It’s coming up to Mario Day (10 March / Mar10), that day of the year where Super Mario fans celebrate by dressing up as Mario, having a Super Mario-themed party, or simply playing Super Mario games, among other Mario-themed fun. Super Mario first came to life in the 1980s as a computer game, since then Mario, Luigi and their friends in Mushroom Kingdom are still jumping around our screens. But as well as computer games, Mario and friends have also entered another game world, the world of board games and tabletop games! And we have been playing Super Mario Rally Tennis.
Super Mario Rally Tennis is an action-packed tabletop game of tennis for 2 players, aged 5+. And it requires no batteries, screens or controllers to play. Players must slide their characters left and right to receive the ball and hit the button at the right time to serve and return! The scoreboard helps you keep track of the match in true tennis style. Who can defeat their opponent and become the Rally Tennis champion!
The game comes with collectible Mario and Luigi figures that can be used interchangeably with other Super Mario games that are part of the Epoch Games Link System!
In the box:
- Tennis Court Game Board
- 2 Flippers
- 1 Scoreboard
- 2 Tennis Rackets
- Ball
- Mario Character
- Luigi Character
- Card Insert for Scoreboard / Hoardings
- Instructions
Anyone for tennis? Super Mario Rally Tennis is a tabletop game for 2 players. There is very minimal setup to do before you can start playing and no stretching or limbering up exercises are required. The playing arena, the tennis court, is mostly intact when it comes out of the box. The Mario and Luigi characters with their tennis rackets need placing on the flippers and the flippers are then placed on each end of the board. The scoreboard with cardboard insert is slotted on to the board next to the net and the four advertising hoardings are placed around the court. The ball is added, and you are ready to play.
Playing the game is easy, just as in real tennis the ball must cross the opponents baseline to score points. Once it has been decided which player is going first, the “ball” (it has a flat bottom rather than being a round ball as it needs to glide over the court) is placed in front of that players flipper. You hit the ball by moving the flipper left and right and pressing the button.
When a player scores a point, the score is marked on the scoreboard and the first player to win six games is the winner!
Overall, We found Super Mario Rally Tennis to be an excellent fast and fun game. It is so easy to play. There is a plastic cover over the court which allows the ball to easily and effortlessly glide across the court, over the net and towards the opposing player, which makes game play smooth. There is very little assembly to complete and it doesn’t even need batteries to play it.
Hitting the ball is easy. By sliding the flipper left or right to move position and hitting the ball by pressing the button behind the Mario or Luigi character.
Keeping track of the score is nice and simple by using the scoreboard and entering points scores (0, 15, 30, 40 and Game) and entering how many games each player wins.
The components feel very good quality and the flippers feel like they will stand up to children’s play and constant pressing of the button.
The game is supplied with Mario and Luigi characters, but you can use characters from other Super Mario games that use the Link System.
We have loved playing Super Mario Rally Tennis. It is good fast and simple fun regardless of age, the adults enjoyed it as much as the kids. It is simple to play, and it is surprising how involved and competitive you get whilst playing. Highly recommended to add some fast and competitive play to game nights, and of course to the annual Mario Day celebrations.
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £29.99
For more information visit supermario.epochtoys.com. Available to buy from Amazon here.
