Nintendo Serves Up Mario Tennis History Infographic
Posted by James Newton
One love
This week sees the start of Wimbledon, and with Mario Tennis Open only a month old Nintendo's combined the two in infographic format.
The official series history starts from 3D sports game Mario's Tennis and ends with... 3D sports game Mario Tennis Open. Weird.
It's a bit confusing, though: it mentions Mario Tennis in 2004, presumably meaning Mario Power Tennis, and notes it was re-released on Wii as New Play Control! Mario Power Tennis. It also says Mario Tennis Open is the series' return after a 7-year wait; impressive time-bending skills, as Mario Power Tennis launched on Wii in 2009.
See if you can pick up on any other inaccuracies while chowing down on your strawberries and cream.
Nintendo Champions the History of Mario Tennis
To celebrate the start of Wimbledon, the oldest tennis tournament in the world, Nintendo has released a special Mario Tennis Open infographic which showcases the great history of Mario Tennis titles released since the first game in 1995.
Nintendo has delivered action-packed tennis fun since Mario’s Tennis first appeared on the Virtual Boy handheld in 1995. Each new game across the Nintendo 64, Game Boy Colour, GameCube and Game Boy Advance brings more excitement and features, increasing the number of playable characters, mini-games, multiplayer modes and colourful graphics.
The latest in the popular 17-year series, Mario Tennis Open launched on 25th May on Nintendo 3DS and brings together the best elements from the franchise in a champion game! It is the first Mario Tennis title to feature online play and has amazing 3D graphics, without the need for special glasses. Players can choose to compete as their favourite Mario character or as their own Mii and can customize their skills by dressing in different tennis gear. There are also quirky mini-games where tennis is used to complete a level from Super Mario Bros. (NES) and players are challenged with obscured vision thanks to three Ink Flowers.
#1
Mahary said:
I Only played Mario tennis open in 3ds !! GREAT GAME & History =D
#2
JuLeDoS said:
This is a cool graphic, but it makes me concerned as far as what Nintendo is doing with their time.
#3
Chrysanthemum said:
That's.... nice.
#4
pixelman said:
Open is a fantastic game. It's a bit light on content and there are a few things I'd change in the gameplay, but it's still ridiculously fun as-is.
#5
KeeperBvK said:
It's not exactly "time-bending", since the Wii re-release is basically just that: A re-release. Not a new game.
#6
Kyloctopus said:
I loved Mario Power Tennis for GCN, greatest sports game I ever played.
#7
CowLaunch said:
133 characters? Really?!
#8
FonistofCruxis said:
In the Mario tennis: Power tour section, they said its the sequel to Mario power tennis on Game boy rather than Gamecube.
#9
Geonjaha said:
GBC - "Introduced RPG elements"
3DS - "Couldn't be bothered, scrapped them popular RPG elements"
#10
Mario_maniac said:
@CowLaunch, the GBC version of the game had a whole bunch of extra characters from the story mode to play as. Can't remember the actual number, but I remember there being a fair few new humans introduced. Now I'm getting all nostalgic.
@Fonisto, that'd be because it actually was considered a sequel to the GBC game and served as a compliment to the GameCube version.
#11
Abcdude said:
133 characters? ALL different?
#12
Mario_maniac said:
*@FonistofCruxis, sorry.
#13
warioswoods said:
Good to see that they still remember the RPG part, even if they continue to ignore it.
#14
ThatTrueEvil said:
'One love'
barf I see what you did there.
#15
CommanderAudio said:
With this infographic, they've served up an ace!
Yeah, I just had to say that XD
#16
NintendoNaut said:
Just traded Open in yesterday. Broken online ruined it.
#17
Rawk_Hawk said:
I just picked up NPC Mario Tennis. I can't wait to dig in.
#18
evildevil97 said:
I like how they actually acknowledged the Virtual Boy.
#19
Raylax said:
@Juledos: Because a few people at Nintendo UK working on a poster brings the entire worldwide company to a grinding halt until it is finished,
#20
hydeks said:
I didn't realize it's been that long since a new Mario Tennis game came out. Pretty cool.
#21
Mattiator said:
I noticed a mistake. They refer to the Virtual Boy as a handheld.
#22
Edlicious said:
@Nintendo-Naut
I thought I was the only one who noticed the laggy online
#23
DarkEdi said:
@The VB is a handheld system.
I want the VB games in the VC in the 3DS!
#24
bezerker99 said:
The only game I have is Mario Tennis for N64. Such a great game - good times!
#25
LordJumpMad said:
I would get Mario tennis on the GBA or GBC
I heard those were the best
#26
SarcasticWisdom said:
Mario Tennis Open is an amazing game. Its my favorite 3DS game after MK7.
#27
GamerZack7 said:
"Mario Tennis: Power Tour - The sequel to Mario Power Tennis on Game Boy"...as far as I knew, Mario Power Tennis has only been released on GameCube and Wii.
Checks the Interwebs
Nope, no sign of MPT on Game Boy. :3
I really think it's in Nintendo's best interests to release Mario Tennis for GBC as a Virtual Console game. Most of the people who would play it are older fans who grew up with the fourth- and fifth-gen consoles, meaning the still-gigantic number of newer gamers will buy Mario Tennis Open. Plus, if Nintendo ever develops a Transfer Pak emulator...excited noise
#28
Capt_N said:
@Mario_maniac You are correct. Mario Tennis on the GBC(Gameboy Color), it's story is somewhat made a continuation of in the GBA(Gameboy Advance) Mario Tennis Power Tour. Although the GBC Mario Tennis could use the (n64) transfer pak, to send the player-made-rpg-custom-characters to the N64 Mario Tennis, there was no story in the N64 Mario Tennis, albeit trophy cutscenes. Mario Power Tennis on the GCN(Gamecube Nintendo), & Mario Tennis Power Tour(GBA) did not use the same console/handheld connectivity mechanic as did the N64/GBC Mario Tennis titles. I've often thought that while this made me like the GCN title less, that it was probably not done, since the Nintendo DS had just come out, & the GBA was, imo, pre-maturely put out to pasture. Edit: & Nintendo probably did not want to draw attention to the then-dying GBA.
Edit: I don't own my original copies of the N64/GBC MT titles(I was stupid, & sold them to Gamestop), but years ago I purchased the N64 title off eBay, & 2 years ago, I re collected it's GBC counterpart.
#29
RevolverLink said:
I'm not so sure that the "Introduction of Waluigi" should be considered a feather in Mario Tennis' cap.
#30
Capt_N said:
^ I do like how Daisy was brought back into the fold. Also, it's a debated issue, as to whether Daisy's inclusion was due to Gumpei Yokoi's death 2, or 3 years earlier, or if it was just to round out available character numbers. It's kinda irrelevant anyway, at least to me. Edit: I mean, the reasoning for Daisy's inclusion is irrelevant to me.
#31
JayceJa said:
used to love playing the 64 game with my brother
but havent played any of the others, i loses the appeal when i wouldn't play local multi anymore
#32
Rastamouse said:
I guess Nintendo put a whole lotta love in that graphic.
At least Nintendo thinks Waluigi's ace.
#33
Luffymcduck said:
@Geonjaha
Hahahaa, exactly.
#34
gojiguy said:
If Nintendo still has a pair they'll re-release the virtual boy Mario's Tennis on 3DS VC.
#35
LittleIrves said:
This just got me to pull out the ol' Virtual Boy and give Mario Tennis another whirl. Ya know, it's simple but it's still pretty fun. Takes some time to get into the bare-bones strategy, but there's an addictive game to be found. Those characters move too darn slow, though. Makes me consider giving Open for 3DS a shot after passing on it until now...