Preview: Mario Tennis Fever – What a racquet

Nintendo invited some Aussie gaming press to their offices to take a look at, and go hands-on with, some of the first-quarter games for 2026. Alongside Mario Tennis Fever here, we also spent time with the Virtual Boy – Nintendo Classics, and the Capcom pair of Resident Evil Requiem and Pragmata.

Mario Tennis Fever isn’t far away, in fact it’s out next week, so it won’t be long until you get your hands on it, but here’s how it’s shaping up. After a quick tutorial to get back into the swing of things, I leapt right into a singles match against the CPU. Mario Tennis still feels like Mario Tennis; it doesn’t take long to remember all the different types of shots.

The new mechanic for this Mario Tennis is the Fever rackets. At the start of the match, you get to pick one or two different Fever rackets that have the potential to turn the tide on your opponent. I started off with a Banana Racket. When the Fever meter is filled, your shot leaves a trail of banana peels across the court. Leaving the opposition slipping and sliding away, leaving an obstacle for them to avoid in the next shot.

What I didn’t initially get was why the Fever shots were spilling back onto my side of the court. It turns out that it is possible to return these Fever shots (at least some of them), meaning it’s not always just enough to make the shot, but you also need to make sure it lands lest you suffer the effects. It made for some extra tense rallies as you want to keep your side from filling with sludge, bananas, or fireballs.

I also spent some time in the Doubles match with another attendee, which was a lot of fun. Four players on court, all with Fever Rackets, keeps the court ever changing. I can see it leading to some chaotic matches. Also, if all the fire, sludge, and tornadoes are a bit too much, you can also just have everyone use regular rackets too.

Your players also have health bars, which felt like they mattered most in Doubles matches. If your health is down to zero, you’re sent to the sidelines to recover for a few long seconds. Depending on the difficulty, it can be enough to turn the match in the opponent’s favour. It adds an extra consideration when you’re letting off Fever shots, as you want to knock out the other side or at least whittle down their health.

Adventure mode, as shown in a Nintendo Direct, has Mario, Luigi, Wario, and Waluigi being turned into babies. The cutscene to set up the Mushroom Kingdom’s predicament is surprisingly long for what is a tennis game, but it’s fun and fitting. In Adventure I only had time for the initial training section, which was as baby Mario, with a combination of spending time on the court showing you can do the moves. There were a few mini-games in between, as Mario in baby form is in no shape to take to the courts. It seems like this could be an enjoyable mode, hopefully helping to keep you swinging for many hours to come.

Trial Towers seems to be a gauntlet of tennis challenges, with a goal to beat. Sometimes it’s just winning a match, or trying not to let too many balls get past in a multiball challenge. I don’t know how extensive the different towers are, but it looks like a fun addition when you want more than a standard game of Mario Tennis or a break from Adventure.

“Swing Mode” returns from Mario Tennis Aces, which feels like an obligatory motion control mode from the Wii days. Whether it’s by yourself or as a doubles team, this mode did not feel good. Your player is moved around automatically, with your swing of the racket being the only thing you need to really control. I’m sure there is a place for this mode, but during the preview it was not that time. I imagine it might still go off at parties.

After plenty of time with Mario Tennis Fever I am looking forward to playing the full game soon.

Mario Tennis Fever is out on February 12th and is exclusive to the Nintendo Switch 2, we’ve been rounding up the bargains for day here already.