Mario Power Tennis [GC]

Although most people's idea of a Mario game is a toadstool-filled platformer, the diminutive plumber's occasional ventures into other territories have often produced remarkable games. So is the case with Mario Power Tennis -- it has Nintendo's hallmark playability and easy-going temperament, but it's just as good a tennis game as any.

One of the most instantly pleasing things about Power Tennis is the way almost all the characters are unlocked at the start. No tedious messing about in single-player is needed -- Mario, Luigi, Bowser, Peach, and 10 other Nintendo favorites are all selectable, right from the start. Each is categorized: the plumber brothers are all-rounders, Wario is a power player, and Yoshi is a speed specialist.

As you play, your character gradually acquires a glow around the edge of their racket. Once it's bright enough, you can unleash a "power shot," which come in offensive and defensive varieties. For most characters, the defensive shot lets you return a ball no matter how far it is away from you, and the power shot is an extra-hard return that might knock your opponent back and stun them for a second or two.

Both these shots introduce some extra tactical depth to the game. The defensive shot can be used even when the ball is about to disappear off the back of the court -- Luigi, for example, pulls out his vacuum and directs his racquet to wherever the ball happens to be. Wario uses an extending arm contraption to reach it.

The animations for these shots are fantastic, but the gameplay stops for a few seconds while the camera zooms in and interjects them, damaging the game's flow. Although there's an option to turn them off altogether, we would have liked to be able to keep the shots but lose the lengthy animations.

True to Nintendo's easily recognizable style, the game is very clean-looking and moves smoothly. The character animations are great -- especially for the power shot moves -- and the court designs are varied. Unlike some other tennis games we could name, it's easy to pick out the ball, even when it's on the more distant top half of the court.

Sound-wise, it's basic and surprisingly subdued. Turn off the ear-rotting music and you're left with a functional assortment of grunts, bounces, and the odd curse or exclamation from your characters. But hey, what more do you want from a tennis game?

While it's possible to play a completely straight game of tennis, many of the courts have gimmicks or special features. For example, Wario's factory court has conveyor belts towards the ends of the court, and careless players will find themselves missing shots as they're carried off. Some of the game styles put definite Mario touches on the action, like the turtle-shell-flinging item battle mode -- a marvelously chaotic spectacle.

Other modes throw the traditional conventions of tennis out of the window altogether, and give the designers free rein to indulge their imaginations. One of these minigames challenges the player to keep up a rally with a four-armed Gooper Blooper while avoiding particular areas of the court. Another replaces the net with a grid of ghost pictures, and tests players' aim -- leave a picture alone for too long, and a ghost will come after you.

Power Tennis' control options are first-rate. Three modes give beginners the option to avoid most shot selection decisions, and automatically fire off special shots when required. The most intricate option leaves almost everything up to the player, including when to dive or lunge.

It's a shame there's no setting between the top two difficulties, however, as the hardest is almost inhuman, and the one below doesn't quite provide much challenge. The championship mode provides a pretty seamless increase from easy to tough, and it never seems unconvincing or feels too unfair.

When playing doubles with a CPU partner, the AI also performs very well. They have a tendency to throw away defensive power shots at the net, but otherwise they're predictable and reliable. In fact, the game is arguably at its best during doubles games, even with just one player -- the fluid and rapid-fire rallies make for real edge-of-the-seat gaming.

Our only real criticism of this great game is that it needed a few more single-player possibilities -- tournaments, single matches, and minigames are all very well, but something a little more structured or progressive would have been welcome.

Ultimately, Mario Power Tennis excels in fresh, exciting gameplay, especially when battling or playing cooperatively with friends. The many different courts, characters, and moves should keep you busy for months. Mario has served another ace.