Mario Tennis Aces Adventure Mode Easy Xp

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Adventure Mode in Mario Tennis Aces is utterly pointless and fails most at player feedback

• Thread starter Khanimus
• Start date Jul 9, 2018

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• #1

So I finally got around to starting Mario Tennis Aces this weekend, and figured before I jump online, I'd take my time to familiarize myself with how it plays with the Adventure Mode. I enjoyed the shit out of the online beta, but I wouldn't wanna miss out on any quirks to the gameplay others might have grasped, let alone any interesting unlocks.

I'm afew hours in, have just beaten the snowy mountain area, and have put it down perhaps indefinitely. What an utter waste of fucking time.

I remember everyone's disappointment with Mario Tennis on WiiU, in no small part to how barebones it was. I had no meaningful history with the series, so I wasn't in any position to judge. But the enthusiasm around this having an RPG-lite Adventure Mode made me trust that the fanbase was finally getting what they were missing.

The thing with RPGs is that there needs to be some promise that you're deciding what is the best way forward. Not every decision may be optimal, and there may not necessarily be a wide berth in player development, but a player should stop to think once in a while what is the smart path for how they wanna play going forward.

The leveling and suggestion of any kind of RPG-ish strategy is an illusion. It's an aspect that suggests a weight in your progression that either isn't there, or shouldn't be there in a game that's ultimately about player skill. But worse yet, the game forces you to think about it and engage with it. You may come up against challenges which result in you losing, but even in defeat, you're granted XP to up your stats. You don't decide which stats you want to improve, they get bumped on their own. This isn't a problem on its own, but guess what happens when a fight very clearly isn't going your way? Some rallies and matches can feel like they go on forever already - in some cases 10x longer than most online matches. But even if it's clear you're going to lose this one, you aren't encouraged to quit out and try again because you want that XP. All because you don't really know if that's the thing holding you back.

I'm not being encouraged to play better, or given meaningful feedback as to what I'm missing. I'm instead just grinding for stats that are so incremental, I'm not even sure what they're doing.

Imagine if you kept failing at a Mario Kart Grand Prix, and you kept messing up because you didn't know if you were high level enough. Not because you chose a kart you're not really comfortable with, or because you kept missing with shells. But because there's some arbitrary leveling component that forced you to see through every obvious loss because you wanted one more milometer-sized tick on your handling.

Mario Kart isn't a bad comparison because Mario Kart DS offered a decent enough challenge mode around 13 years ago; a mode which hasn't returned (much to my dismay). But the mode was smart because each challenge was focused on a specific element of play. Maybe it's just your efficiency with understanding the track to get under a certain time, or your aim with green shells, or your defensive driving, or your drifting. And you weren't rewarded with XP but with a star rating. If you beat the challenge, great. But if you only got 1 star, you know that you can get better and that there's a more efficient way to solve that specific problem.

I also think about Mortal Kombat 9's challenge ladder. Specific challenges centered around specific skills. How reliably can you pull off a Fatality? Can you keep an enemy juggled for a while? How about not getting hit for a length of time? Elements of play that are relevant.

But Aces puts you in challenges that don't resemble how you play. The boss fights are neat in theory, but in what instance does a timer ever matter, or urgency ever a point of contention in an online match? I mean being able to effectively rally is an applicable skill. But why the hell am I being timed to do this points challenge, knocking balls at these nets, and why are there stars on some of them when it doesn't obviously affect my score? Nor does a Bowser net negatively impact me. And when it's clear I'm not going to do this in time can I not just quickly restart? And why am I doing this for some special new racket which, again, is just special because of some arbitrary-ass stats? I mean it's one thing to say "Hey, a new racket means one more backup so you won't lose if your other ones break." But there are stats attributed to it, so I'm left thinking "Well now that my best racket is busted, I have to rely on my dinky-ass old ones." I mean I got an Ice Racket, but it's not like it has a unique ice ability to augment my strategy. Nope. It's just higher stats.

This all falls under player feedback - a player should come away in these instances knowing what's being asked of them and where are they falling behind. "I need to get 5 successful trickshots in a row. I can only score on aimed shots. Your opponent's shots will always be charged and knock you back, so you need to instinctively know how to counter those shots." Instead, it's just 'play a fuckton of long-ass matches for some XP that does... something, whether you win or lose.'

Also, know how I learned what countering shots worked? Looking at the 'How to Play' menu. Not within the Adventure Mode, because that tosses you back into playing with Dry Bones and bouncing the ball against a wall. Instead you have to back out to the main menu, go to 'How to Play', looking at 'Tips', and reading the text there.

What the fuck.

Not to mention how the game doesn't allow you to explore or experiment with different characters in this mode. So I don't think "Hey maybe I should use a defensive character and see how that benefits me. Or see what 'technical' means under Peach's name." Nope. None of that is surfaced. It's just a trial by fire if you go online.

This Adventure Mode is so cheaply and poorly produced, they couldn't even bother generating any art for when you get the various mcguffin power stones. The text just says "you got a power stone."

The second I quit out of this and jumped online... I had a great time! The online is fun as shit, it's frantic, you grip your controller tighter... What kind of hackneyed addition is this Adventure Mode and why would anyone want to play this?

• #2

You are 100% correct, unfortunately. The adventure mode in Aces is pretty much all appearance.

- It's very barebones. You can only play as Mario and there is zero customization.
- The "stats" are completely automatic.
- The story is more soulless than ever.
- I'm not a fan of the boss encounters either. They all boil down to "wait until the game decides that you can perform a zone shot".
- The regular missions are repeated over and over again.
- The difficulty curve is very steep, with very little feedback on how to actually improve (beyond the basics "how to block" and "how to trigger this move"). And there is no retry button. I can imagine how newcomers must feel after world 2.
- The are no rewards or unlockables - except for 5 gimmicky courts that everyone dislikes. Just in case you feel like playing with a mast in the middle of the court online.

If you check out Mario Tennis: Power Tour for GBA or Mario Tennis for GBC, those have a solid story mode with proper RPG elements, proper writing, and they actually make you a better player.

• #3

I don't like that much but I definitely disagree and don't consider it pointless because I was able to learn block and do many things because of the missions on the game which made me a much better player in online since I learned everything in there by failures and victory.

Also, surprised by the wall of text for something like Mario Tennis lol

• #4

I was hoping we would get a GBA/colour RPG, but I guess there wasn't time for that.

• #5

I feel likeMario being playable was advertised for the most part, and was unaware of any stats since I missed the relevant video, but I didnt expect it to be a RPG/Career mode.

But damn, quite a lengthy thread. I feel like the stats were there much like how Incineroar was a Fire/Dark and not Fire/Fighting

• #6

I sold this game 1 week after purchase. Biggest disappointment of the year for me.

• #7

Yes, the game is straight garbage in almost every sense and should be a 20 bucks digital title at most. Probably the purchase I've regretted the most in years.

To think Nintendo missed the opportunity of releasing a Mario Strikers during the World Cup for this...

• #8

It's definitely barebones and flawed, but not completely pointless.

It's basically a challenge mode with VERY light narrative. I agree the leveling and rackets are worthless.

Easy fix:
Once you beat a level you unlock it as a challenge mode stage that you can play with any character. Easy way to add more content. Medals, online ranks. Maybe unlock some skins. Done.

The most offensive thing is not being able to choose match length in free play. Now that's bs.

• #9

I enjoyed it somewhat but I also agree with pretty much everything you said.

Would have much preferred more fleshed out AI cup mode with character-specific endings and unlockable cosmetics for use in multiplayer. Also some practice routines like a ball machine to compare shots and characters would have been highky useful. The SP is just one and done, I at least expected a NG+ with a selectable character.

• #10

This game was incredibly rushed and I've no idea why. That's two Mario Tennis games in a row that are complete letdowns.

• #11

I was looking forward to this. I'm better off sticking to Mario tennis Wii u.

• #12

This game was incredibly rushed and I've no idea why. That's two Mario Tennis games in a row that are complete letdowns.

sales. money.

when it was announced in January as "spring 2018" I was like oof, dunno about that. Seems too early

I was looking forward to this. I'm better off sticking to Mario tennis Wii u.

oof, dunno about that

• #13

I liked it so far. In the volcano. I like the trampoline target game. Just a good on the toilet game

• #14

To me it was fun but not all that well implemented.

This game was incredibly rushed and I've no idea why. That's two Mario Tennis games in a row that are complete letdowns.

The rushed meme strikes again. Why is it so hard to accept that a game lacking features isn't a matter of the game being rushed but because they weren't going to be there in the first place?

I was hoping we would get a GBA/colour RPG, but I guess there wasn't time for that.

It wasn't a matter of time, they completely dropped those after the GBA game, the games on N64, GCN, 3DS and Wii U had nothing like those or even like Aces.

• #15

I don't know if I'd call it pointless but it's pretty crappy. I was really looking forward to the adventure mode but it's kinda trash.

• #16

The game was marketed so well, too... It's like they knew what we wanted and pitched just enough to give us hope that it might be time. And then they launched the game, and man... in some areas, it really stings. I love the changes to gameplay, it's a ton of fun to play with others. But holy crap at the frustration felt by what's lacking!

• #17

The fact you can't just insta-restart a level is fucking BULLSHIT. Having to skim through all that shitty dialogue means 30-sec waits between attempts.

• #18

The fact you can't just insta-restart a level is fucking BULLSHIT. Having to skim through all that shitty dialogue means 30-sec waits between attempts.

For all its failures this is the only thing that actually really bothers me.

• #19

The more I read about it, the more I feel like I dodged a bullet by canceling my preorder for this one. These impressions make it sound like it's not the game for me at all.

• #20

This game sounds like such a disappointment, I had such high hopes for this game :/.

• #21

I agree 100% with OP. I got burned with Mario Tenis U and thought that this would be different...but no, it feels almost as barebones as the previous one. Apart from the lackluster content there seems to have been 0 thought whatsoever put into designing how the menus and UI work:

• Want to retry a level in SP? Enjoy having to go back to the world map then trigger the preceding cutscene/dialog every time.
• Having to confirm the same basic choices a million times after every match online.
• Not being able to configure 5set-6game matches even in offline mode.

Not happy with this one.

• #22

The more I read about it, the more I feel like I dodged a bullet by canceling my preorder for this one. These impressions make it sound like it's not the game for me at all.

This game sounds like such a disappointment, I had such high hopes for this game :/.

Don't get me wrong, the multiplayer (atleast online multiplayer) is entertaining as hell. But if you're intending on playing this for the single player, there just absolutely nothing to it.

• #23

This game sounds like such a disappointment, I had such high hopes for this game :/.

It's important to take the criticism in proportion to what's there.

The actual core tennis is still the best tennis I've ever played. The actual gameplay part, with all the new moves and how they all compliment each other, it's brilliant.

But there's just weird small annoyances all around. Lack of customization options, unlocks, alternate modes, and adventure mode while a step in the right direction is also not as good as it could have been.

Still a great tennis game at the end of the day. It just could have been a flawless one with a bit more effort. They got all the actually hard stuff down; the innovative gameplay part. It's so weird they bungled on the easy stuff.

• #24

No unlocks is the dumbest shit ive ever seen considering even Open on 3DS had rewarding unlocks.

Side note, the UI and options are horrible.

• #25

Last edited: Sep 13, 2018

• #26

Aces is still a fun game, but it will probably go down as my biggest disappointment of 2018 because it's so close to being amazing. Just a few more months of development on the adventure mode and a tweak to the core gameplay and it would be incredible.

• #27

It blew my mind how little the story mode actually taught you. Also I like how you can get Mario's outfit for playing the demo making you think there will be skins to unlock and stuff but there isn't. Its just Mario in his normal outfit only. A couple courts is wack.

Great gameplay and fantastic to play with friends and stuff around but Jesus there is nothing there.

• #28

This is exactly why I didn't pull the plunge on Mario Tennis Aces at launch, even though I adored the GBA RPG.

If I've learned anything from the modern Nintendo it's that you can't trust them to jam-pack a game with loads of content when they don't explicitly show it off. They showed off a slice of the Adventure mode...I figured that would be the full extent of the mode, and I turned out to be right.

Camelot is ill-equipped for modern HD development. Not nearly enough manpower and skimpy budgets that aren't even close to justifying the $60 entry point. They should honestly just go back to making 2D RPGs...maybe eShop exclusives.

If Camelot wanted to make a top-down Golden Sun with the really colorful and illustrative backgrounds that made the GBA games look so fucking crisp and nice, I'd be game. Just cut down on the overly verbose text and swapping out party members a compelling and strategic choice, and I'm sold.

And again, this is all ignoring that the actual tennis in this game is really fucking good.

• #29

It's a fun couple of hour diversion that acts as a decent tutorial for the online mode. It taught me a lot and therefore I do not find it pointless one bit.

• #30

While I do wish that the adventure mode was more fleshed out, I actually found the it pretty useful to practice skills. The events end up being super challenging!

• #31

Is it better than ultra smash?

• #32

I can't stand that I can't simply restart a challenge and instead have to sit through some dumb ass dialogue after taking an L. I was hoping I'd be convinced otherwise, but really disappointed in the game so far.

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• #33

Is it better than ultra smash?

The core gameplay is better than Ultra Smash and the fact that there is any single player content is a step up as well. But it's still an utterly disappointing package as a whole compared to other sports titles released today.

• #34

But the enthusiasm around this having an RPG-lite Adventure Mode made me trust that the fanbase was finally getting what they were missing.

I don't think they ever advertised it as an RPG-lite mode? I agree it's flawed, but maybe going in with RPG expectations made it seem worse than it is. I went in expecting a succession of challenges and found it decent if rushed/poorly thought-out.

• #35

I don't think they ever advertised it as an RPG-lite mode? I agree it's flawed, but maybe going in with RPG expectations made it seem worse than it is. I went in expecting a succession of challenges and found it decent if rushed/poorly thought-out.

I mean what's the point of the leveling then? What progress am I gaining because of it? Why are these extra rackets I'm getting tiered based on stats?

It's not me expecting more than it is, it's me looking at what's there and not seeing the point in any of it.

• #36

Yup I haven't considered this game on the account of the singleplayer being horrid. Sad to see my assumptions were correct. Someday we'll get the GBC glory days back.

• #37

It's super frustrating how little it teaches you. I've played like 2 hours of the adventure mode and 3-4 hours online and in com tournaments and I still can't block zone shots to save my life. I can't figure out the timing at all. :(

• #38

It's super frustrating how little it teaches you. I've played like 2 hours of the adventure mode and 3-4 hours online and in com tournaments and I still can't block zone shots to save my life. I can't figure out the timing at all. :(

You will never miss being too late. Always too early.

Wait until the ball is literally on top of you.

• #39

I'd mostly agree but it does have some use. Adventure Mode I feel like trains you in two things that help in online matches: timing to counter Zone and Full Power Specials, and trick shots. My trick shot isn't the best online but it was terrible when I first picked up the game, while I do a very good job when my opponents pull zone or special shots.

• #40

I mean what's the point of the leveling then? What progress am I gaining because of it? Why are these extra rackets I'm getting tiered based on stats?

It's not me expecting more than it is, it's me looking at what's there and not seeing the point in any of it.

It's pretty common in non-RPG campaigns. See, for example, Sonic Racing, or a whole bunch of racing games, really. It's often meaningless but gives some people a sense of progression.

• #41

It's super frustrating how little it teaches you. I've played like 2 hours of the adventure mode and 3-4 hours online and in com tournaments and I still can't block zone shots to save my life. I can't figure out the timing at all. :(

Look at the ground. You wanna be in the bright purple spot. Easy to do with Zone Speed, very tricky to get right without it. And yeah, I didn't learn this from the game itself.

• #42

There is a tiny piece of my soul wanting to call up Nintendo's Customer Services, and request them to log my feedback for Nintendo-developed and published games and ask them to give those feedback back to the developers who worked on the games. It doesn't mean much, but in my peace of mind, I feel my feedback will help the developers know what we really wanted them to make for us.

• #43

Yeah it's unfortunate, it's the reason why I didn't buy it. I was so hype that they're putting back the rpg singleplayer but was disappointed after seeing the previews and reviews.

• #45

I agree 100%. Won't continue playing it until an Assist Mode is added.

• #46

I really wish Nintendo would care more about the single player campaigns in their primarily multiplayer games. Splatoon is the exception in recent years.

I would have bought this game if the single player was better.

• #47

This and the fact that adventure mode throws unplayable characters at you as CPUs that are on the cart and coded to be playable makes the lack of content even more insulting. locking characters as on cart DLC for later is just scummy beyond belief.

I'm baffled there's no outrage for it, but somehow it being free makes already finished characters getting locked out for the sake of padding OK since Nintendo's doing it. Unlike Dream Allies where they were placeholders at least to be finished later, the characters like Boom Boom and Blooper are already finished and in the game as far as I can tell... This and the adventure mode itself being boring just makes me more furious that their 2018 has had no must have games so far.

• #48

You will never miss being too late. Always too early.

Wait until the ball is literally on top of you.

Oh! Good to know, thank you! But what about when using a trick shot to block? I 100% get too early on those.

Look at the ground. You wanna be in the bright purple spot. Easy to do with Zone Speed, very tricky to get right without it. And yeah, I didn't learn this from the game itself.

There's a purple spot on the ground??? How have I played 5+ hours of this game and never once noticed?? Would be helpful if the game taught you this.

• #49

I have to say, I bought it because I was going on a trip and was itching for a fun tennis game after Virtua Tennis has basically been dead for ages. I was pretty disappointed though. :/

I was baffled by the Adventure mode. The difficulty curve was all over the place. Even worse it didn't have retrying so if you failed you had to sit through a loading out screen, a dialogue of how much you suck, starting the mission again, waiting while it skips through all the mission start dialogue, and sit through another loading screen to try again. It genuinely made me feel for any kids playing the game...

There also wasn't any matchmaking online either on launch so I got put off trying the online mode. I've heard they've since added that but I dunno if there'll be any other new people playing now.

• #50

The actual gameplay part, with all the new moves and how they all compliment each other, it's brilliant.

I mean, trick shots are broken and the roster is pretty unbalanced at the moment. With more options and a good balancement patch, I can see it becoming a good multiplayer game.

Is it better than ultra smash?

It certainly is. At least they removed chance shots and there is a bit of content.

powellsequith.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.resetera.com/threads/adventure-mode-in-mario-tennis-aces-is-utterly-pointless-and-fails-most-at-player-feedback.54353/

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