Nintendo has announced Mario Tennis Fever, which will be released on February 12, 2026. Mario Tennis Fever marks the return of the sports series, which launched its first game in 2000 for the Nintendo 64, featuring Mario and his friends in tennis matches with characters such as Waluigi, Birdo, Boo, Paratroopa, and Shy Guy.
It has been a while since players have seen a release in the series, as Mario Tennis Aces came out for Nintendo Switch in 2018. The title features a story mode with cutscenes and levels, similar to a classic Super Mario game, and new shot types, such as the Zone Shot. Mario Tennis Aces introduced characters including Diddy Kong, Birdo, and Koopa Paratroopa, and even got an ad with legendary tennis player Serena Williams promoting the game. Now, fans of the series can celebrate, as a new game is on the way.
Why the Original Mario Tennis Still Stands Out from All the Rest
Several Mario sports games might be flashier and more polished, but the original Mario Tennis still manages to have a strong identity of its own.
Mario Tennis Fever Announced for Nintendo Switch 2
Mario Tennis Fever has been announced for Nintendo Switch 2 and will arrive on February 12, 2026. The game was revealed during September 12's Nintendo Direct, with the trailer showcasing Mario characters as well as introducing the new Slide and Dive moves and brand-new Fever Rackets feature. There will be 30 rackets, which players must keep the rally going to build up the fever gauge. Once they get a full bar, they can unleash the racket's special ability, which can burn or shrink enemies, freeze the court, or duplicate the player's character.
Mario Tennis Fever will feature a Tournament mode, narrated by a talking flower, Trial Towers, Mix it Up – which has different rules for players to create unique matches – and Adventure Mode. This one will serve as the game's story and follow Mario and his friends after being turned into babies. Without their tennis skills, they must learn to play again to defeat monsters and return to normal. Mario Tennis Fever will feature the Online Room mode, Ranked Matches, and Swing Mode, where players will be able to use their Nintendo Switch 2 Joy-Con as a racket.
To make Mario Tennis Fever even more exciting, the roster will have 38 playable characters, the largest cast ever in a Mario Tennis entry. In addition to Mario, Peach, Bowser, and Daisy, the announcement trailer confirmed Luigi, Yoshi, Pauline, Donkey Kong, Rosalina, Luma, and Toadette. The game will also feature a variety of rackets with designs based on elements from the Super Mario franchise, such as the exclamation mark block and the Thwomp.
OpenCritic Reviews
- Released
- February 12, 2026
- ESRB
- Everyone / Mild Fantasy Violence
- Developer(s)
- Camelot Software Planning
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo EPD
