Test: Mario Tennis Aces

After making a double foul with Mario Tennis Ultra Smash on Wii U, Nintendo catches up and makes a winning shot with Mario Tennis Aces on Switch.

At the end of 2015, we had been cruelly disappointed by Mario Tennis Ultra Smash on Wii U. Nintendo had to raise the bar and propose something other than a simple portage for the arrival of the saga on Switch. The developers took up the challenge by proposing an episode in all points superior to its predecessor.

The content at the rendezvous

Nintendo first made sure to offer content to meet expectations. Mario Tennis Aces will fill the fans with a real adventure solo. At the controls of Mario, you will have to stop Wario and Waluigi who have cast a spell on Luigi. Many bosses and enemies will put themselves, racket in hand, on your way. By beating them, you will gain experience, technique but also new rackets. Do not underestimate this single player campaign, it is rather short but the level of difficulty is raised (and not modifiable). It also represents an ideal introduction before embarking on the other modes of play.

Indeed, Mario Tennis Aces also proposes to participate in tournaments, which, if they are rather disappointing in solo, prove furious in line. The "realistic" mode allows for it to spend a little, alone, with family or friends, proposing to detach the Joy-Con from the Switch and handle them like a racket. As in the days of the Wii, the movements made are reproduced on the screen. Finally, Switch requires, it is also possible to play several on TV or mobile mode with Joy-Con.

A surprising gameplay and very interesting

On the side of the gameplay, this opus is not stingy in novelties. First of all, thanks to the 16 playable characters drawn from Mario's universe. They are almost all there and everyone has their own style of play. But the main novelty lies in the arrival of new gameplay mechanisms that may seem destabilizing at first but which finally bring a tactical touch and a lot of interest in this respect.

For (trying to) make it simple: each player has a gauge that allows you to perform very powerful special moves. At the same time, each player must manage several rackets during a match. Unless performing an interception in perfect timing, the most powerful shots use snowshoes and eventually break them. When a player no longer has rackets, this is the game over for him. After a few games and a little mastery, this novelty is brilliant. Not only must you succeed in sending the ball back, but you also have to think about his special moves and the wear of his rackets.

After the disappointment of the opus on Wii U, the saga Mario Tennis takes colors on Switch. Whether solo, several local or online, Mario Tennis Aces is a complete episode, fun and rich in new features and is needed, for lack of serious competitors, as the best tennis game of recent years. [19659005]