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new Mario Tennis Open screens + features revealed

C

clemenx

Banned
Reading reviews, all of them talk about the lack of features which is something logical to criticize but they all dedicate like 2 lines to the gameplay. Reviews are fucking useless, jeez. This is a tennis game first and foremost, how's the fucking tennis gameplay like? No review has answered me that.

I just hope human players are fun as heck to play against like Mario Tennis N64, that's the only similarity I want.
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Same, and this is why I'm getting it, I have faith in the online.
 
V

vatstep

This poster pulses with an appeal so broad the typical restraints of our societies fall by the wayside.
I think I'm still going to buy this, as I'm hankering for a tennis game. It's been a really long time since I played any of the others in the series, but I remember loving them. I understand people being frustrated over the lack of content (and it probably shouldn't be a $40 game), but it's not a huge deal to me because I'm not looking for some extremely deep experience — just a tennis game I can pop in every once in a while. I just hope the gyroscope/auto-movement controls don't destroy the online play.

I'm considering waiting a bit to see if it will drop in price at all. Kid Icarus, a MUCH more content-packed and anticipated title was on sale for $30 on day one, so I'm wishfully thinking that this might be, too. Am I crazy or what? Given the seemingly low hype for this game, I wonder if it'll be more like SM3DL and MK7 (no price drop), or Steel Diver and Pilotwings (price drop across the board).
 
T

TheGreatMightyPoo

Banned
clemenx said:
Reading reviews, all of them talk about the lack of features which is something logical to criticize but they all dedicate like 2 lines to the gameplay. Reviews are fucking useless, jeez. This is a tennis game first and foremost, how's the fucking tennis gameplay like? No review has answered me that.
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Exactly, I'm concerned about the online control/mechanic options that were brought up already but who cares if an arcadey tennis sports game is barebones???

It's a sports game.

If the game plays excellently, it should have guaranteed replayability.

Then again, it doesn't seem many even care about the tennis game but rather superfluous things.

Mario Kart 7 is barebones in a way and it doesn't matter(to me) as what's there is so stellar.
 
V

vatstep

This poster pulses with an appeal so broad the typical restraints of our societies fall by the wayside.
TheGreatMightyPoo said:
Mario Kart 7 is barebones in a way and it doesn't matter(to me) as what's there is so stellar.
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My thoughts as well. I've gotten a lot of what I would consider "value" out of MK7 and I probably haven't even beaten half of the cups — I just tend to dabble here and there in games like this. I can see why a lack of something resembling a career/RPG mode in new games is disappointing for some people, but for the way I play them, it's not an issue.
 
K

krystallinity

Banned
vatstep said:
My thoughts as well. I've gotten a lot of what I would consider "value" out of MK7 and I probably haven't even beaten half of the cups — I just tend to dabble here and there in games like this. I can see why a lack of something resembling a career/RPG mode in new games is disappointing for some people, but for the way I play them, it's not an issue.
Click to expand...

Exactly. The Mario Kart series has always been "barebones," but people love it. In fact, it's one of the world's best selling franchises.

Just because a game "lacks content" according to the jaded reviewers, doesn't mean people won't have an incredibly fun time playing it.
 
D

DynamicG

Member
vatstep said:
My thoughts as well. I've gotten a lot of what I would consider "value" out of MK7 and I probably haven't even beaten half of the cups — I just tend to dabble here and there in games like this. I can see why a lack of something resembling a career/RPG mode in new games is disappointing for some people, but for the way I play them, it's not an issue.
Click to expand...

I tend to see them in a similar regard. Games like Mario Kart and tennis are games I'll play on and off for a few years. I traded Mario Kart DS in after only a few months and regretted it every 6 months or so when I had a craving for kart racing.

Plus first party Nintendo games don't really go down in price or lose much value used, so I might as well get them when they come out.
 
E

Effect

Member
There are things I possibly could overlook when it comes to Mario Tennis in the end. The low number of mini games, the customization unlocks just for the Mii, just single matches online. However the deal breaker is for allowing both modes of play to be played against each other online with their being no way to separate the two way the Super Street Fighter 4 does when it comes to playing the game normally and using touch screen buttons to pull off moves. That's wrong. There isn't even the Communities option like Mario Kart 7 where you could determine the rules as an alternative. That blocks off/ruins an entire section of the game for some people if they don't want to put up with that.
 
J

jlevel13

Member
Effect said:
There isn't even the Communities option like Mario Kart 7 where you could determine the rules as an alternative. That blocks off/ruins an entire section of the game for some people if they don't want to put up with that.
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I guess since it's just 1 v 1 online they didn't think communities were needed? I was just thinking that this game could have used an online tournament mode - that might have added a lot. Can you set the rules when you challenge a friend online? Can you even challenge a friend online (or just local)?
 
P

Plexirvones

Member
Eurogamer 7/10 http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-05-17-mario-tennis-open-review

Mario Tennis is terrific fun against a human opponent, as it's always been. A shame, then, that beyond offering a smooth gaming experience, the online portion is so thin, with not much else to pay attention to beyond your current score and position on a monthly leaderboard.

And that's Mario Tennis Open in a nutshell. The core is excellently put together, and as much fun as it's ever been against competitive mammals. But the content around it feels insubstantial, with little incentive to persist with single-player after the first few hours, unless you simply must obsessively collect everything like a deranged magpie.

What the game lacks in ambition and depth, though, it makes up for in the ageless pleasure and pain of a finely-balanced multiplayer battle. The ability to dip in and out for a quick, engaging match is a compelling proposition on a handheld. But after seven long years, it's a shame there aren't bigger ideas to rally around.
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D

dreamfall

Member
CrazedProfessional said:
And I want a new Pokemon TCG. Play Tennis with balls, not with tears.
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Listen. I understand that the multiplayer will be amazing. The game will be awesome- I've preordered/paid it off, regardless of some of the glaring criticisms.

But it wouldn't have hurt if Camelot at least tried to go back to what made the GBC game so wonderful. An RPG-lite mode would have really sold it to many players; and some feel it would've made the game even better. I'm disappointed, I can't even pretend not to be. But playing with friends will make up for it partially.
 
P

Plexirvones

Member
Game Informer - 8.0 http://www.gameinformer.com/games/mario_tennis_open/b/3ds/archive/2012/05/16/mario-tennis-gets-back-to-basics.aspx

Nintendo-Gamer - 80 www.nintendo-gamer.net/review/mario-tennis-open-review/

So, Open’s not quite as good as the N64’s Mario Tennis. But it’s better than the Gamecube’s Mario Power Tennis, and it completely destroys Mario’s Tennis for the Virtual Boy. Like Mario Kart, there’s something that just feels right about livening up this sport with a dash of Murshroom Kingdom charm – and Mario Tennis Open is almost a return to form.
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CraveOnline - 7.5 http://www.craveonline.com/gaming/reviews/188665-review-mario-tennis-open

If you’re a lover of tennis or the Mario style of sports games, consider Mario Tennis Open a great game for your Nintendo 3DS catalogue. It won’t live up to the standard set by titles like Mario Golf on the GameCube or Mario Strikers for the Wii, but it will occupy your 3DS for a long time coming.

However, if you’re not much for the basic mechanics of tennis...consider something else. At its core, and this is certainly just as much a compliment as a complaint, this is a basic, simple tennis game.
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MMGN - 7.5 http://ds.mmgn.com/Reviews/Mario-Tennis-Open-Review

The Final Verdict

Mario Tennis Open is fun, but as a massive fan of the series, a little disappointing. The gameplay remains largely unchanged, which is the most important thing, but the singleplayer component is significantly reduced compared to previous offerings. What we have is very good, with tight controls, decent visuals and a few mini-games to change the pace. At this stage I can only assume that local play will be the better option for multiplayer, as online isn’t populated, but it’s lacking the features that made Mario Kart 7 one of Nintendo’s best online games. Fans of the series will enjoy it, but I only wish there was more of the singleplayer.
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EGM - 7.0 http://www.egmnow.com/articles/reviews/egm-review-mario-tennis-open/

SUMMARY: For those looking for a well-crafted, enjoyable tennis game, Mario Tennis Open will leave you satisfied. For those looking for a great Mario tennis game, you’ll probably be left wanting more.

THE GOOD: Looks good, plays great, and the game’s Mii integration works wonderfully.
THE BAD: Feels like a student who was happy going for a B- instead of an A+.
THE UGLY: The adoration Peach gets when Daisy is clearly the superior princess.
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Inside Gaming Daily (Machinima) - 7 http://www.insidegamingdaily.com/2012/05/16/mario-tennis-open-review/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mario-tennis-open-review

Bottom Line

Mario Tennis Open is like Jessica Alba with a giant, puss-filled zit right on the tip of her nose. Its flaws are glaring and hard to overlook – a beginner-friendly control system that harms competitive online play for purists and, more crucially, a distinct lack of imagination.

But at its core it’s still beautiful – Camelot has polished its tennis engine over 12 long years and it’s as satisfying as ever to smash the ball around with ridiculous curve and a bright blue trail. It’s also one of the best local multiplayer games on 3DS if you have enough friends to play with.

It’s good, but it could (and should) have been incredible.
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Digital Chumps - 6.6 http://digitalchumps.com/game-reviews/145-3ds/9176-mario-tennis-open.html
 
B

BGBW

Maturity, bitches.
So does it have the humour of Power Tennis?

The blooper reel ending is one of the better Mario sports game endings I've seen.
 
P

Plexirvones

Member
Gamespot - 5.5 http://www.gamespot.com/mario-tennis-open/reviews/mario-tennis-open-review-6376745/

Even then, there's very little to keep you coming back for long--the tennis just isn't exciting enough. It lacks the subtleties of more realistic tennis games, but is also missing the grandiose moveset of other Mario Sports titles. The changes brought on by the different control methods convolute an otherwise basic game, and there's not enough substance--or enough skill required--for Mario Tennis Open to be treated as a serious tennis game. Playing against friends can be fun, but this is otherwise a rather uneventful, forgettable instalment.
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H

Hispanicguy

Member
Picked this up in Chinatown, NYC.

2012-05-17-212415.jpg
2012-05-17-213014.jpg
2012-05-17-213212.jpg
2012-05-17-213611.jpg
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Don't have much to say about the gameplay. It's Mario Tennis. If you've played it before, you know what to expect.

MANY things to unlock for your Mii. Be prepared to spend quite a bit of time earning coins. Didn't pay attention to how many coins you would earn after a match. When I play again, I'll see. You get 800 coins when you first start.

There's a records option that keeps track of different the different modes. You can see who you've beaten in single player as well as the difficulty you beat them on (a picture above shows that).

For online multiplayer, there's a rating system. You start with 2000 and go up/down depending on how you do. There's a leaderboard for that. You also get "lifetime points" which ranks you on the monthly leaderboards. These "lifetime points" you earn by just playing a match, I believe. You'll get more if you win (I just earned 54 points for winning) but even if you lose, you'll get a little something.

There are Victory Medals that you earn when you win a match. It's a picture of a coin with the face of the Mii you beat.

In terms of online modes:

Exhibition Match (where you play ONLY with friends..singles or doubles)
Open Match (where you play singles matches ONLY again random people).

There's 3 kinds of matches to play once you pick your mode:

Quick (play a quick tiebreak match. First to 7, wins)
Extended (play a longer 2-game, 1-set match)
Either (play quick or extended mode)

As for how the gameplay is when you play online? Here's a video I recorded of an online match a few moments ago: http://youtu.be/WvPYfbk_e9c?hd=1

I've played against 3 different people online. The above video was from the 3rd, most recent person.

When I played my first match online, I noticed lag but nowhere near game breaking IMO. Probably because of the person on the other end.

The next 2 people were smooth. If there was any kind of lag, I would say (and im not an expert in this so feel free to correct me) there was a very very slight input lag (which you may see at :23 when I move Yoshi)...but again, it's NOWHERE near as bad as some reviewers said it was. While playing, if there was ANY input lag or lag at all, I couldn't notice it.

I'm satisfied with this purchase..ESPECIALLY because of how smooth online works. I don't want to get ahead of myself, though, so I'll play some more matches online and see what happens.
 
B

BowieZ

Banned
I'd buy this if it was downloadable. I can't see myself actually bothering to put the cartridge in after maybe the first 2-3 days. Whereas, I'd probably get quite a lot of use out of it, on the cuff...
 
C

chickdigger802

Banned
Hispanicguy said:
Picked this up in Chinatown, NYC.

Don't have much to say about the gameplay. It's Mario Tennis. If you've played it before, you know what to expect.

MANY things to unlock for your Mii. Be prepared to spend quite a bit of time earning coins. Didn't pay attention to how many coins you would earn after a match. When I play again, I'll see. You get 800 coins when you first start.

There's a records option that keeps track of different the different modes. You can see who you've beaten in single player as well as the difficulty you beat them on (a picture above shows that).

For online multiplayer, there's a rating system. You start with 2000 and go up/down depending on how you do. There's a leaderboard for that. You also get "lifetime points" which ranks you on the monthly leaderboards. These "lifetime points" you earn by just playing a match, I believe. You'll get more if you win (I just earned 54 points for winning) but even if you lose, you'll get a little something.

There are Victory Medals that you earn when you win a match. It's a picture of a coin with the face of the Mii you beat.

In terms of online modes:

Exhibition Match (where you play ONLY with friends..singles or doubles)
Open Match (where you play singles matches ONLY again random people).

There's 3 kinds of matches to play once you pick your mode:

Quick (play a quick tiebreak match. First to 7, wins)
Extended (play a longer 2-game, 1-set match)
Either (play quick or extended mode)

As for how the gameplay is when you play online? Here's a video I recorded of an online match a few moments ago: http://youtu.be/WvPYfbk_e9c?hd=1

I've played against 3 different people online. The above video was from the 3rd, most recent person.

When I played my first match online, I noticed lag but nowhere near game breaking IMO. Probably because of the person on the other end.

The next 2 people were smooth. If there was any kind of lag, I would say (and im not an expert in this so feel free to correct me) there was a very very slight input lag (which you may see at :23 when I move Yoshi)...but again, it's NOWHERE near as bad as some reviewers said it was. While playing, if there was ANY input lag or lag at all, I couldn't notice it.

I'm satisfied with this purchase..ESPECIALLY because of how smooth online works. I don't want to get ahead of myself, though, so I'll play some more matches online and see what happens.
Click to expand...


Still am a bit confused. What triggers those star circles? Is it just random and not just lobs anymore?
 
E

Effect

Member
Hispanicguy.

Is it clear what mode of control the person you are playing against is using? Are the leader boards separated by that?
 
H

Hispanicguy

Member
chickdigger802 said:
Still am a bit confused. What triggers those star circles? Is it just random and not just lobs anymore?
Click to expand...

There are times where it DOESN'T show up but I have no idea what you have to do (if anything) to make them appear/not appear. For the most part, they are always there.

Good post.

This went from "day 1" to "not going to get it" to "will get it eventually" for me.
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Being able to play Mario Tennis online was a HUGE draw for me. I can see myself trying to unlock all those accessories but most of my time will be spent online, ESPECIALLY if it runs as smooth as the video I posted shows. Disappointed in the fact that you can ONLY play doubles with friends. Would have been nice to randomly join with other people.

Is it clear what mode of control the person you are playing against is using? Are the leader boards separated by that?
Click to expand...

No separate leaderboards for control styles. As for noticing the other person's control, I couldn't. Then again, I wasn't really paying attention to that but when I do go back online, I'll see if I can notice any difference.
 
E

Effect

Member
Watching the launch trailer on the eShop has soften my outlook some. However still have concerns about how the online is done with both methods being allowed to play against each other.

Edit:

Did it seem as if he had an advantage looking back on it?
 
L

Lkr

Member
I'm kinda torn on this. I think I'll just hang onto my amazon credit for a while longer, I have enough games to play as it is
 
Z

zroid

Banned
Kandinsky said:
What the shit, thats a deal breaker for me, thanks :/
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Curious, if they're random opponents, why is it a deal breaker? How would it make any visible difference were they from another region?

Now, if you can't play against friends from other regions, well that'd be terrible...
 
T

Tyeforce

Member
Does anyone know if this game supports the "Join Game" feature in the Friend List? I'd imagine it does, being a first party title and all, but I haven't heard any confirmation of it yet.
 
I

I Stalk Alone

Member
Kandinsky said:
What the shit, thats a deal breaker for me, thanks :/
Click to expand...


How the hell do you play a twitch game like tennis with 200ms of lag if you want to play against people from a quarter of the world away? you need to keep this way under 100ms otherwise it will be a nightmare to play online. its not a racing game where momentum and a good lap time is more important, in this game each shot counts and lag will really kill this game online unless you only play against those in your region.
 
«

«þ»

Member
They should give us the option to play Regional or Worldwide at least. And give us an option to set our region in the game - eg Americas, Europe, Asia, Australia like they did in Tetris Party Deluxe...

Bet Aussies will be screwed anyway and be playing people half the world away with Europe.

Extended (play a longer 2-game, 1-set match)
Click to expand...

Apologies if this is a stupid question, but how does a 2 game, 1 set match work?
 
M

Morokh

Member
I see a lot of bitching about the lack of a RPG mode here, but being someone who just played Mario tennis 64 and that just remembers :

- Cups (AI opponents tournaments)
- Weird challenge modes
- Having a blast with multiplayer.

and that would expect the same from this one, would it be that ?
(and are the crazy special attacks from the GC version in, or out ?)
 
U

Ushojax

Should probably not trust the 7-11 security cameras quite so much
It's a shame that this was seemingly rushed out to plug a hole in the release schedule. The basics sound great but a more robust entry would have been godly.

Region-locked matchmaking is super lame too.
 
H

Hydderf

Member
«þ»;37982949 said:
They should give us the option to play Regional or Worldwide at least. And give us an option to set our region in the game - eg Americas, Europe, Asia, Australia like they did in Tetris Party Deluxe...

Bet Aussies will be screwed anyway and be playing people half the world away with Europe.



Apologies if this is a stupid question, but how does a 2 game, 1 set match work?
Click to expand...

first to score 2 wins the set (and match ??) ? I don't know...

But, does that mean that there is no way I can play a 5 sets match (with 6 games minimum in my sets, thx) online ? OUTRAGEOUS §

seriously :(
 
V

vatstep

This poster pulses with an appeal so broad the typical restraints of our societies fall by the wayside.
Most of the reviews I've read have said that online matches are really short, so yeah, I don't think there are options to lengthen them.

Hispanicguy, about how long have your online matches lasted? Can you tell if match settings are more configurable when playing with friends?
 
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