__ __ _ | \/ | __ _ _ __(_) ___ | |\/| |/ _` | '__| |/ _ \ | | | | (_| | | | | (_) | _|_|_ |_|\__,_|_| |_|\___/ |_ _|__ _ __ _ __ (_)___ | | / _ \ '_ \| '_ \| / __| | || __/ | | | | | | \__ \ |_| \___|_| |_|_| |_|_|/__/ Mario Tennis COPYRIGHT INFORMATION This FAQ/Walkthrough is © 2000 by Matt91486. Mario Tennis is © 2000 by Nintendo. All of the characters, items, and absolutely everything else about this game is © Nintendo in some year or another. I am in no way related to Nintendo, or do I have anything to do with Nintendo. If you wish to use this guide on your site, e-mail me at matt91486@aol.com. This guide will never be allowed to be used for profit. What I mean by this is there can be no ads added to it. There is a 95 percent chance I will say yes to your request, assuming you ask. If you do not ask, I will demand that you remove it, and I will prosecute you to the full extent of the law. As of now this guide is only allowed on three sites: http://www.gamefaqs.com http://hometown.aol.com/Matt91486/VGS2/vgs2.html http://www.gameapex.com If I answer positively to your request for usage of this guide your site will be added above. If you see this guide on any site but those listed, please notify me. It could just be a mistake (I said yes but have not added them yet), or they could have stolen it, and then I need to prosecute it. And I do keep track of this guide, so do not think you can get away with it. I know this all probably sounds like a confusing waste, but it has to be done to keep people from using those who spend their hard work and time writing these guides. TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Copyright Information II. Table of Contents 1. Revision History 2. Controls 3. A Brief Mario Tennis Review 4. Game Modes 5. Doubles Tournament Partners 4. Tennis Terminology 5. The Rules of Tennis (Coming Soon!) 6. Character Types 7. Character Rankings 8. Character Critiques 9. Court Information 10. Frequently Asked Questions 11. Codes 12. Game Shark Codes 13. Special Thanks REVISION HISTORY Here is a brief history of this guide. Version 4.2: Added Game Modes, one again submitted to GameFAQs. Version (1)4. September 14, 2000: This is really version 4, but today is my birthday, so I thought I'd spruce it up a little. Major character work completed. Version 3.7.3: September 13, 2000: Fairly important update, a few sections will be coming, hopefully after this guide is first posted at GameFAQs. Version 3: September 11, 2000: Formatting overhaul, lots of information added across the boards. Version 2.5.4 September 8, 2000: Some information here and there. Version 2: September 7, 2000: Substantial court, and character information. Decided to do a tennis rules section. Version 1.3.7: September 6, 2000: Added a little bit to characters, and Court Information. Finished the Character Types. Version 1.2: September 6, 2000: Added and completed Codes, Game Shark Codes and Special Thanks. Began Court Information. Version 1.1: September 6, 2000: Began the Controls, FAQ, and progressed on the Character Types and Critiques. Version 1: September 5, 2000: This Mario Tennis guide was born. CONTROLS A (On the Menus): Confirm selection B (On the Menus): Cancel selection, return to the window before the one you were looking at Control Stick (On the Menus): Select an option, a character, etcetera A (In the Game): Top Spin Hit A, A (In the Game): Powerful Top Spin Hit B (In the Game): Slice Hit A, B (In the Game): Lob Hit B, A (In the Game): Drop Hit B, B (In the Game): Powerful Slice Hit A+B (In the Game): Strong (Smash) Hit Control Stick (In the Game): Move your character R (In the Bowser Stage): Uses your weapon L (At the Player Select Screen): Make the character you choose left-handed Z (At the Player Select Screen): Make the character you choose left-handed R (At the Player Select Screen): Handicaps a player A BRIEF MARIO TENNIS REVIEW I'm not going to give you a full review of Mario Tennis, but you can still read my full review at GameFAQs. I will just give you a brief basic overview of the important scores included. GAMEPLAY--10 GRAPHICS--10 MUSIC--9 SOUND--8 CONTROL--10 FUN--10 CHALLENGE--MEDIUM REPLAY VALUE--HIGH OVERALL--10 GAME MODES Here are the modes of play in Mario Tennis, all coupled with brief descriptions. They are organized by number of players. NO PLAYERS Demo Mode: This is an utterly useless mode after you have played the game once. It is Mario Tennis's version of a Tutorial Mode, so all beginners should watch and learn however. You will learn something, and you will learn how to be a better player. SINGLE PLAYER Tournament: This is the meat and potatoes of Mario Tennis. This is how you unlock almost all of the courts, and both of the hidden characters. (Read on for details about them.) You can play in either a single or doubles tournament. One problem I found with the Doubles Tournament, is that you cannot choose your Doubles partner...Mario Tennis decides for you. Still, this is where you will probably spend most of your Mario Tennis hours. Piranha Challenge: This is an interesting mode. The Piranha Plants 'spit' a certain amount of tennis balls at you. You must return them, without having your opponent on the Piranha Plant's side return them to you. This is very difficult, and, if you can earn the hidden court here, you will have completed a great feat. Ring Shot: This is an interesting, and very fun mode. This is the perfect place to go to practice your accuracy. You need to aim the tennis balls through rings, with one of a choice of four or five hazards, or something going against you. Like the clock, the amount of tennis balls you have, etcetera. Ring Tournament: This is the mode where you can play in tournaments sponsored by Nintendo. You can obtain the tournament passwords and codes later on in this guide. When you are finished with your tournament, you can post your results at Mario Tennis dot-com. (http://www.mariotennis.com). BOTH SINGLE AND MULTIPLAYER Bowser Stage: This could be the most bizarre stage in Mario Tennis. The court is tilting. All four characters in play (No matter what the Bowser Stage is Doubles play only.) can have weapons straight from Mario Kart. This is truly bizarre, but it is also excellent. It is the perfect mode to go into to waste a couple of fun minutes. Exhibition Mode: This is the mode that you all knew was in Mario Tennis. You can choose Singles or Doubles, the game and set limit, and then you go in and play that match. This is probably the mode you will use the most if you play lots and lots of multiplayer. MULTIPLAYER Quick Game: This is a multiplayer, single or doubles, game up to 5 points. The game has its version of Deuce if you tie at four. This is great for people who do not want to sit through an entire Exhibition match with their friends, and they just want some quick fun. Its also great for those who only have a minute or so. Tie Breaker Game: This is a multiplayer, single or doubles, game up to 7 points. It is called 'Tie Breaker' because that is what it is used as in the tournaments. This is a mode I prefer over Quick Game, even though they are very, very similar. This game's version of Deuce occurs if you tie at six. Unless you do not have the extra thirty seconds, choose the Tie Breaker Game over the Quick Game. DOUBLES PARTNER LIST This will be where I list each character's Doubles partner in the Tournament Mode. IF YOU ARE... YOUR PARTNER IS... Mario Luigi Luigi Daisy Daisy Birdo Birdo Yoshi Yoshi Baby Mario Baby Mario Donkey Kong Donkey Kong Toad Toad Peach Peach Mario Wario Waluigi Waluigi Paratroopa Paratroopa Bowser Bowser Boo Boo Wario Donkey Kong Jr. Shy Guy Shy Guy Donkey Kong Jr. Notice how the good characters are only paired up with the good characters, the evil characters are only paired up with the evil characters, and the hidden characters are only paired up with the hidden characters. TENNIS TERMINOLOGY Here I will do my best to give you some basic terms from the game of tennis. They will be in alphabetical order. ACE: An in-bounds serve that is not returned by the opposing player. ALLEY: See Doubles Alley. BASELINE: The lines at the each end of the court, where serving is done from. CENTER MARK: The mark along the baseline that shows where the court is divided in half. When serving, a player cannot cross this line. DOUBLES: Tennis play with two person teams. The Doubles Alley is in play if you use doubles. DOUBLES ALLEY: The strip on the right and left sides of the court that is only in play in doubles matches. NET: The net is halfway through the court, stretching from left to right. SERVICE ACE: See Ace. SINGLES: Tennis play with a single player versus another. The Doubles Alley is not in play if you use singles. |----|-------------|------6--------|------| | | 5--->| | | | | | | The | | | | Tennis | |-------------|---------------| | Court | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1. Doubles Alley| | | | |====|=============================|======| 2. Fore Court | | ^ | | | 3. Back Court | | | | 2 | | 4. Net | | | | | 1 | 5. Center Mark | | 4 | | | 6. Baseline | |-------------|---------------| | | | | | | | 3 | | | | | | | |----|------6------|---------------|------| CHARACTER TYPES ALL-AROUND Characters: Mario, Luigi Traits: Above average ability in everything The Instruction Booklet says: "These brothers stay cool no matter what the opponents serve up!" Matt91486 says: Mario and Luigi are perfect for beginners. They excel on Hard Courts, but the Clay Court can be difficult for them. Luigi is the better of the two brothers due to his height. Prior to my belief before playing Mario Tennis, Mario is not a step faster. Once a player gets good, however, I suggest they move on to a player with a specialty they prefer. TECHNICAL PRECISION Characters: Peach, Daisy, Toad, Waluigi Traits: Fairly weak hits, excellent accuracy The Instruction Booklet says: "Their accurate shots ensure victory!" Matt91486 says: This group is a mixed-bag. Waluigi is a completely useless character, whose only excuse is that this is his first game. Peach is one of the better characters, while Toad and Daisy are a bit above average. Waluigi is the slowest of this quartet, but he barely, if at all, hits harder than any of the others. Peach is the best of this group, and Toad and Daisy are good characters, especially in some key situations. BLINDING SPEED Characters: Baby Mario, Birdo, Yoshi Traits: Very fast, average hits, above average accuracy The Instruction Booklet says: "This group can chase down balls no matter where they're hit." Matt91486 says: This is probably the best group in Mario Tennis. Yoshi could be the best character in the game. Baby Mario really lives up to his group's name. Birdo is by far the worst character in this pairing. Yoshi is perfect for most matches. POWERFUL PLAYS Characters: Bowser, Donkey Kong, Wario Traits: Great power, horrible speed The Instruction Booklet says: "These guys deliver shots with tremendous power." Matt91486 says: This is a grouping that I tend to avoid. Sure, there power shots are nice sometimes but there lack of speed and consistent accuracy makes them as a whole a group to avoid. Wario is the fastest, Bowser the most powerful, and Donkey Kong the most accurate. Still, the only time I can recommend these characters is in the Bowser Challenge Mode, where their weight helps keep their balance on the tilting board. TRICKY SHOTS Characters: Boo, Paratroopa Traits: The ability to create shots that will startle your opponents, flying The Instruction Booklet says: "They fly through the air with the greatest of ease!" Matt91486 says: These characters should never be used by beginners. Once you get good, especially with Paratroopa, these characters can be far and away the best in the game. On kind of a side note, the computer likes to be really cheap with these characters, especially Boo, so watch out when you play one of them in a tournament. ??? Characters: Donkey Kong Jr., Shy Guy Traits: Largely above average in everything, hidden at the first play The Instruction Booklet says: "You can use these characters, too...but how?" Matt91486 says: This is just a stupid category. The Instruction Booklet gives you no information, so you will have to base this completely off mine. Shy Guy is basically belongs in the Tricky Shots group, and Donkey Kong Jr., all though he is kind of all-around, I would put in the Blinding Speed Group. Both of them are the best in their groupings, and I suggest you read those groupings for more information. CHARACTER RANKINGS For those of you who do not wish to read my in-depth character critiques below, but you still want to know how I would rank the sixteen players, this is the perfect category for you. 1. Paratroopa 2. Yoshi 3. Baby Mario 4. Daisy 5. Luigi 6. Donkey Kong Jr. 7. Shy Guy 8. Peach 9. Mario 10. Boo 11. Donkey Kong 12. Wario 13. Toad 14. Waluigi 15. Bowser 16. Birdo CHARACTER CRITIQUES This is the hardest section to write of this guide. Before you get into the critiques, I'll show you an example. NAME *Type: This is where I will say what type of character they are *Strengths: This is where I will say the character's strengths *Weaknesses: This is where I will say the character's weaknesses *Best Starting Court: This is where I will say the character's best starting court *Worst Starting Court: This is where I will say the character's worst starting court *The Instruction Booklet says: This is where I will repeat what is said in the Instruction Booklet. *Matt91486 says: This is where I will voice my opinion about the character. *Strategy: This is where I will give some specific strategy for the character. *On the GameFAQs one to ten scale Name rates: This is where I will rate the character, one through ten. That was my example, now below, in alphabetical order, are my entries for the characters. Donkey Kong Jr. and Shy Guy will not be included yet, because I feel I have used them enough to rate them, but not enough to write strategy for them. Expect them a few days after my guide is put up though. BABY MARIO *Type: Blinding Speed *Strengths: Surprisingly strong, accurate, and very fast *Weaknesses: Height, reach *Best Court: Hard Court *Worst Court: Grass Court *The Instruction Booklet says: "His small size lets him zip all over the court." *Background: Baby Mario starred in Super Mario Land 2: Yoshi's Island, but he has not been seen in a game since his resurrection for Mario Golf. *Matt91486 says: Baby Mario could very well be the best character in Mario Tennis. He is stronger than three/fourths of the characters, one of the most accurate characters, and by far and away the fastest character. *Strategy: Stay very far back with Baby Mario, about the baseline. You can occasionally go up, but do not too often. The Drop Hits are very effective with Baby Mario, but the Lob Hits can be deadly, because they are too easy to return high. Smash Hits you do not have to worry about going out of bounds, because you are on the baseline, and Baby Mario is classified as Blinding Speed, which is supposedly the weakest group. *On the GameFAQs one to ten scale Baby Mario rates: 9 BIRDO *Type: Blinding Speed *Strengths: Her blinding speed *Weaknesses: Most everything else *Best Starting Court: Composite Court *Worst Starting Court: Grass Court *The Instruction Booklet says: "Her speed lets her move around the court with ease." *Background: To be perfectly honest, I have absolutely no clue whatsoever. I believe she has something to do with Yoshi romantically, but I am not certain by any means. *Matt91486 says: Birdo is awful. She almost beat out Waluigi for the worst player in the game. Sure she is fast, but she could very well be the weakest character in the game, and her accuracy is not up to par. Plus she sounds annoying. Only use Birdo if you REALLY like fast characters, or you are trying to unlock her secret court. *Strategy: Birdo needs to say about halfway between the baseline and the back of the fore court to be effective. I recommend lobbing whenever possible, as it can sometimes cause your opponent to drill the tennis ball into the net. Take advantage of Birdo's speed, and aim for the corners closest to the net. NEVER hit it into the middle unless you absolutely have to, as it is to easy to return it. *On the GameFAQs one to ten scale Birdo rates: 2 BOO *Type: Tricky Shots *Strengths: Excellent Shot Manipulation *Weaknesses: Not all that strong, balls can occasionally bounce under him *Best Starting Court: Clay Court *Worst Starting Court: Hard Court *The Instruction Booklet says: "He uses his spin shot to manipulate the ball however he likes." *Background: Boo has been a fixture enemy in the Mario series for quite some time, although he played his biggest role in Super Mario 64. *Matt91486 says: Boo is a situational character. I would always choose Paratroopa over Boo, unless you are trying to figure out how to best utilize his manipulation skills. Better manipulation techniques are Boo's only advantage over Paratroopa. Boo is still one of the better characters, there is just a very similar, and better, option. *Strategy: Aim for the upper corners. Boo will be able to bend the shot to go there with ease. If you do not take advantage of his manipulating techniques, than you should simply not play as Boo at all. Those techniques are the only reason you should play has him. Make sure to stay far enough back, because if you get too close to the net, the tennis balls are much more apt to bounce under Boo, and cause your opponent to win the points. And, as luck would have it, those points can be a momentum changer, and they could turn the tides and cause you to lose the match. *On the GameFAQs one to ten scale Boo rates: 7 BOWSER *Type: Powerful Plays *Strengths: The most powerful character in Mario Tennis *Weaknesses: The slowest character in Mario Tennis, not all that accurate *Best Starting Court: Grass Court *Worst Starting Court: Composition Court *The Instruction Booklet says: "His impressive serve may be too strong to handle." *Background: Bowser has been a fixture in almost ever Mario game ever made. He has made appearances in each of the semi-Mario games, except for Super Smash Brothers. (Mario Kart, Super Mario RPG, etcetera.) *Matt91486 says: I really hate Bowser. He is one of the worst characters in Mario Tennis. He maybe the strongest, but his lack of speed and accuracy quickly nullify that advantage. I would never recommend being him, unless you are participating in the Bowser Challenge. *Strategy: If you decide to be Bowser, here is what you should do. Try to get as many service aces as you possibly can. If you cannot, try to get as many smash hits as you can. As cheap as it may sound, aim for the opposing characters head, where it will bounce harmlessly to the ground and it cannot be returned. *On the GameFAQs one to ten scale Bowser rates: 3 DAISY *Type: Technical Precision *Strengths: Perhaps the most accurate player in the game *Weaknesses: Average in the other two categories *Best Starting Court: Clay Court *Worst Starting Court: Composite Court *The Instruction Booklet says: "She rarely misses when playing close to the net." *Background: Daisy has been splitting the princess duties with Peach for as long as I can remember. Although Peach was the most recent, and has been the star of late, Daisy has always been there lurking. *Matt91486 says: And as a celebration of their shared position Daisy and Peach were made almost identical. I believe that Daisy is a little bit more powerful, though. Which makes her my selection over Peach. *Strategy: Daisy is best aiming for the corners, with normal Top Spin and Slice Hits. He should stay about halfway up the court, staying in the center whenever possible so she does not get burned by a Powerful Smash Hit along the opposite sideline. Daisy does not really need a strategy, though. She is one of the few characters that you can just go out and play with and be very successful. *On the GameFAQs one to ten scale Daisy rates: 8 DONKEY KONG *Type: Powerful Plays *Strengths: Very strong, fastest of the powerful players *Weaknesses: Very, very, very slow *Best Starting Court: Grass Court *Worst Starting Court: Hard Court *The Instruction Booklet says: "He can return even high balls with incredible force." *Background: Donkey Kong was Nintendo's first real star, in the arcade game Donkey Kong. Since then, he has had many hit games on the Super Nintendo, and a so-called 'hit' on the Nintendo 64, plus the many updates and ports of those games, and his arcade original. *Matt91486 says: Donkey Kong is the perfect player for the Bowser Challenge. Other than for that there is very little reason for using him except for unlocking his hidden court. The Grass Court is Donkey Kong's best due to the great combination of ball speed and bounce. Great for a Powerful Player that is. Ironically enough, never use Donkey Kong on the hidden Donkey Kong court. *Strategy: Donkey Kong should stay as far back as possible, as his hits will still easily sail over the net, unless you use the Drop Hit, due to his amazing power. If you get closer than even three fourths of the way a Smash Hit can easily drop the ball out of bounds. So use the Smash Hit sparingly. *On the GameFAQs one to ten scale Donkey Kong rates: 4 LUIGI *Type: All-Around *Strengths: Height, pretty good at everything *Weaknesses: A little slow on his feet, can get beaten by those with a specialty *Best Starting Court: Hard Court *Worst Starting Court: Clay Court *The Instruction Booklet says: "His height lets him hit even the balls that look like they're out of reach." *Background: Luigi is the often over-shadowed, but ever-popular brother of Mario. Luigi has been around since the beginning, but, as of yet, his shining moment was as a playable character in Super Mario Brothers 3. *Matt91486 says: Luigi is one of the best characters in this game. Although he does not have a specialty, he is probably the best character at the game for beginners. He is the character I first used when I began playing Mario Tennis, and he is better than Mario due to the size difference. *Strategy: Luigi's height, and lack of a true strength mean you should stay close to the net, about half way between the net and the baseline. He still will have a chance to back up to hit the occasional ball that will fly over his head, but he can also go up close to the net and slam it home. Another good strategy with Luigi, however cheap it is, is to aim for the opponents so it can strike them, and bounce harmlessly to the court. *On the GameFAQs one to ten scale Luigi rates: 8 MARIO *Type: All-Around *Strengths: Just being Mario, pretty good at everything *Weaknesses: Is exactly like Luigi but shorter, for once his brother outshines him. *Best Starting Court: Hard Court *Worst Starting Court: Clay Court *The Instruction Booklet says: "His fancy footwork lets him cover the court easily." *Background: Here he his. The star of the show. Mario is undoubtably the biggest fixture, marketing tool, and money maker in all of video games. Any game with his mug on it is sure to sell at least a million copies. I would have to say that this guy is one of the most recognizable features in the world. *Matt91486 says: Mario is a character that should probably never be used, except for by those who only bought the game to play as Mario. He is exactly like Luigi but shorter, as I said before, and that makes him utterly useless, because he is basically Luigi without Luigi's strengths. I can never recommend being Mario. *Strategy: If you do not listen to me, and you still play as Mario, here is some strategy. Mario's all-around ability means that he should play close to the net. He has a pretty good chance of returning all of the volleys even though he is without Luigi's arm length or height. The only reason to every play as Mario, is because he unlocks more hidden courts than any other character. *On the GameFAQs one to ten scale Mario rates: 6 PARATROOPA *Type: Tricky Shots *Strengths: Fairly strong and fairly fast and fairly accurate *Weaknesses: Balls can bounce under him *Best Starting Court: Hard Court *Worst Starting Court: Clay Court *The Instruction Booklet says: "With his ability to react quickly to any type of shot, he can return the ball anywhere he wants." *Background: A famed villain straight out of the original Super Mario Brothers, and almost every Mario game after that. Paratroopa is the only one of the three most common (in my opinion) enemies in the Mario universe. (Goombas and Koopas being the other two.) *Matt91486 says: Paratroopa surprised me more than any other character in Mario Tennis. I was not expecting Paratroopa to be good. Instead, Paratroopa is exceptional, one of the three best characters in Mario Tennis. He is strong, fast, and accurate, perhaps even more well-rounded than Mario. And, although he may not be as accurate as Daisy or Peach, he can better manipulate shots to go to harder to hit locales than anyone else but perhaps Boo. *Strategy: Be very wary on courts with a weak bounce, especially those with a fast ball speed. The ball can bounce harmlessly under Paratroopa. To make up for this, stay about three/fourths of the way back, when the first bounce has usually passed, and the ball is reaching the peak of its second bounce. Lob Hits are not as effective with Paratroopa as Drop or Slice Hits. Use Drop Hits especially frequently. *On the GameFAQs one to ten scale Paratroopa rates: 10 PEACH *Type: Technical Precision *Strengths: Just as accurate as Daisy *Weaknesses: Not quite as strong as Daisy *Best Starting Court: Clay Court *Worst Starting Court: Composite Court *The Instruction Booklet says: "She can blast the ball right down the line." *Background: She seems to have become the main princess in town, being the rescued in almost all of the recent Mario games. She has been included in all of the Mario spin-off titles, excluding the cliquey Super Smash Brothers, as well. *Matt91486 says: Peach is at the core a slightly faster, slightly weaker, and a slightly worse Daisy. While Daisy is a better overall character, Peach may be more versatile due to her tiny speed advantage. Peach still is one of the better characters in Mario Tennis. I just will always select Daisy over her if at all possible. *Strategy: I would do about the same thing with Peach as with Daisy. Stay about three/fourths of the way back. Aim for the corners, except use Powerful Smash Hits to make sure it goes all of the way there. If you are playing in Doubles, take advantage of being able to hit it in the alley as much as possible. *On the GameFAQs one to ten scale Peach rates: 7 TOAD *Type: Technical Precision *Strengths: Fairly fast and accurate *Weaknesses: Short, weak, basically a dumbed-down Baby Mario *Best Starting Court: Clay Court *Worst Starting Court: Hard Court *The Instruction Booklet says: "His speed gives him more time to plan his shots." *Background: Toad has been Mario's faithful mushroom friend since the days of Super Mario Brothers 2. He has always been one of my favorite characters. Toad played his most popular role in Super Mario 64, as the bringer of very, very good news. *Matt91486 says: Toad is by far and away the most overrated character in Mario Tennis. He is basically a Baby Mario, except for slower, weaker, the same size, and equally accurate. The equally accurate part is bad because Toad is classified as Technical Precision (very accurate) while Baby Mario is classified in Blinding Speed. Do not ever use Toad unless you absolutely have to. *Strategy: Stay not quite all of the way to the baseline, but very close to it. Use the Smash, Lob, and Drop hits whenever possible, because Toad is so weak, he must fool the opponents with harder to return shots, instead of the same old, everyday shots. Those everyday shots just will not cut it with Toad. Also, try very hard to predict where your opponent will be locating their next hit, because Toad is not all that fast, and staying in the center will not always cut it. Predicting takes practice, but once you master it you will be nearly unstoppable with every character, because that split second a prediction saves could bring you the Star Cup in forty-five less minutes. *On the GameFAQs one to ten scale Toad rates: 3 WALUIGI *Type: Technical Precision *Strengths: Longest reach in the game *Weaknesses: Most everything else *Best Starting Court: Clay Court *Worst Starting Court: Hard Court *The Instruction Booklet says: "His long arms and legs let him return any type of shot." *Background: Waluigi literally has none. Mario Tennis is his debut game. He is Wario's evil brother, Luigi's evil twin cousin, if that makes sense to you. That is the best I can describe it. *Matt91486 says: I hope Waluigi's horribleness is a testament to his inexperience, because if it is not, Nintendo has created a horrible, useless character. Waluigi will forever be classified in my mind as the player who had the potential to be the best, but ended up being one of the worst. *Strategy: Waluigi should stay as close to the net as humanly possible. Stay just far enough away that he can pull out his racket. Whether you are in Doubles or Singles, this is the best strategy I have come up with. Waluigi, in this strategy, can use his one advantage to almost nullify his numerous weaknesses. *On the GameFAQs one to ten scale Waluigi rates: 3 WARIO *Type: Powerful Plays *Strengths: Very strong, most accurate of the Powerful Players *Weaknesses: Seems to move in s l o w m o t i o n *Best Starting Court: Grass Court *Worst Starting Court: Composite Court *The Instruction Booklet says: "Watch out for his forceful baseline stroke *Background: To the best of my knowledge, Wario debuted in the Super Mario Land series on the Game Boy, and the Game Boy has been his platform of choice since. Almost all of his starring roles have been on the Game Boy. *Matt91486 says: Ugh! Wario could have been great, but he is just not as strong as the other Powerful Players, and he is not all that fast, or that much more accurate either. Donkey Kong is a character quite similar to Wario that I prefer over him. Wario is a better character than Bowser though, if you should wish to use a Powerful Player that is not Donkey Kong. But, other than to get the Wario Brothers Court, I really do not see much of a reason to use Wario at all. *Strategy: Wario should stay fairly close to the net, about one/fourth of the way up the court. He should avoid Smash Hits at all costs, as ninety-five percent of them, especially from this distance with Wario's power, will sail harmlessly out of bounds. The Lob Hit is great with Wario, as is the Drop Hit. The Top Spin Hit is not as effective as you think it would be though, so use it as a situational hit. *On the GameFAQs one to ten scale Wario rates: 3 YOSHI *Type: Blinding Speed *Strengths: Great Speed, one of the best accuracy ratings, one of the strongest. *Weaknesses: He tends to slip and slide when he tries to stop, short *Best Starting Court: Composite Court *Worst Starting Court: Grass Court *The Instruction Booklet says: "Not only is he fast, but he's pretty accurate, too." *Background: Yoshi has always been there when Mario needed him. He became more than a bit character, though, in Super Mario Land 2: Yoshi's Island. *Matt91486 says: Yoshi is just a great character. He is more of an all-around character than Luigi or Mario. He may be the most powerful of the characters outside of the Powerful Players. He is more accurate than even some of the Technical Precision Players. Yoshi is just all-around spectacular. *Strategy: Yoshi does not really need a perfect strategy to win. Try for the service aces, and use the Smash Hit effectively. Lob Hits are not as important with Yoshi as with some of the other characters. Stay about three/fourths of the way from the net, and you should be fine. Just, never hit it at any of the Powerful Players. *On the GameFAQs one to ten scale Yoshi rates: 9 COURT INFORMATION HARD COURT *Players to Use: Mario, Luigi, Yoshi *Players to Avoid: Boo, Paratroopa, Shy Guy *Ball Speed: Normal *Bounce: Strong *The Instruction Booklet says: "Concrete covered with rubber. A standard composite court." *Matt91486 says: This is probably the most average of the courts. No one really is horrible or great here, the ones that fly seem to have a slight disadvantage though. Mario and Luigi are great here as the court's lack of a strength bodes well for those that do not have a strength. CLAY COURT *Players to use: Peach, Daisy, Toad *Players to avoid: Luigi, Bowser, Donkey Kong, Wario, Mario *Ball Speed: Slow *Bounce: Weak *The Instruction Booklet says: "Covered with hard clay. A court with slow ball speed." *Matt91486 says: This could be the most difficult starting court to play on. You need great accuracy, and most of the characters are bad here. The accurate players, excluding Waluigi, are exceptional here, as the easiest way to win is with Service Aces and shots around the baseline. GRASS COURT *Players to use: Bowser, Wario, Donkey Kong *Players to avoid: Birdo, Toad, Baby Mario *Ball Speed: Fast *Bounce: Weak *The Instruction Booklet says: "Covered with natural grass. A court with fast ball speed." *Matt91486 says: Do not let the Instruction Booklet fool you. The other courts with fast ball speed are much faster. This one really only rates about average. This is the only court I can recommend the trio of Powerful Players for. The grass court seems to bring out the best in them--and the worst in most of the Blinding Speeders. COMPOSITE COURT *Players to use: Yoshi, Toad, Boo *Players to avoid: Donkey Kong, Wario, Bowser *Ball Speed: Fastest *Bounce: Weak *The Instruction Booklet says: "Covered with artificial turf. A court with very fast ball speed." *Matt91486 says: This is just a bad court for the trio of powerful players. It nullifies their strength, and it makes their biggest weakness more apparent. Avoid them at all costs. Boo could very well be the best on this court, because of his ability to manipulate shots better than other characters. Yoshi and Toad are also good choices. YOSHI AND BABY MARIO COURT *How you get it: Win the Mushroom Cup with Yoshi *Players to use: Yoshi, Baby Mario, Birdo *Players to avoid: Donkey Kong, Bowser, Paratroopa *Ball Speed: Fastest *Bounce: Weak *The Instruction Booklet says: Nothing, this is a hidden court. *Matt91486 says: This could be the only court I recommend not using Paratroopa on. The ball seems to bounce under him more often than on other courts due to the high ball speed and weak bounce. That combination is deadly for Paratroopa. And Bowser and Donkey Kong are not recommended for the high ball speed. I did not mention Wario since he is a step faster than that duo. You also get to hear the Yoshi's Story music. DONKEY KONG COURT *How you get it: Win the Mushroom Cup with Donkey Kong *Players to use: Yoshi, Peach, Toad *Players to avoid: Donkey Kong, Bowser, Wario *Ball Speed: Fast *Bounce: Strongest *The Instruction Booklet says: Nothing, this is a hidden court. *Matt91486 says: Ironically enough, you should never use Donkey Kong here. The Fast ball speed can be way too much for him. Even though the strongest bounce possible can help him, it also helps Yoshi, Peach and Toad. Wario and Bowser should also be avoided. This is a court that aiming Smash Hits to the corners will always be deadly on. MARIO BROTHERS COURT *How you get it: Win the Mushroom Cup with Mario *Ball Speed: Fast *Bounce: Weak *Players to use: Yoshi, Baby Mario, Toad *Players to avoid: Donkey Kong, Bowser, Wario *Ball Speed: Fast *Bounce: Weak *The Instruction Booklet says: Nothing, this is a hidden court. *Matt91486 says: This is basically the same court as the Yoshi and Baby Mario Court except for a little bit slower. That tiny variance means Paratroopa is not useless, and Birdo is not recommended. Yoshi, Baby Mario, and to some degree Toad can use their speed to their advantage here, while the Powerful Plays group is hurt by the weak ball bounce and the fast ball speed. Here, you get to listen to the classic Super Mario Brothers music. BOWSER STAGE ITEM GUIDE In the Bowser Stage, items play a huge role. In this section, I will do my best to sum them up for you. Even though you have absolutely no say in what item you get. Unfortunately, you must use an item before you can pick up another one. BANANA *The Instruction Booklet says: "The banana will cause your opponent to slip if he steps on the peel." *Matt91486 says: I am surprised Nintendo let that little sexist flub get into their Instruction Booklet. The banana is an interesting weapon. If a character steps on it, they will be unable to move for four or five seconds. This can be very useful, and it can be very un-useful. Computer players seem to step on the bananas just as you let the tennis ball past you. *On the GameFAQs one to ten scale the banana rates: 5 GREEN SHELL *The Instruction Booklet says: "Three shells will shoot out in straight lines in three different directions. When one hits, your opponent will be temporarily unable to move." *Matt91486 says: For once I concur with the Instruction Booklet, so I do not have a lot to say here. The Green Shell is very useful when your opponent is on one of those three straight lines from you, but they never seem to be when you fire it. They are unbelievably easy to dodge. They also stun you or your opponent for about five seconds. *On the GameFAQs one to ten scale the green shell rates: 7 LIGHTNING *The Instruction Booklet says: "Lightning will temporarily lower the abilities of all the other players, making their shots weaker." *Matt91486 says: Sure this sounds good...but you have to realize that this also lowers the stats of your Doubles partner, which can be deadly in the heat of a difficult match. Only use this item if you are sure it will hurt your opponents more than yourself, and that you can cover for your teammate. *On the GameFAQs one to ten scale the lightning rates: 5 MUSHROOM *The Instruction Booklet says: "This item will speed up your player for a short amount of time." *Matt91486 says: Unfortunately, it does not speed them up all that much. The only characters it seems to help in noticeable amounts are the three slow characters: Bowser, Donkey Kong, and Wario. This is only a good item if you have them. *On the GameFAQs one to ten scale the mushroom rates: 3 RED SHELL *The Instruction Booklet says: "This shell will home in on your opponent. When it hits, your opponent will be temporarily unable to move." *Matt91486 says: The only bad thing that I can think of about the red shell, is that, in Doubles play, you cannot select for yourself which of your opponents the red shell strikes. If we could do that, the red shell would be the perfect weapon. Even with that slight problem, it is by far and away the best. *On the GameFAQs one to ten scale the red shell rates: 9 STAR *The Instruction Booklet says: "The star will make your character more powerful for as long as your character is glowing." *Matt91486 says: Trust me. It is not as good as it sounds. The only way you can see the difference is with the really weak characters like Toad and Waluigi. Kind of like the mushroom with the really slow characters. This is a power-up you should waste as soon as you get it. *On the GameFAQs one to ten scale the star rates: 4 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS In this section I will type the questions asked by my friends, and the answers. There is a 95 percent chance that if you e-mail me with a question not answered in this guide, I will add it to this section. As of now, there is a pathetic number of questions, because the ones I have been asked are answered other places in the guide. QUESTION: HOW DO I QUIT WITHOUT SAVING? ANSWER: Go to the Pause Menu, and click on Save and Quit. Then, scroll down on that screen to where it says End Game. Then press Back to Main Menu. You should end up there, and the game will have no recollection of what you have just done. QUESTION: HOW DO I GET DONKEY KONG JR. AND SHY GUY? ANSWER: This information is found in two other places in this guide. In the Codes section, and in the Character Critiques section. Look there. NINTENDO RING TOURNAMENT CODES Nintendo Ring tournaments: Ring Tournaments are tournaments set up by Nintendo where you can compete, and then compare scores. Select the "Special Games" option at the main menu, then choose the "Ring Tournament" selection. Enter your code at the Code Entry Screen to begin the tournament. Another code will be displayed after completing the tournament. The new code is not actually a code for the game, but is for ranking you with other Mario Tennis players at Nintendo's Mario Tennis web site. You can also enter J6M9PQJ6U as a code to play as Donkey Kong Jr. vs. Bowser in another match. Enter A3W5KQA3C for the Mario Cup. Enter UOUFMPUOM for the Wario Cup. Enter M1C2YQM1W for the Luigi Cup. Enter LA98JRLAR for the Waluigi Cup. Enter MM55MQMMJ for the Donkey Kong Cup. Enter OF9XFQOFR for the Peach Cup. Enter N24K8QN2P for the Bowser Cup. Enter ARM6JQARU for the Blockbuster Cup. Enter J6M9PQJ6U for the Nintendo Power Cup. Enter 48HWOR482 for the MarioTennis.com Cup. CODES Although most of the codes are found elsewhere in this guide, I decided to make a place where they could be condensed and easier to find. Some of them are not found anyplace else. If you find a code for Mario Tennis, please tell me, and I will give you credit. Play as Shy Guy: Win with any character in the Star Cup Singles Tournament. Play as Donkey Kong Jr.: Win with any character in the Star Cup Doubles Tournament. Donkey Kong Court: Win with Donkey Kong in the Mushroom Cup Singles Tournament. Yoshi and Baby Mario Court: Win with Yoshi in the Mushroom Cup Singles Tournament. Birdo and Yoshi Court: Win with Birdo in the Star Cup Doubles Tournament. Mario and Luigi Court: Win with Mario in the Mushroom Cup Singles Tournament. Mario Brothers Court: Win with Mario in all of the Doubles Tournament Cups. Mario and Luigi Castle Court: Win with Mario in the Star Cup Doubles and Singles Tournaments. Wario Brothers court: Win with Wario in all of the Doubles Tournament Cups. Piranha Plant Court: This court only works in the Piranha Plant Challenge. Complete any court by returning all 50 balls without having them returned to you in the Piranha Plant Challenge with any character. Special Cups: Win all of the Tournament Cups with all the characters (including Shy Guy and Donkey Kong Jr.) to unlock the Special Cups, which are much harder than the previous ones. Press R while selecting a character at the character selection screen to access the Special Tournament Button in the Menu. GAME SHARK CODES Enable Code (Which must be on): F1300290 3C01 F1300292 A005 F1300298 03E0 F130029A 0008 F130029C AC20 F130029E 86A0 Score Modifier (Player 1): 8015344A 00?? Start Set With Score Modifier (Player 1): D015344A 0000 8015344A 00?? Games Won Modifier (Player 1): 8015344D 00?? Sets Won Modifier (Player 1): 8015344F 00?? Aces Modifier (Player 1): 81153454 00?? Double Faults Modifier (Player 1): 8115345C 00?? Return Winners Modifier (Player 1): 81153464 00?? Smash Winners Modifier (Player 1): 8115346C 00?? Score Modifier (Player 2): 8015344B 00?? Start Set With Score Modifier (Player 2): D015344B 0000 8015344B 00?? Games Won Modifier (Player 2): 8015344E 00?? Sets Won Modifier (Player 2): 80153450 00?? Aces Modifier (Player 2): 81153456 00?? Double Faults Modifier (Player 2): 8115345E 00?? Return Winners Modifier (Player 2): 81153466 00?? Smash Winners Modifier (Player 2): 8115346E 00?? Numbers that go with the Score Modifier Codes: 00 - 0 01 - 15 02 - 30 03 - 40 SPECIAL THANKS To Iamnothing, who really is not nothing, as he showed me the ins and outs of FAQ writing. To Dallas, for greatly helping this guide get up and running. To Gruel, who suggested I do the Rules of Tennis and Tennis Terminology sections. To SD3Magus for supplying the Mario Tennis ASCII art. To Inkhands for his daily inspiration. To Nintendo, for making such a great game. To my friends, who came up with some of the questions for the Frequently Asked Questions section. To the readers, for making my writing of this guide worthwhile. To Toys R Us for having the Mario Tennis demo out that motivated me to buy Mario Tennis. And to whomever assists me with this guide, which is no one yet.