Mario Tennis Open
After a seven-year wait, Mario returns to court for the most feature-packed handheld tennis game yet. 25 playable characters, 11 courts, Chance Shot gameplay, gyroscope Direct Mode, local and online multiplayer, and full Mii gear customisation — all in glasses-free 3D.
Overview & Gameplay
Fast-paced tennis with colour-coded Chance Shots rewarding strategic play
Brilliant 3D court presentation across 11 Mushroom Kingdom venues
Exhibition mode — fully customisable matches on any courtMario Tennis Open is the fifth entry in the Mario Tennis series — the first on Nintendo 3DS and the first handheld entry since Mario Tennis GBC (2000). Developed by Camelot Software Planning, it introduces Chance Shots (colour-coded rings that trigger supercharged shots), Direct Mode (gyroscope first-person aiming), and deep Mii gear customisation.
Controls & Shot Types
| Shot | Button | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Topspin | B | Fast dipping shot — ideal for deep baseline rallies. |
| Slice | A | Low skidding shot that stays close to the ground — awkward to return. |
| Flat | Y | Fastest, most direct shot with minimal spin. Best for Power characters. |
| Lob | X | High arcing shot — draws opponents to the net then lobs over them. |
| Drop Shot | X (near net) | Soft shot that dies near the net — punishes opponents caught at baseline. |
| Touch Screen Panels | Lower screen | Tap shot-type panels to ready and release shots automatically. |
| Direct Mode | Gyroscope | Hold 3DS vertically for first-person view — tilt physically to aim. Character moves automatically. |
Chance Shots
When the ball lands in a favourable position, coloured rings appear on court. Using the matching shot type triggers a supercharged Chance Shot. Missing doesn’t penalise you — but converting Chance Shots consistently wins matches.
🔴 Flat Shot
🔵 Slice Shot
🟣 Lob Shot
🟡 Topspin
⚪ Drop ShotGame Modes
| Mode | Description |
|---|---|
| Tournament | Single-player progression through five cups (Mushroom, Flower, Boo, Star, Mushroom Open). Win cups to unlock characters and courts. Singles and doubles supported. |
| Exhibition | Custom matches vs CPU or friend — choose any characters, court, and set length. |
| Special Games | Four unique challenge modes. Level 3 clears unlock characters; Level 4 unlocks Mii outfits. |
| Online Play | Friend matches and open ranked matches over Nintendo Network with leaderboards. |
| Local Wireless | Up to 4 players — Download Play supported so friends can join without the game card. |
| StreetPass | Exchange player profiles and records with other owners you pass in the real world. |
Five tournament cups — Mushroom Cup through to the prestigious Mushroom OpenSpecial Games
Characters
25 playable characters across five play styles. 13 available from the start; 4 unlock via Special Games; 8 via QR codes. New to the series: Metal Mario, Baby Peach, Dry Bowser, Luma.
The full 25-character roster — five distinct play styles with different court behaviour⚡ Speed
MarioSpeed
Baby MarioSpeed
Baby PeachSpeed ★🎯 Technique
LuigiTechnique
PeachTechnique
DaisyTechnique
LumaTechnique ★
YoshiTechnique
WaluigiTechnique💪 Power
Donkey KongPower
WarioPower
BowserPower
Dry BowserPower ★
Metal MarioPower ★ QR🎲 Tricky
BooTricky
Diddy KongTricky
Bowser Jr.Tricky ★⚖️ All-Around (Mii)
Mii (Male)Customisable
Mii (Female)Customisable★ New to Mario Tennis · QR = requires QR code · 7 alternate Yoshi colours also unlockable via QR. Mii stats shaped entirely by equipped tennis gear.
| Play Style | Characters | Strengths |
|---|---|---|
| Speed | Mario, Baby Mario, Baby Peach | Fastest court coverage and reach. |
| Technique | Luigi, Peach, Daisy, Waluigi, Yoshi, Luma | Precise placement, strong slice and lob. |
| Power | Donkey Kong, Wario, Bowser, Dry Bowser, Metal Mario | Hard flat shots and devastating smashes. |
| Tricky | Boo, Diddy Kong, Bowser Jr. | Unusual spin, hard-to-read trajectories. |
| All-Around | Mii | Balanced stats shaped by gear. |
Courts
Eleven courts across seven Mushroom Kingdom venues — each with different surface properties. Strategy on Peach’s Palace (Carpet, fastest) differs completely from Mushroom Valley (Mushroom, slow and high). Courts unlock through Tournament progress.
| Court | Surface | Ball Speed | Bounce |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mario Stadium (Clay) | Clay | Slow | Weak |
| Mario Stadium (Hard) | Hard | Normal | Strong |
| Mario Stadium (Grass) | Grass | Fast | Weak |
| Mushroom Valley | Mushroom | Slow | Strong |
| Wario Dunes | Sand | Slow | Weak |
| DK Jungle | Wood | Normal | Normal |
| Galaxy Arena (Crystal) | Crystal | Fastest | Strongest |
| Galaxy Arena (Morph) | Morph | Varies | Varies |
| Bowser’s Castle | Stone | Fast | Strong |
| Penguin Iceberg | Snow | Normal | Strongest |
| Peach’s Palace | Carpet | Fastest | Normal |
Tennis Gear & Mii Customisation
Collect coins during any mode and spend them in the shop to customise your Mii. Each gear slot changes stats. Completing Special Games at Level 4 unlocks exclusive cosmetic outfits (Mario, Peach, Birdo and more themed uniforms).
| Gear | Effect |
|---|---|
| Rackets | Affect power, spin and control — heavier = harder shots, lighter = better reach and speed. |
| Shoes | Change movement speed and court coverage. |
| Wristbands | Modify shot spin and accuracy — high-spin for topspin, control bands for placement. |
Reception
| Publication | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Metacritic | 73 / 100 | Generally favourable — solid tennis mechanics; single-player depth criticised. |
| IGN | 7.5 / 10 | Praised Chance Shots and online; Tournament mode felt brief. |
| Nintendo Life | 8 / 10 | Definitive portable tennis game. Direct Mode a standout. |
| GameSpot | 7.5 / 10 | Strong controls and variety; single-player length criticised. |
| GamesRadar | 4 / 5 | High praise for mechanics and multiplayer depth. |
Excellent multiplayer tennis held back by a thin Tournament mode. Online play was considered a highlight. Sold over 1.6 million copies worldwide.
Trivia & Notable Facts
- First Mario Tennis since 2004 — seven-year gap from Power Tennis (GCN) and first handheld entry since GBC (2000).
- 25 characters — largest roster in any Mario Tennis at the time, surpassing Power Tennis’s 18.
- Metal Mario, Baby Peach, Luma, Dry Bowser all make their Mario Tennis series debuts here.
- The QR code system was innovative for 2012 — Nintendo published codes online for Metal Mario and seven Yoshi colour variants.
- Super Mario Tennis is a fully-playable SMB level controlled with a racket — widely considered the game’s most memorable feature.
- The Chance Shot system was designed to reward court awareness — reading coloured rings separates skilled players from beginners.
- Camelot Software Planning has developed every Mario Tennis and Mario Golf since the N64 — one of Nintendo’s longest-running external partnerships.
- Galaxy Rally’s accelerating ball makes it one of the hardest modes in any Mario Tennis game.
Videos
Official Teaser Trailer
Gameplay Overview — Training & Courts