System: GameCube

Genre: Sports

Difficulty: Variable, fun for all ages and skill levels

Coop: Two-player team "doubles" play.

Mario Power Tennis is this generation's trump card against the argument that "gameplay is dead". This game is, without a doubt, is the most clean and polished replica of tennis gameplay that I have ever seen. Indeed, this game even transcends the excellence that was Virtua Tennis on the Dreamcast (my former favorite).

All of your standard tennis stratagems are represented here and executed perfectly. Up against a net hog? Lob one to the far corner. He's playing it safe in the back? It's time for a drop shot. Every time you win or lose a point, you will know why right away because the gameplay is so precise.

The "power moves" add even more depth as well as a lot of style to the game. Each character has a unique offensive and defensive move that can be used periodically throughout the match. A defensive move will save a ball that is out of reach - although it may or may not place you out of position to do so. Offensive moves attack the ball when it's in front of you, but depending on your character, will act differently. Donkey Kong will jump into a barrel and blast the ball powerfully at you while Princess Peach will hit a "super" lob over your head. Each super move has a pretty humorous animation preceding it representative of the character.

There is a large cast of characters and EVERY one plays differently. Even people who are both classified as "power" will have different abilities in movement, reach, reaction time, power moves, and other skills. My favorite character is Koopa and Tina's is Diddy Kong. The thing about Koopa is that he has the ability to tuck himself into his shell and spin around quickly across the court once you get momentum. He is the only character that does this. Also, he can slide on his shell to reach tough shots. I usually play baseline, which makes Koopa the perfect fit because he can swing from side to side to cover open spots quickly. Tina on the other hand loves the net and uses Diddy's quick reflexes to win volley matches between other net hogs - often securing victory by pegging the opposing team's front man in the face.

The presentation is pure genius and care - a rare treat with such a diverse cast. All of the characters are animated beautifully with unique personalities that shine through. Waluigi, for example, will throw a tantrum and chews on his racket when defeated. The voices are top notch, everyone sounds like they should.

The graphics are some of the cleanest for the Nintendo cast that I've seen so far. They all look very smooth and vibrant. All of the effects look great and show fantastic attention to detail, especially in the animation.

The music is wonderful; it's a very happy soundtrack full of energy and life. I am so happy that there are still composers out there who concentrate on melody first - I've found myself humming the music to this game on a regular basis.

As far as the coop goes, it doesn't get any better than this. It will require tremendous teamwork to succeed in doubles play against the tougher opponents (note that there are several difficulty levels that you can choose from for your computer opponents to keep up with your skill level). Communication helps a lot in plotting strategy and covering potential openings.

The single player is pretty good too, although I was disappointed that they did not allow coop doubles play in the story mode (no reason not to and it would have saved me the frustration of dealing with a computer ally). Passing the single-player mode will unlock new characters, arenas, and modes of play.

There are also several mini games added in to switch things up a little from the regular tennis game. From simply hitting paintballs to color in a picture to a complex game of chain chomp (I'm not going to explain it, but it's a brilliant, strategic, action-packed free for all against 3 other people). There really is something there for everyone and it's just icing on the cake.

The last thing I want to say is that this game is extremely accessible to anyone. Have a member of your family that has never played a game before that you want to break in? This is the game to do it. Put a controller in her or his hand and say "press the green button when the ball goes near you." I guarantee that if the person is willing, she or he will get into it in a matter of seconds and be hooked just like you and I. It's just so much fun on every level, whether you're a novice just trying to hit the ball back or an expert trying to execute a brilliant strategy to catch your opponent off guard.

I give this game a 9.00 rating on a general level and a whopping 9.75 on the coop gaming level.