Mario's Tennis

Mario's Tennis is probably the first game most people tried on the Virtual Boy, mainly because it came packed in. It drops you straight into a red-and-black court with this awkward but kinda cool 3D perspective, like you’re floating right behind your character’s shoulder. At first, the depth effect is a bit jarring, but once the match starts, you stop thinking about it and just try to time your swings.

You pick from a lineup of familiar faces, Mario, Luigi, Yoshi, even Donkey Kong Jr., and each one has slightly different handling. I wasn’t sure who to go with at first, so I picked Toad, thinking he’d be fast. Turns out he’s fine, but man, the CPU doesn’t go easy. Even on the first round, they’ll lob a ball past you if you so much as blink at the wrong time.

There’s no multiplayer, which feels like a missed opportunity, but as a single-player experience, Mario's Tennis is surprisingly chill. Matches are quick, and even if you screw up a volley, the pace keeps you moving. It’s weirdly satisfying when you finally line up a perfect smash and watch it fly past the opponent in 3D space.

Fan-made Mario