Graphics: **1/2
For a Game Boy Color game, they’re pretty good,
but they need a little improvement off Mario Golf. They’re
practically the same, but, being the final Mario
GBC Game (probably), I’d expect a little more.
Sound: ***1/2
How good can you get? I have always said this
is the strong-point of any Mario game, and this is the
strongest of the strong GBC sound ratings. The
music from the N64 is back, and sounds better than the Mario Golf for GBC
translation of the N64 music did. Sure, it’s not perfect, but really, I
still love it, and I still like that game point music. Many of the N64
tunes are here, and many of them are done in an almost-perfect way.
Difficulty: ****
Well, here’s where everything starts to go wrong.
I’m one of those people who likes hard games, but this one is even too
hard for me! The gameplay (explained below) makes this one even harder,
not to mention
nearly-perfect computers, even on Easy!
Gameplay: no stars
This is a new section I added because I never
had any trouble with it before, that is, before this game. The
gameplay is frustrating, you trip and fall down
very often, following the ball is almost impossible, smash
shots are near-impossible to hit, net play is
pointless thanks to the fact that the computer can lob it over your head
much better than it did in the N64 version, the ball sometimes blends in
to the court, making it even harder to follow, your racket is not easily
seen, so you don’t know your reach, and playing against the computer (even
on Easy) is like playing up against a brick wall. It’s so frustrating.
After mastering Mario Tennis for the N64, I scored one point in the first
two matches I played. The only thing I can play is the mini-games, and
even they can be hard! I’m ready to take it back to the store just because,
even though most games I master over time, this one it seems I’ll never
even win a match except against DK, and starting at that most ridiculous
level of no power, no speed, no technique, and no trickiness makes me worthless
against computer opponents.
Controls: **1/2
The excellent controls are refuted by slipping
and stuff like that. The Control Pad runs, A is topspin, B
is slice, A before B is lob, B before A is drop
shot, and A + B is supposed to be a flat shot or smash shot,
but most of the time it doesn’t work for me.
Characters: *1/2
Ah, as if I’m ready to get any madder at this
game, this does it to me once more. Yes, I know just putting
that Transfer Pak in does all the difference,
but really, I still hate having to play a game with losers, not Mario characters.
It stinks when you’re talking to Mark and Emily and Kevin, not Mario, Yoshi,
and Bowser. Plus, you start out horrible. You get a horrible teammate on
your team. And if I’m playing with losers, not Mario characters, it makes
me want to trash this game even more!
Exhibition Mode: **1/2
Here’s where to learn how to lose. This mode is all right, but, I mean, still, you ain’t got much in the multi-player category, unless you buy the stupid Game Link cable. So, if you’re ready to lose, start to play! The only thing that makes this mode sweeter is the addition of (get this, for a game called Mario Tennis)... playable Mario characters!
Mario Mini-Games: ****
This was the best idea they could think of. Better
than the stupid Piranha Challenge, this mode offers (at first) a Luigi
mini-game, a Baby Mario mini-game, and a Donkey Kong mini-game. Sure, sure,
there’s even
more once I get off my computer and put the game
in the Transfer Pak in the controller and Transfer more
characters and mini-games over, but, of course,
I’ve got to finish this Review now. So, right now, the
mini-games are awfully good. Not awful, like
the rest of this game.
Linked Play: **1/2
Oh, I guess this is where you play multi-player
(only two-players, I think, of course) games. Of course, it
will just make two players enjoy falling down,
missing the ball, and stinking it up on the court because the
gameplay STINKS!
Mario Tour (or whatever it’s called): *
This is where my frustration continues. You start off with the bad attributes of every player in Mario Tennis for the N64. Combine that with the poor gameplay, falling down constantly, and the cheating computers, and you’ve got this mode. Ready to be frustrated? I wasn’t, and now I know why I should be. Should be ready, that is.
Status Mode: **
This mode contains (what else?) your game’s status. As for mine... loss, loss, loss, loss...
Dictionary Mode: **1/2
Ready to bore yourself with every tennis definition
in the world? I didn’t think so, but here’s one that
works: Mario Tennis for Game Boy Color: FRUSTRATION
CITY!!!
(Erase) Saved Data Mode: *
Oh, yeah, sure, I want to erase my one victory from this game’s memory.
Fun Factor!: 1/2
HA! Fun! I’d probably have more fun setting this one on fire!
OVERALL: *
Never, never, never in my life before have I hated
a Mario game this much before. Never! In fact, you’ll
probably never see me give a bad rating to a
Mario game again. But don’t be fooled... this really isn’t a
Mario game. It just says “Mario Tennis” to stimulate
sales. It really should be called Tennis, not Mario
Tennis (just like the Game Boy Color version
of Mario Golf should be called Golf) . Don’t buy this game,
even if you are a millionaire, even if you’re
a die-hard Mario fan, even if you’re a die-hard tennis fan! The N64 version
was one of the best; this version’s one of the worst! I only wish someone
else would have reviewed this game first so I would have saved my money
for Mario Kart: Super Circuit coming up on the Game Boy Advance. By the
way, am I the only person in the world who boos when I see it come up
“the greatest player in the world” and see Mario’s
face?