you'd expect with anything in the Mushroom Kingdom, there are a few unique ideas floating around. They make the game pretty challenging at times, especially if you face off against a real human who doesn’t fall for the same tricks that the AI opponents do. Fortunately we’ve been hands on with Mario Tennis Aces and have returned with these five tips to help you stay on top once you get on the court.
1. Trick shots are more than just a show-off move
Pulling off a trick shot with a flick of the right analog stick initially seems just like a show-off move. But it shows you're so confident of winning that you’ll take a massive risk to hit a shot, which could help you gain a psychological advantage or simply to spice up a less exciting match.
If you see a shot coming in at the opposite side of the court that you have no chance of getting normally, there’s a small but possible chance that a trick shot could reach it. Take the risk and you'll save a seemingly lost point reasonably often with a bit of practise, and could turn a game in amazing fashion.
2. Mastering the block timing is crucial
Zone shots are a new mechanic that allow players to basically take a free shot with amazing aim. On some returns a star will appear on the court, so if you position your character on the star and hit the R shoulder button you’ll hit a zone shot, which brings up a first-person targeting view, controllable with motion controls or the analog stick. When you've selected the exact inch of the court you want to aim at, the ball will fly to that spot at a rapid pace.
Bowser fails to block a zone shot
© Nintendo
They're powerful and very useful, but they can also be countered. You can return them normally if you are in a good position, but this will damage your racket due to the power of the shot. Do this three times with the basic rackets and your racket will break, which will mean game over in most situations.
You can block the shot by pressing the B button at exactly the moment when when the ball hits your character in the face. You'll return it to the other side of the court so your rally can continue without any damage to your racket. The timing’s very difficult to master, though, because there’s a window of what appears to be only a handful of frames to make it work. But get it right and those zone shots become much less powerful. Spend some time practising the block and you’ll have a big advantage over others.
3. But sometimes letting blockable shots go is a solid alternative
Blocking will always be a risk, there’s no doubt about it, and there are many times when simply letting a zone shot past is a good idea. Losing a match because your racket breaks is infuriating, and often a single point isn’t going to change a match. As difficult as it is to learn, letting some shots by on purpose is a much better tactical option. This is especially true in the story mode, where time is often the factor and not score. Don’t feel like you have to return everything – it seems so counterintuitive but you really should try to make it a part of your game.
4. Always be aware of your surroundings
You can play a standard tennis match with a normal court and it really does feel great. But if you want to change things up a little, some courts have environmental obstacles that will make your life harder. We saw these in the story mode, where we faced off against Donkey Kong on a court that had three Piranha Plants in the middle of the net. If the ball ended up in the jaws of one of these, they would fire it back at us with some pace every single time. It made our lives harder and cost us some valuable points, so always be aware of your surroundings and try to use them to your advantage.
5. The story mode is a great starting point if you’re struggling
Mario Tennis Aces is the first time the series has featured a story mode since the GBA era. The story is incredible, with more than a few similarities to The Avengers as you have to travel around the world to try and claim five power stones. But that isn’t the only reason to play. While you’ll face off against familiar faces in traditional matches, you’ll also be thrown into challenge rooms designed to test your skills in one or two areas. Some will improve your block timings, while others force you to get good at accurate returns or using certain types of shot. If you take your play online and struggle, a run through the story mode will up your game quite a bit.
