The Nintendo Switch 2 had a great launch year with games like Kirby Air Riders, Mario Kart World, and Donkey Kong Bananza. For 2026, we’re expecting another good roster of titles, like Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave, Pragmata, and of course, Mario Tennis Fever. Nintendo just dropped a six-minute overview trailer for this new tennis title, highlighting the new mechanics and items.
The Fever Gauge seems to be the main new mechanic here. By keeping a rally going on, you build up this Fever Gauge to then unleash powerful Fever Shots. These shots are faster and hit harder, and they are further modifiable with different effects depending on what Racket you’re using. Speaking of which, there are 30 new rackets, each having different abilities and modifiers. If the mechanics work well, this is looking to be one of the more exciting sports games of 2026.
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Can Nintendo Fix The Mistakes From Mario Tennis Aces?
The previous Mario Tennis game, Mario Tennis Aces, received mixed reviews. The game had poor online implementation, overcomplicated mechanics at times, and a lackluster, grindy Adventure Mode. On top of that, the content was relatively barebones, which is not something you expect from a Mario game, even if it’s just tennis.
Fortunately, Nintendo is on track to address those concerns already. You get 38 playable characters this time around, the most in the history of the series. Topspin, Slices, and Lobs look to be more straightforward, and hopefully, the Fever mechanic is a fun addition rather than an overcomplicated mess. Because of the sheer number of new rackets, the gameplay will likely be very varied, making each match different from the previous one.
The new Mix It Up mode might be a hit, where matches will have unconventional rules. For example, there’s a Ring Shot match type where you have to hit balls through rings to earn points. There’s also a Forest Court match where the court expands by shooting tennis balls into the mouth of Piranha Plants. Online modes consist of the casual Online Room and Ranked matches.
Finally, the game also supports GameShare. If you own a copy of Mario Tennis Fever, up to three of your friends can join in with their own Switch 2 for the original Switch.
Published: Jan 8, 2026 12:00 pm