Mario Power Tennis (Japanese: マリオパワーテニス Mariopawātenisu) (マリオテニスGC Mario Tenisu Jī Shī, Mario Tennis GC), is a sports game developed by Camelot Software Planning and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo GameCube in 2004. Mario Power Tennis is the third installment of the Mario Tennis series, and the game is an indirect follow-up to Mario Tennis for the Nintendo 64.
In 2009, the game received an enhanced port for the Wii as part of the New Play Control! line-up. The enhanced port is titled New Play Control! Mario Power Tennis, and it features upgraded controls utilized by the Wii Remote.
Opening cinematic[]
Mario and Luigi celebrate a victory against Wario and Waluigi
The opening cinematic leads off with Mario, who, with his brother Luigi, is in a tennis match against Wario and Waluigi, in which the match ended in favor of the Mario bros while Wario and Waluigi complain over their defeat. However, unbeknownst to the contenders, Bowser surveils the match in a hidden training room.
Later on, Wario and Waluigi made their way towards the entrance of the Peach Dome, where they came across the doubles tournament bracket. After noticing that they have been eliminated, Wario and Waluigi, filled with rage and vengeance, began using colored markers to vandalize the images of Mario and Luigi. Consequently. this resulted in the arrival of the police, who came to arrest Wario and Waluigi. During the chase, the duo attempted to evade capture by hiding behind a metal door but they ended up falling into a secret training room, which was where Bowser was surveilling.
Wario and Waluigi begin training, while Bowser continues to surveil on the tournament. As night falls, the final match comes to blight as Toadsworth announces the contenders; Mario and Luigi vs. Yoshi and Donkey Kong. Both sides take the court and greet each other as other characters, who were eliminated from the tournament, watch for the seats, benches by the court, or even on live footage. Princess Peach is seen standing by Toadsworth's side, and she suddenly yawns, feeling tired and exhausted after enduring such a long day playing and viewing tennis matches. On the other hand, Toadette sits alone on one bench until Princess Daisy comes by and sits next to her.
The match goes on as planned, which ends in Mario and Luigi winning, but the two approach their opponents to show a little sportsmanship, much to Peach's laughter. Daisy and Toadette seemed to enjoy the match together, and the two embrace. An award ceremony unfolds as Mario and Luigi high five each other next to the cup before the camera pans out.
Gameplay[]
A tennis match between Wario and Waluigi against Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong on the clay variation of Peach Dome
Mario Power Tennis includes both standard tennis matches and variations consisting of courts and scenarios based on the Mario franchise. Aside from this, the base of the gameplay is like regular tennis in that the object is to score points by hitting the ball to the other side of the court and not have the opponent rebound the ball. Regular tennis moves such as slices, drop shots, and lobs are used by the characters throughout a match. Tennis can be played in singles, in which only two compete, or doubles, which features four players, two on each team. A player or team earns 15 points for every successful shot. They can win a tennis match after earning beyond 60 points, specifically set, game, and match points.
Modes[]
Exhibition[]
The main mode is Exhibition, which supports up to four players. Here, the player can choose their opponents and the conditions of the match. Such options include the difficulty of the opponent, the court used, the number of games and sets required to win the match, and turning Power Shots on or off. Four different types of games can be played: Standard Court, Gimmick Court, Item Battle, and Ring Shot.
In Standard Court, a tennis match takes place in a course with its specific gimmicks turned off. Every court aside from Peach Dome is a Gimmick Court by default, and they cannot be played on in the Standard Court option unless the player completes the Gimmick Masters tournaments.
In Gimmick Court, there are unique gimmicks for each court that can either help or hinder the characters. Peach Dome is the only court to not have any gimmicks.
Item Battle involves the characters using items to interfere with one another and gain an advantage.
Ring Shot involves the player earning points by hitting the ball through rings of varying sizes, with the number of points dependent on the difficulty of the shot. The player acquires the points whenever a winning shot is made adhering to standard rules; the match is won once the predetermined number of points is equaled or surpassed.
Tournament[]
The central mode of the game is "Tournament Mode", which comprises a set of events with accumulating difficulty. This set of events must be finished successfully to unlock playable characters. This mode can be completed either in "doubles" or "singles", and is divided into Gimmick courts and standard courts.
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Special Games[]
Special Games are minigames that involve the player trying to meet a tennis-related objective on each of the courts.
Playable characters[]
The game has eighteen playable characters, fourteen of whom are available from the start while the other four have to be unlocked. Every playable character has a pair of their own unique moves known as Power Shots, including an Offensive Power Shot and a Defensive Power Shot. These powerful moves, which are accompanied with an animation each time they are triggered, incorporate the character's specific qualities. They can only be triggered occasionally in the match, but will usually result in defending or scoring a point, depending on the type of shot chosen.
Each character falls under one of six different play styles, which affects their advantages and disadvantages while playing tennis:
- All Around: A character who is above average in all categories.
- Speedy: A character who can get to the ball in time, but lacks raw strength and often reach.
- Power: A character who can hit the ball with great force, but lacks speed and ball control.
- Technique: A character who can place the ball on the corners of the net, but can lack speed and power.
- Tricky: A character who can curve the ball, but often lacks reach.
- Defense: A character who can easily hit the ball from any position, but lacks power and speed.
Starters[]
| Name | Skill type | Offensive Power Shot | Defensive Power Shot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mario | All-Around | Iron Hammer | Spin Jump Return |
| Luigi | All-Around | Squeaky Mallet | Poltergust Return |
| Peach | Technique | Super Peach Spin | Sweet Kiss Return |
| Daisy | Technique | Wonder Flower | Flowerbed Return |
| Wario | Power | Thunder Cast Shot | Ultra-Hand Return |
| Waluigi | Defense | Whirluigi | Swimming Return |
| Bowser | Power | Fire Breath | Spinning Shell Dash |
| Donkey Kong | Power | Barrel Cannon Blast | Boomerang Banana Return |
| Diddy Kong | Speedy | Acrobatic Banana | Barrel Jet |
| Koopa Troopa | Speedy | Water Bomb | Water Shell Dash |
| Yoshi | Speedy | Rainbow Flutter | Rolling Egg Return |
| Bowser Jr. | Tricky | Magic Paint | Rolling Brush Return |
| Boo | Tricky | Boo Blast | Boo Brigade Return |
| Shy Guy | Technique | Lightning Spear | Spear Dance Return |
Unlockable[]
| Name | Skill type | Offensive Power Shot | Defensive Power Shot | Unlocked by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fly Guy | Tricky | Tornado Twist | Tornado Return | Winning all three World Open cups (Mushroom, Flower, and Star) in Singles |
| Paratroopa | Technique | Energy Ball | Sky Dive | Winning all three World Open cups (Mushroom, Flower, and Star) in Doubles |
| Wiggler | Defense | Anger Management | Flutter Return | Winning both Gimmick Masters cups (Fire and Thunder) in Singles |
| Petey Piranha | Power | Sludge Racket | Piranha Swingback | Winning both Gimmick Masters cups (Fire and Thunder) in Doubles |
Doubles Partners[]
- Mario - Luigi
- Peach - Daisy
- Wario - Waluigi
- Bowser - Bowser Jr.
- Donkey Kong - Diddy Kong
- Yoshi - Koopa Troopa
- Shy Guy - Boo
Non-playable characters[]
Courts[]
There are eight courts in total, six being available from the start and two being unlockable:
- Peach Dome (Hard, Clay, Grass)
- Luigi's Mansion Court
- Delfino Plaza Court
- Wario Factory Court
- Gooper Blooper Court
- DK Jungle Court
- Bowser Castle Court (unlockable)
- Mario Classic Court (unlockable)
Special Games[]
Mario Power Tennis has a couple of minigames known as Special Games:
- Artist on the Court — The player must hack paint balls to color in a Mario character mural, with the correct colors shown in a reflection beneath their feet. The player must complete the mural for access to other murals.
- Terror Tennis — Outside Luigi's Mansion, lob balls at ghosts trying to escape from their portraits. Additional points are awarded if a ghost is hit just prior to escaping.
- Tic-Tac-Glow — On Delfino Plaza, the player must step on nozzles, then whack balls of water to rinse sludge and free Shine Sprites. Bonus points for freeing three in a row or, better yet, more than one line at a time.
- Chain-Chomp Challenge — The player and three other characters visit Wario Factory Court to bat tennis balls, water balls and Bob-ombs at Chain Chomps. Points are scored for hitting tennis balls into the mouth of one's own Chain-Chomp, with double score being awarded if the Chain Chomp has been hit by a Bob-omb. If it gets hit by a second Bob-omb, though, it breaks free and chases the character. Strategy is added by being able rival Chain Chomps.
- Gooper Blooper Volley — With four rackets, Gooper Blooper never misses a return. In this mini-game, the court is divided into quarters. Hitting the ball into the same quarter twice in a row results in a loss, but a win can be achieved if one manages to keep the volley alive for the specified number of shots.
- Mecha-Bowser Mayhem — The player must slam tennis balls, Bullet Bills and Bob-ombs at Mecha-Bowser. He/she must also grab invincibility and turbo boosts. Meanwhile, Mecha-Bowser tries to drain the player's energy with Bob-ombs, Bullet Bills, and his fiery breath.
- Balloon Panic — The player must protect the balloons from hungry Klaptraps. The Klaptraps use the vines on the boards to climb to the balloons. The player must hit the boards to make them spin and changing the direction of the Klaptraps. Blue Klaptraps are faster than the Red Klaptraps, and the red ones are faster than the regular green.
- Coin Collectors — The player and three other characters go back in time to collect coins that come out of the Warp Pipes on the other side of the court. The player must grab as many coins as possible, while avoiding the fireballs. Characters are limited in their movement range, but if a tennis ball is hit into a POW Block, movement to another location becomes possible.
Celebration animations[]
When a character wins a tournament, his or her celebration will be shown. In each one, an event occurs.
- Mario: Mario holds his trophy, celebrating his victory. Peach, also pleased, holds Mario in place and crouches to kiss Mario's cheek. Mario, in love, puts down the trophy and then jumps to do a cheer.
- Luigi: Luigi is doing a victory dance when Mario arrives on stage applauding. He pats him on the back but appears to intentionally step on Luigi's foot out of jealousy.
- Peach: Peach celebrates with Mario and Luigi while Wario and Waluigi look on. She blows a kiss to the Mario brothers, making them float. Then, Wario and Waluigi try to steal the trophy, but Wario slips on a tennis ball, knocking over the rack the trophy sat on and flinging the trophy into the air. Peach catches the trophy.
- Yoshi: Yoshi is waiting for his prize when his stomach grumbles. He is saddened by having nothing to eat at the moment, until Luigi arrives on stage with the trophy. He sees the object as a big and juicy pineapple. Yoshi tries to eat, but ends up swallowing Luigi. He is surprised by his disappearance.
- Bowser: Bowser is cheering and laughing, with Peach at his side. He asks for a kiss on the cheek and closes his eyes. Peach then gets a red Birdo to kiss him. When Bowser sees it, he runs away.
- Bowser Jr.: Mario, Luigi, Yoshi, and Yellow Toad are waiting to reward Bowser Jr. Suddenly they hear a chuckle, which happens to be him snatching the trophy and making poses afterward.
- Daisy: Luigi is about to give Daisy her prize. She comes in, skating at high speed, making Luigi spin. She skates into him, making him throw the trophy up. In slow motion, Daisy catches the trophy.
- Donkey Kong: DK is on stage excited over his victory. Toad arrives with the trophy and DK grabs it, unaware that Toad is still hanging on to it. DK shakes the object several times until Toad falls off and faints from dizziness.
- Diddy: Luigi and Peach are in the area with Donkey Kong, who is playing a bongo. Diddy arrives, jumping and running around Luigi and then picks up the trophy with his tail. Diddy throws his prize up, jumps on the bongo, and catches the trophy. Diddy then jumps on DK's shoulder and they both strike a pose.
- Wario: Wario walks and jumps around until he falls off the stage while still holding the trophy. He lands on it, and when he gets up, he is shocked to see it flattened, so he picks it up and sadly shows it off.
- Waluigi: Waluigi holds the trophy and does a dance with Wario. Wario pushes Waluigi, making him fall, losing his grip on the trophy. As he tries to get up, the trophy hits him on the head.
- Boo: The Mario Brothers wait for Boo when the trophy begins to levitate. Mario and Luigi are frightened, until they saw that Boo was invisible when he got it which then amuses them. Several other Boos appear, two of which carry Mario and Luigi.
- Koopa Troopa: Koopa Troopa comes on stage while Luigi, Mario and Peach applaud for his victory. Diddy Kong is eating bananas and throws a banana peel onto Koopa Troopa's path. Luigi, Mario and Peach try to warn him, but he slips on the peel, slides across the stage, ricochets off a pole and then hits Luigi in the face, who accidentally tosses the trophy from the impact. Koopa Troopa catches it.
- Paratroopa: Paratroopa notices how his shell is attached to a fishing hook to the string of a fishing pole while Waluigi holds back the trophy, to prevent Paratroopa from getting it. Toad cuts the string with a large pair of scissors. That causes Wario and Waluigi to fall, making Paratroopa get the prize.
- Shy Guy: Luigi waits in place. Shy Guy arrives, walking happily. After climbing the steps, he falls and drops his mask. Luigi gets very scared seeing his true face, but Shy Guy quickly puts his mask back and takes the trophy.
- Fly Guy: Wario and Waluigi pretend to offer Fly Guy the trophy, but Waluigi grabs Fly Guy with a giant pair of pliers. This causes Fly Guy to spin wildly out of control, knocking down Wario and Waluigi, and launching the trophy into the air. Fly Guy catches the trophy and celebrates with Peach.
- Wiggler: Luigi and Diddy Kong give Wiggler the trophy, but Diddy Kong accidentally rolls a tennis ball, causing Wiggler to slip on it and drop the trophy. Luigi and Diddy Kong become anxious, knowing Wiggler will become angry, but it calms down when it sees its trophy. Luigi checks up on it, but Diddy Kong loses his footing from the tennis ball, bumps into Luigi, and they both land on Wiggler and knock the trophy away. Wiggler becomes angry and then chases Diddy Kong and Luigi who flee in fear.
- Petey Piranha: Mario presents the trophy to Petey Piranha while Peach, Koopa Troopa, Shy Guy and a pink Toad look on. Petey then begins to jump in place excitedly, shaking the platform. After he takes the trophy, Petey jumps into the air. Mario, Peach, Koopa Troopa, Shy Guy and the Toad brace for impact, but when nothing happens, they look up and see Petey flying, whilst clutching the trophy in his mouth.
Trivia[]
- This is the first time Katsumi Suzuki voiced Diddy Kong, and he has voiced him ever since. It is also the first game in which Takashi Nagasko voices Donkey Kong, replacing the voice work previously done by Rare.
- This is also the first game Wiggler is voiced by Bowser Jr.'s former voice actress Dolores Rogers.
Quotes[]
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To view Mario Power Tennis's quotes click here.
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Gallery[]
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To view Mario Power Tennis's image gallery, click here.
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[Edit] 
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|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Luigi's Mansion • Super Smash Bros. Melee | |
| 2002 | Super Mario Sunshine • Mario Party 4 | |
| 2003 | Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour • Mario Kart: Double Dash!! • Mario Party 5 | |
| 2004 | Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door • Mario Power Tennis • Mario Party 6 | |
| 2005 | Super Mario Strikers • Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix • Mario Superstar Baseball • Mario Party 7 | |