Nintendo announced Mario Tennis Fever, the newest entry in the Mario sports series, arriving on February 12, 2026 exclusively for Switch 2. The game introduces inventive new mechanics, deeper multiplayer modes, and a single-player story campaign that pushes the franchise beyond traditional sports gameplay.

Fever Rackets and Multiplayer

The headline feature is the addition of “fever rackets”—special rackets imbued with temporary abilities such as amplified spin, increased speed, or energy-draining shots that can turn the tide of a match. Multiplayer remains a key draw, with local couch competitions and online ranked play both supported at launch.

Single-Player Story Campaign

For solo players, Mario Tennis Fever features the most ambitious story mode yet in the series. Players step into a narrative where you get to play as Mario and friends as babies, and travel across the Mushroom Kingdom and beyond, competing in themed tennis tournaments hosted in iconic locations such as Peach’s Castle Garden, Bowser’s Lava Arena, and a space station inspired by Super Mario Galaxy.

The campaign mixes traditional tennis matches with boss-style encounters. For example, one chapter tasks players with defeating a giant mechanical Piranha Plant by targeting weak points with charged shots. Another requires unlocking doors in a haunted court run by King Boo, blending puzzle elements with tennis mechanics.

Between tournaments, players can upgrade skills, unlock new fever racket abilities, and recruit allies from the Mario cast. The story builds toward a final championship showdown where Bowser challenges Mario for control of the mystical Fever Cup.

Nintendo emphasized that the campaign is designed to be both accessible for newcomers and rewarding for veterans, with difficulty that scales based on progress.