The temperature is starting to cool off and the sun is rising later in the morning, minute by minute, marching on towards the end of another glorious Summah. So too is my 2023 Summah Games series coming to a close. Although Persona 5 Royal was a game I slated for July, it took far too long to finish and encroached on my last set of games, which I am now officially starting with Camelot's Mario Tennis. Finally, something short and simple - like me.
Not only is this a welcome reprieve from the lengthy and demanding games I've been mired in for the last month (I'm still trying to finish Pikmin 4), but the simplicity of Mario Tennis is also its greatest asset. There's no story mode over-encumbered with dodgy gimmicks or elaborate tennis-based boss battles to clear; there's singles, doubles, tournaments, and then tucked away are a few bonus modes like the Mario Kart inspired Bowser court. If you haven't guessed, I'm not a particularly big fan of Aces, I like a trim Mario Tennis, no frills, just power smashing tennis balls directly into Baby Mario's face for me, please.
This is also the game that gave us Waluigi and brought back Princess Daisy, which I probably don't need to tell you, but it's another point in its favor. Regrettably, I am also docking that point because Nintendo got cold feet on designing a Wa-daisy and Wa-peach. Despicable. The world needs more delinquent female characters. I won't forget or forgive this cowardice.
Is it a Summah game? Uh, yeah. Clearly. Tennis is like, at least in the top five Summah sports, it's really not far off from beach volleyball. In fact, you're all lucky DOA: Extreme Beach Volleyball doesn't work on the 360 or that's what I'd be reviewing instead, because you gotta respect the Summah sports hierarchy. I'm not really an athletic person, but when I was in my teens I was actually quite good at volleyball and tennis, and I attribute my prowess to how in-sync I am with that Summah energy.
Unfortunately, I'm in my 30s and I've worked desk jobs for the last decade, so when I move around too much my body starts making weird clicking sounds and hurts in ways it's not supposed to. Of course I've spent hours standing in my yard, absorbing the sun's mighty energies to replenish my reserves, but it just isn't providing me the boost it used to and according to my doctor it keeps giving me something called "Melanoma."
Not only is this a welcome reprieve from the lengthy and demanding games I've been mired in for the last month (I'm still trying to finish Pikmin 4), but the simplicity of Mario Tennis is also its greatest asset. There's no story mode over-encumbered with dodgy gimmicks or elaborate tennis-based boss battles to clear; there's singles, doubles, tournaments, and then tucked away are a few bonus modes like the Mario Kart inspired Bowser court. If you haven't guessed, I'm not a particularly big fan of Aces, I like a trim Mario Tennis, no frills, just power smashing tennis balls directly into Baby Mario's face for me, please.
This is also the game that gave us Waluigi and brought back Princess Daisy, which I probably don't need to tell you, but it's another point in its favor. Regrettably, I am also docking that point because Nintendo got cold feet on designing a Wa-daisy and Wa-peach. Despicable. The world needs more delinquent female characters. I won't forget or forgive this cowardice.
Is it a Summah game? Uh, yeah. Clearly. Tennis is like, at least in the top five Summah sports, it's really not far off from beach volleyball. In fact, you're all lucky DOA: Extreme Beach Volleyball doesn't work on the 360 or that's what I'd be reviewing instead, because you gotta respect the Summah sports hierarchy. I'm not really an athletic person, but when I was in my teens I was actually quite good at volleyball and tennis, and I attribute my prowess to how in-sync I am with that Summah energy.
Unfortunately, I'm in my 30s and I've worked desk jobs for the last decade, so when I move around too much my body starts making weird clicking sounds and hurts in ways it's not supposed to. Of course I've spent hours standing in my yard, absorbing the sun's mighty energies to replenish my reserves, but it just isn't providing me the boost it used to and according to my doctor it keeps giving me something called "Melanoma."