Mario Tennis

Tennis seems like a simple sport, but in Nintendo's hands it became one of the console's most accessible yet deepest arcade games. Mario Tennis took the familiar characters from the Mushroom Kingdom and put them on the court in matches that even a complete newcomer can handle, but which hide plenty of tactics for those seeking mastery.

The game's magic lies in its perfectly tuned shot system. By pressing different buttons you play a topspin, slice, lob or flat shot, and through timing and charging you influence both power and precision. This simple set of options gives surprisingly large room for strategy, in which you outplay your opponent by placing the ball, varying the rhythm and reading their movement. It is a system easy to learn and hard to master in the best sense of the phrase.

The selection of characters from the Mario universe adds color and personality to the game. Each character has their own characteristic, whether power, speed or versatility, so everyone finds their favorite. Besides classic tennis, the game also offers inventive court variants and tournaments that keep single play fresh, but the true heart of the experience beats in matches against other people.

Multiplayer is precisely where Mario Tennis shines the most. Doubles full of quick rallies, smashes and comic moments rank among the best social entertainment the Nintendo 64 offered. The matches are short, intense and easily provoke a craving for a rematch, which makes the title an ideal game for evenings with friends.

Mario Tennis kicked off a long and successful line of Mario sports games that continues to this day. With its combination of accessibility, depth and pure fun it showed what an ideal arcade sport should look like, and remains one of the best multiplayer titles of its generation.

Why play it: For arcade tennis that is easy in your first match yet full of tactics, and for great fun in a foursome.