Retro Game Walkthroughs for Mario Power Tennis (Gamecube)
Submitted By: Ghost Killer
Mario Power Tennis is a great multiplayer game, yet you need to know who has the best abilities and biggest weaknesses. Here is a guide to help you pick a winner.
Singles Playing Tips
It’s usually best to pick someone who isn’t slow. Since you have to cover all the court alone, having someone who takes a while to move isn’t a good idea.
Pick someone who’s power moves keep the opponent guessing. Peach for example is great in singles competition. Her defence move will prevent the other player from hitting it back immediately at the net. Mario and Bowser have power moves that will send the player to the back of the court leaving a nice drop shot available.
Always try and keep you opponent moving. If they are running around a lot it means you are in control of the game. Hit drop shots, lobs and aim your shots to corners of the court.
Playing Doubles Tips
It is always best to never pick two similar characters. For example Diddy Kong and Yoshi isn’t a wise choice. You need two characters that can cover two areas. For example a power and a speed would go well.
Speed characters are best kept at the back of the court. Characters that have the best lunge and speed, have the best chance of making hard to reach shots.
Save power moves unless they are absolutely necessary. Always try and keep at least one so if one of you misses the ball you can use a power shot to return it.
Always decide before a game if you are going to play side to side tennis where one of you sticks to one side and the other plays on the other. Or back to front. Where one plays at the front and one at the back. You will be surprised how deciding this before the game can help.
Keep trying to taunt your opponent as it keeps them from getting their power move as quickly.
Vary your shots rather than always hitting simple shots. Try lobs and drop shots to catch your opponents off guard. You’d be shocked at how drop shots can often result in the opponent either hitting the ball out or not making it over the net.
Character Guide
So who do you pick? Well beginners are best suited with trying a speed or all rounder character. Diddy Kong, Yoshi and Mario are all good starters as they have few weaknesses. Power and tricky characters are best left to when you’ve practiced enough. That isn’t to say that you can’t use Mario and Diddy when you’re an expert, as they are good for then too. Boo is a perhaps the best character to master as his curves confuse all. But it is down to personal opinion and who you prefer.
Mario
All-Rounder
A good overall character that isn’t particularly excellent in any department nor bad. Mario has a respectable amount of power and control over his shots. He lacks reach and the ability to lunge very far however.
His offensive shot allows him to pull out a giant hammer and smack the ball so hard the receiver will be sent back to the back of the court.
His defensive shot causes him to spin around to the ball and return it as a top spin shot that is fairly weak.
Power - 7/10
Speed - 7/10
Reach - 6/10
Serve - 7/10
Lunge - 6/10
Control - 7/10
Luigi
All-Rounder
Very similar to his brother but with a few minor differences in his abilities. Firstly he is slightly weaker and this shows particularly in his serve. However since he is lankier he can reach further when lunging.
His offensive shot is similar to Mario’s in which he pulls out a toy hammer seen in Mario Party 4 and hits the ball. When the receiver hits it he will have his controls reversed and be sent back a little.
Luigi pulls out his vacuum cleaner on his defensive shot and sucks the ball over toward him sending it off as a slice.
Power - 6/10
Speed - 7/10
Reach - 7/10
Serve - 6/10
Lunge - 7/10
Control - 7/10
Peach
Technique
Peach is noticeably weak but makes up for it in her control over the ball. She has a weak serve and her reach is fairly short, but one thing to know is her power shots are quite impressive.
Her offensive shot causes her to spin and hit the ball covered in hearts. When a player hits it they run toward the net against their will. Now is a perfect time for a lob.
On her defensive shot Peach will blow a kiss and hit a lob which is useful as it doesn’t allow players at the net to return this shot very easily as they will need to run to the back of the court.
Power - 6/10
Speed - 7/10
Reach - 6/10
Serve - 6/10
Lunge - 6/10
Control -9 /10
Daisy
Technique
Again Daisy is similar to Peach and has similar abilities minus a few changes. She isn’t as good at controlling the ball, but makes up for that in power and speed.. Unfortunately though her power shots aren’t as effective.
On offense, Daisy will turn her racket into a flower and hit the ball curving it slightly. When the player returns it they will be sent back a little.
On defence Daisy will slide along a bed of flowers and return the ball as a very weak shot that doesn’t always make the net.
Power - 7/10
Speed - 7/10
Reach - 6/10
Serve - 7/10
Lunge - 7/10
Control - 8/10
Wario
Power
Wario to me is one of the worst characters in the game. He’s slow, has a poor reach and isn’t that powerful considering he’s a power character! His power shots also leave a lot to be desired. However his serve and lunge are fairly good.
His offensive shot causes a hammer to hit him on the head and send out a shot that electrocutes anyone who receives it. This means that they will be unable to move for short periods of time.
On defense, Wario will get an extending arm and hit the ball back as a top spin but it’s very weak so prepare for a harsh return.
Power - 8/10
Speed - 5/10
Reach - 5/10
Serve - 7/10
Lunge - 7/10
Control - 6/10
Waluigi
Defence
Like Wario again he isn’t very good. He may be faster and have a longer reach, but his power and lunge aren’t very hot. He is hard to control as his legs are so long too. However his power moves are slightly better than Wario’s.
The offensive move will cause Waluigi to take the shape of an upside-down L in which he will then spin and hit the ball causing the receiver to spin uncontrollably for a while.
The defensive move will result in Waluigi swimming through water to the ball and returning it as a top spin which isn’t bad.
Power - 6/10
Speed - 5/10
Reach - 9/10
Serve - 7/10
Lunge - 6/10
Control - 7/10
Yoshi
Speed
Yoshi is great for beginners and experts of the game. His stats are great and his power moves are fairly good too. His power is good and although he is the slowest of the speed characters he makes up for it with a good reach.
His power moves causes him to hover above ground and hit the ball sending a rainbow behind it. Receivers will be sent back and slowed down by rainwater for a bit. The good thing about this move is it can be used no matter the height.
His defensive move is cool as he can change colour. Yoshi enters an egg and emerges where the ball is.
Power - 7/10
Speed - 8/10
Reach - 7/10
Serve - 7/10
Lunge - 7/10
Control - 7/10
Koopa Troopa
Speed
Koopa is a very weak character and low reach. However he is very very fast and can lunge far too. His serves are weak and the control of his shots are good too though.
His offensive shot cause him to spin and hit the ball surrounded by water sending it as a drop shot. When someone hits it they get soaked and slow down.
His defensive shot is similar to Yoshi’s but he enters his shell and emerges where the ball is.
Power - 5/10
Speed - 10/10
Reach - 6/10
Serve - 6/10
Lunge - 9/10
Control - 7/10
Donkey Kong
Power
Another powerful character that is also slow. Donkey Kong has a great serve and good reach, but he is too slow to play in singles. His dive is fairly poor too. His power moves are so-so.
Offensively Donkey Kong is good. He jumps into a barrel cannon and fires at the ball sending it smashing into your receivers who get smacked to the back of the court.
Defensively however he isn’t too good. He throws a banana at the ball much like a boomerang and returns it very weakly.
Power - 9/10
Speed - 5/10
Reach - 8/10
Serve - 8/10
Lunge - 5/10
Control - 7/10
Diddy Kong
Speed
A great character that really only has one flaw and that’s his reach. Other than that Diddy Kong is good for beginners and experts. His dive is great and his serve allows for some tight angled shots too. His power shots aren’t too hot though.
Diddy jumps on his head poses a few times and hits the ball with his racket in his tail. He sends it in a banana shape which when received causes the player to fall back and face the other way.
When defending Diddy will strap on his rocket backpack and fly over to the ball hitting it back as a top spin.
Power - 7/10
Speed - 9/10
Reach - 6/10
Serve - 8/10
Lunge - 8/10
Control - 7/10
Boo
Tricky
Boo is a tricky character to get to grips with. His shots always curl and this makes it very difficult for others. However since he flies he is hard to master. His reach is terrible since he only has tiny arms and his speed and power aren’t that impressive either. But he can dive well. Also when Boo serves his curving can sometimes make them unstoppable.
Boo will summon several boos to his racket and hit the ball. When the player receives the ball he will be attacked by several boos and run toward the net.
Boo will form into hundreds of tiny boos and one of them will hit the ball back as a top spin.
Power - 6/10
Speed - 6/10
Reach - 6/10
Serve - 6/10
Lunge - 8/10
Control - 7/10
Shy Guy
Technique
He has a poor serve and is quite slow, but his control over the ball and lunge are impressive. His power shots aren’t that bad either. Again like Boo his arms are very short and make for low reaching.
His offensive shot is a lob and causes Shy Guy to dance in his Tiki clothing and shoot electricity into the ball. When a player hits it the results are similar to that of Wario’s power shot.
Defensive shot causes Shy Guy to dance again and lengthen his racket to return the ball as a slice.
Power - 7/10
Speed - 6/10
Reach - 6/10
Serve - 6/10
Lunge - 8/10
Control - 9/10
Bowser
Power
You would think that Bowser is the most powerful character in the game, yet there is still one more to go who betters even Bowser! Anyway he is powerful as you know but very very slow. His serve is great and his reach too. But he cannot dive very well and due to his strength can’t control the ball to well either.
Bowser breaths fire onto the ball and shoots it across the court. The receiver will be sent to the back of the court on returning it.
Bowser hides in his shell and spins to the ball where he jumps out and hits it as a top spin shot.
Power - 9/10
Speed - 5/10
Reach - 8/10
Serve - 8/10
Lunge - 5/10
Control - 6/10
Bowser Jr.
Tricky
An all rounder rather than a tricky character. His shots have a certain amount of curve to them and he is fairly fast, fairly strong and fairly good at reaching the ball. His dive isn’t that good. Basically he isn’t anything special.
Boswer Jr. will paint the ball with his paintbrush and fire it as three balls of paint at the receiver. When the player hits it, he will get slowed down by paint. However even though there are three balls fired at you it is always the middle one.
Defence isn’t anything special. Bowser Jr. will turn his racket into a brush, spin it and return it as a top spin shot.
Power - 7/10
Speed - 7/10
Reach - 7/10
Serve - 7/10
Lunge - 6/10
Control - 7/10
Fly Guy
Tricky
Again since fly guy is a flying character he is hard to control. He has average power and speed yet his reach is by far one of the worst in the game. But master him and his serve can often be unbeatable against human players due to his spin.
Fly Guy spins and causes a tornado with his propeller which he then sends with the ball inside over to the other tennis star. If he returns it he will be sent spinning in circles.
Fly Guy again summons a tornado which then retrieves the ball as a top spin shot.
Power - 7/10
Speed - 7/10
Reach - 5/10
Serve - 6/10
Lunge - 5/10
Control - 7/10
Paratroopa
Technique
You will laugh at how unbelievably good this guys lunge is. Best in the game as he zooms across the width of the court in less than a second. He is very weak though and has a poor serve and reach. But his control and speed are great.
Paratroop will line up before hitting the ball sending it as a lob in a purple light. Anyone who returns it will be sent spinning making it harder to control them.
He flies high in the air and returns to the ground with a bang hitting the ball as a slice shot.
Power - 6/10
Speed - 8/10
Reach - 6/10
Serve - 6/10
Lunge - 10/10
Control - 8/10
Wiggler
Defence
To me having Wiggler at the net is great as he is hard to get past. Anywhere else he is useless though. He is very slow and has a terrible lunge. However he has the best reach in the game and his serve and control aren’t too bad.
Wiggler turns red on an offensive move and hits the ball very hard. When the receiver hits the ball he will spin uncontrollably.
Wigger will turn into a butterfly and fly over to the ball where he will return it as a top spin shot.
Power - 7/10
Speed - 5/10
Reach - 10/10
Serve - 7/10
Lunge - 6/10
Control - 7/10
Petey Pirahna
Power
Here’s the character who betters Boswer. He is the strongest in the game, but also the biggest. He is very very slow and doesn’t have a good dive at all. He has a great serve and reach and when you hit a charged shot the player will be hit back a little.
Petey will swallow his racket and spit it out covered in sludge. He hits the ball and anyone who returns it will be slowed by it.
Defensively Petey will throw up some sludge with a piranha plant in that will hit the ball back as a drop shot.
Power - 10/10
Speed - 3/10
Reach - 9/10
Serve - 8/10
Lunge - 5/10
Control - 7/10
Singles Playing Tips
It’s usually best to pick someone who isn’t slow. Since you have to cover all the court alone, having someone who takes a while to move isn’t a good idea.
Pick someone who’s power moves keep the opponent guessing. Peach for example is great in singles competition. Her defence move will prevent the other player from hitting it back immediately at the net. Mario and Bowser have power moves that will send the player to the back of the court leaving a nice drop shot available.
Always try and keep you opponent moving. If they are running around a lot it means you are in control of the game. Hit drop shots, lobs and aim your shots to corners of the court.
Playing Doubles Tips
It is always best to never pick two similar characters. For example Diddy Kong and Yoshi isn’t a wise choice. You need two characters that can cover two areas. For example a power and a speed would go well.
Speed characters are best kept at the back of the court. Characters that have the best lunge and speed, have the best chance of making hard to reach shots.
Save power moves unless they are absolutely necessary. Always try and keep at least one so if one of you misses the ball you can use a power shot to return it.
Always decide before a game if you are going to play side to side tennis where one of you sticks to one side and the other plays on the other. Or back to front. Where one plays at the front and one at the back. You will be surprised how deciding this before the game can help.
Keep trying to taunt your opponent as it keeps them from getting their power move as quickly.
Vary your shots rather than always hitting simple shots. Try lobs and drop shots to catch your opponents off guard. You’d be shocked at how drop shots can often result in the opponent either hitting the ball out or not making it over the net.
Character Guide
So who do you pick? Well beginners are best suited with trying a speed or all rounder character. Diddy Kong, Yoshi and Mario are all good starters as they have few weaknesses. Power and tricky characters are best left to when you’ve practiced enough. That isn’t to say that you can’t use Mario and Diddy when you’re an expert, as they are good for then too. Boo is a perhaps the best character to master as his curves confuse all. But it is down to personal opinion and who you prefer.
Mario
All-Rounder
A good overall character that isn’t particularly excellent in any department nor bad. Mario has a respectable amount of power and control over his shots. He lacks reach and the ability to lunge very far however.
His offensive shot allows him to pull out a giant hammer and smack the ball so hard the receiver will be sent back to the back of the court.
His defensive shot causes him to spin around to the ball and return it as a top spin shot that is fairly weak.
Power - 7/10
Speed - 7/10
Reach - 6/10
Serve - 7/10
Lunge - 6/10
Control - 7/10
Luigi
All-Rounder
Very similar to his brother but with a few minor differences in his abilities. Firstly he is slightly weaker and this shows particularly in his serve. However since he is lankier he can reach further when lunging.
His offensive shot is similar to Mario’s in which he pulls out a toy hammer seen in Mario Party 4 and hits the ball. When the receiver hits it he will have his controls reversed and be sent back a little.
Luigi pulls out his vacuum cleaner on his defensive shot and sucks the ball over toward him sending it off as a slice.
Power - 6/10
Speed - 7/10
Reach - 7/10
Serve - 6/10
Lunge - 7/10
Control - 7/10
Peach
Technique
Peach is noticeably weak but makes up for it in her control over the ball. She has a weak serve and her reach is fairly short, but one thing to know is her power shots are quite impressive.
Her offensive shot causes her to spin and hit the ball covered in hearts. When a player hits it they run toward the net against their will. Now is a perfect time for a lob.
On her defensive shot Peach will blow a kiss and hit a lob which is useful as it doesn’t allow players at the net to return this shot very easily as they will need to run to the back of the court.
Power - 6/10
Speed - 7/10
Reach - 6/10
Serve - 6/10
Lunge - 6/10
Control -9 /10
Daisy
Technique
Again Daisy is similar to Peach and has similar abilities minus a few changes. She isn’t as good at controlling the ball, but makes up for that in power and speed.. Unfortunately though her power shots aren’t as effective.
On offense, Daisy will turn her racket into a flower and hit the ball curving it slightly. When the player returns it they will be sent back a little.
On defence Daisy will slide along a bed of flowers and return the ball as a very weak shot that doesn’t always make the net.
Power - 7/10
Speed - 7/10
Reach - 6/10
Serve - 7/10
Lunge - 7/10
Control - 8/10
Wario
Power
Wario to me is one of the worst characters in the game. He’s slow, has a poor reach and isn’t that powerful considering he’s a power character! His power shots also leave a lot to be desired. However his serve and lunge are fairly good.
His offensive shot causes a hammer to hit him on the head and send out a shot that electrocutes anyone who receives it. This means that they will be unable to move for short periods of time.
On defense, Wario will get an extending arm and hit the ball back as a top spin but it’s very weak so prepare for a harsh return.
Power - 8/10
Speed - 5/10
Reach - 5/10
Serve - 7/10
Lunge - 7/10
Control - 6/10
Waluigi
Defence
Like Wario again he isn’t very good. He may be faster and have a longer reach, but his power and lunge aren’t very hot. He is hard to control as his legs are so long too. However his power moves are slightly better than Wario’s.
The offensive move will cause Waluigi to take the shape of an upside-down L in which he will then spin and hit the ball causing the receiver to spin uncontrollably for a while.
The defensive move will result in Waluigi swimming through water to the ball and returning it as a top spin which isn’t bad.
Power - 6/10
Speed - 5/10
Reach - 9/10
Serve - 7/10
Lunge - 6/10
Control - 7/10
Yoshi
Speed
Yoshi is great for beginners and experts of the game. His stats are great and his power moves are fairly good too. His power is good and although he is the slowest of the speed characters he makes up for it with a good reach.
His power moves causes him to hover above ground and hit the ball sending a rainbow behind it. Receivers will be sent back and slowed down by rainwater for a bit. The good thing about this move is it can be used no matter the height.
His defensive move is cool as he can change colour. Yoshi enters an egg and emerges where the ball is.
Power - 7/10
Speed - 8/10
Reach - 7/10
Serve - 7/10
Lunge - 7/10
Control - 7/10
Koopa Troopa
Speed
Koopa is a very weak character and low reach. However he is very very fast and can lunge far too. His serves are weak and the control of his shots are good too though.
His offensive shot cause him to spin and hit the ball surrounded by water sending it as a drop shot. When someone hits it they get soaked and slow down.
His defensive shot is similar to Yoshi’s but he enters his shell and emerges where the ball is.
Power - 5/10
Speed - 10/10
Reach - 6/10
Serve - 6/10
Lunge - 9/10
Control - 7/10
Donkey Kong
Power
Another powerful character that is also slow. Donkey Kong has a great serve and good reach, but he is too slow to play in singles. His dive is fairly poor too. His power moves are so-so.
Offensively Donkey Kong is good. He jumps into a barrel cannon and fires at the ball sending it smashing into your receivers who get smacked to the back of the court.
Defensively however he isn’t too good. He throws a banana at the ball much like a boomerang and returns it very weakly.
Power - 9/10
Speed - 5/10
Reach - 8/10
Serve - 8/10
Lunge - 5/10
Control - 7/10
Diddy Kong
Speed
A great character that really only has one flaw and that’s his reach. Other than that Diddy Kong is good for beginners and experts. His dive is great and his serve allows for some tight angled shots too. His power shots aren’t too hot though.
Diddy jumps on his head poses a few times and hits the ball with his racket in his tail. He sends it in a banana shape which when received causes the player to fall back and face the other way.
When defending Diddy will strap on his rocket backpack and fly over to the ball hitting it back as a top spin.
Power - 7/10
Speed - 9/10
Reach - 6/10
Serve - 8/10
Lunge - 8/10
Control - 7/10
Boo
Tricky
Boo is a tricky character to get to grips with. His shots always curl and this makes it very difficult for others. However since he flies he is hard to master. His reach is terrible since he only has tiny arms and his speed and power aren’t that impressive either. But he can dive well. Also when Boo serves his curving can sometimes make them unstoppable.
Boo will summon several boos to his racket and hit the ball. When the player receives the ball he will be attacked by several boos and run toward the net.
Boo will form into hundreds of tiny boos and one of them will hit the ball back as a top spin.
Power - 6/10
Speed - 6/10
Reach - 6/10
Serve - 6/10
Lunge - 8/10
Control - 7/10
Shy Guy
Technique
He has a poor serve and is quite slow, but his control over the ball and lunge are impressive. His power shots aren’t that bad either. Again like Boo his arms are very short and make for low reaching.
His offensive shot is a lob and causes Shy Guy to dance in his Tiki clothing and shoot electricity into the ball. When a player hits it the results are similar to that of Wario’s power shot.
Defensive shot causes Shy Guy to dance again and lengthen his racket to return the ball as a slice.
Power - 7/10
Speed - 6/10
Reach - 6/10
Serve - 6/10
Lunge - 8/10
Control - 9/10
Bowser
Power
You would think that Bowser is the most powerful character in the game, yet there is still one more to go who betters even Bowser! Anyway he is powerful as you know but very very slow. His serve is great and his reach too. But he cannot dive very well and due to his strength can’t control the ball to well either.
Bowser breaths fire onto the ball and shoots it across the court. The receiver will be sent to the back of the court on returning it.
Bowser hides in his shell and spins to the ball where he jumps out and hits it as a top spin shot.
Power - 9/10
Speed - 5/10
Reach - 8/10
Serve - 8/10
Lunge - 5/10
Control - 6/10
Bowser Jr.
Tricky
An all rounder rather than a tricky character. His shots have a certain amount of curve to them and he is fairly fast, fairly strong and fairly good at reaching the ball. His dive isn’t that good. Basically he isn’t anything special.
Boswer Jr. will paint the ball with his paintbrush and fire it as three balls of paint at the receiver. When the player hits it, he will get slowed down by paint. However even though there are three balls fired at you it is always the middle one.
Defence isn’t anything special. Bowser Jr. will turn his racket into a brush, spin it and return it as a top spin shot.
Power - 7/10
Speed - 7/10
Reach - 7/10
Serve - 7/10
Lunge - 6/10
Control - 7/10
Fly Guy
Tricky
Again since fly guy is a flying character he is hard to control. He has average power and speed yet his reach is by far one of the worst in the game. But master him and his serve can often be unbeatable against human players due to his spin.
Fly Guy spins and causes a tornado with his propeller which he then sends with the ball inside over to the other tennis star. If he returns it he will be sent spinning in circles.
Fly Guy again summons a tornado which then retrieves the ball as a top spin shot.
Power - 7/10
Speed - 7/10
Reach - 5/10
Serve - 6/10
Lunge - 5/10
Control - 7/10
Paratroopa
Technique
You will laugh at how unbelievably good this guys lunge is. Best in the game as he zooms across the width of the court in less than a second. He is very weak though and has a poor serve and reach. But his control and speed are great.
Paratroop will line up before hitting the ball sending it as a lob in a purple light. Anyone who returns it will be sent spinning making it harder to control them.
He flies high in the air and returns to the ground with a bang hitting the ball as a slice shot.
Power - 6/10
Speed - 8/10
Reach - 6/10
Serve - 6/10
Lunge - 10/10
Control - 8/10
Wiggler
Defence
To me having Wiggler at the net is great as he is hard to get past. Anywhere else he is useless though. He is very slow and has a terrible lunge. However he has the best reach in the game and his serve and control aren’t too bad.
Wiggler turns red on an offensive move and hits the ball very hard. When the receiver hits the ball he will spin uncontrollably.
Wigger will turn into a butterfly and fly over to the ball where he will return it as a top spin shot.
Power - 7/10
Speed - 5/10
Reach - 10/10
Serve - 7/10
Lunge - 6/10
Control - 7/10
Petey Pirahna
Power
Here’s the character who betters Boswer. He is the strongest in the game, but also the biggest. He is very very slow and doesn’t have a good dive at all. He has a great serve and reach and when you hit a charged shot the player will be hit back a little.
Petey will swallow his racket and spit it out covered in sludge. He hits the ball and anyone who returns it will be slowed by it.
Defensively Petey will throw up some sludge with a piranha plant in that will hit the ball back as a drop shot.
Power - 10/10
Speed - 3/10
Reach - 9/10
Serve - 8/10
Lunge - 5/10
Control - 7/10