Mario Tennis: Power Tour [GBA]

Since 1999, Camelot Software Planning has been serving up excellent sports games on Nintendo consoles that feature Mario and friends. Its handheld offerings blend sports action with RPG elements, offering a character-driven experience that really draws you into the sport. The latest game in this vein is Mario Tennis Power Tour. It's a great single-player title with plenty of features that give it legs and a fun game to play with up to three of your friends.

The core gameplay of Power Tour is a mix of reality and fantasy. The surprisingly accurate use of topspin, slice, and flat shots will appeal to purists, while sidespin and power shots add an arcade element to the gameplay. Each player has primary stats of power, control, sidespin, and speed, as well as secondary stats of serve, stroke, volley, topspin, and slice. Each of the stock characters has a unique feel and molding your own player is entertaining.

The main mode of the game is the titular Power Tour. You select a male or female character to kick things off and must make your way to the top of the tennis academy. There are dozens of characters for you to talk to at the academy -- some give you helpful advice, while others are there merely for decorative purposes. On the practice courts, there are numerous instructors that teach you the mechanics of the game and a bunch of competitors that test what you've learned in minigames.

Your goal at the academy is to become the top player at the school, working your way up the junior, senior, and varsity ranks in singles and doubles. After you win a match or beat a minigame, you gain points that can be used to boost your primary and secondary stats, allowing you to shape your player's style. After you become the top dog at the academy, the Island Open tournament is unlocked. Players from around the world (and with higher skill levels) are there to challenge. Once you get past that, you get a visit from Mario, who invites you to participate in Princess Peach's tournament.