See, the issue with Ultra Smash was never the gameplay. It was solid as is… but the content around it being shallow as dog water was.

Thankfully, Aces is pretty much the redemption arc for that game: The same gorgeous visuals with similar gameplay as before, now with new funky cool mechanics that ramp up the ante in a match. Like characters being able to pull a Quicksilver and go slow-mo to feasibly catch up with balls at a distance or insanely fast ones, special shots from Power Tennis return packing a kick to the groin, even letting you aim your stupid powerful shot after each character busts out a cool animation unique to them, there are higher stakes now your tennis racket can get shattered to pieces if your timing against powerful balls is slipping too often on its face, and it all just feels slicker, more frantic and more challenging than before. A few worthy sacrifices for the loss of the last game’s main one-off gimmick of “character go beeg for 40 secs weeee”.

And, more unique courts! I like these, with the context in the Adventure mode where Mario and co. head off to this dedicated island just for tennis antics. A few fun locales with cute gimmicks that just add to the chaos factor during a match… but we don’t talk Savage Sea.

It’s still somewhat lagging behind Power Tennis’ treasure trove of single-player content, because once you’re done with a neat Adventure Mode and a measly three Tournament cups, that’s pretty much it, you unlocked everything. It would’ve been awesome to select the mini-games exclusive to Adventure mode (like the Panel and Rally challenges) through the main menu, with the option to play as anyone from the goated roster in these, and add some replayability, y’ know? Same for the boss fights (I’m still processing a tennis game has these, but y’ know what, it works)! Or even some of the courts only found in Adventure Mode that, for some inexplicable reason, can’t be selected in Free Play mode.

… ok, lemme b*tch about Savage Sea for a sec. The ship’s mast being right in the middle of the damn court will be your worst enemy, and the Rally Challenge with Kamek on this court?… y’know that snotty kid from Barnyard that bullied cows by pushing over them? That’s what this stupid pole almost drove me to. 0/10, worst part of the game, would rather get slapped by a fish going turbo at 80 mph. Other than that… is a fun game!