TRANSLATION
- MARIO TENNIS 64 -

-  MA  RI  O  TE  NI  SU  =
MARIO TENNIS

Whenever Nintendo decide to produce a new game, the whole gaming world takes notice. When Mario Tennis was announced, speculation as to who would star in it and how it would play began. Well, it's available now in Japan, has LOTS of Japanese menus (don't worry, their translated below!) and features some great playability.

Mario Tennis was unfortunate to come along just after the incredible Virtua Tennis on the Dreamcast. Thus, my appreciation for it isn't as high as it should be. Whereas Virtua Tennis was instinctive, and rarely has you swearing that you hit the ball when it misses, Mario Tennis has one or two niggles that could make it annoying. The main problems I found are that my character would swing the racquet to the left if the ball was on the right, the control is a little 'floaty' and some of the computer players are so good, that you seem to play endless rallies. Ignore these faults, but add some great modes such as a court in Bowser's castle, complete with Mario Kart 64's power-up cubes, some character-themed courts which are unlocked through the many tournaments, and the riotous sounds which spew from the many selectable characters during a match and you have a hugely deep tennis game, which boasts more character than most RPGs!

After pressing START on the title screen, you are presented with-

- HI  TO  RI  = 1 PERSON/ PLAYER
Hitori is written in Hiragana as it is the Japanese word for '1 person'.

-  FU  TA  RI  = 2 PEOPLE/ PLAYERS
Futari is written in Hiragana as it is the Japanese word for '2 people'.

- SA  N  NI  N  = 3 PEOPLE/ PLAYERS
Sannin is written in Hiragana as it is the Japanese word for '3 people'.

-  YO  NI  N  = 4 PEOPLE/ PLAYERS
Yonin is written in Hiragana as it is the Japanese word for '4 people'.

-  TSU  ZU  KI  = CONTINUE
Tsuzuki is written in Hiragana as it is the Japanese word for 'continue'.

-  SU  PE  SHA  RU  GE~  MU  = SPECIAL GAME

-  O  PU  SHO  N  = OPTION

After selecting HITORI, FUTARI, SANNIN or YONIN (1,2,3 or 4 player), you are asked to choose a character, then presented with-

-  E  KI  SHI  BI  SHO  N  = EXHIBITION

-  TO~  NA  ME  N  TO  = TOURNAMENT

-  RI  N  GU  SHO  TO  = RING SHOT

-  KU  PPA  SU  TE~  JI  = KOOPA STAGE

-  PA  KKU  N  CHA  RE  N  JI  = PAKUN CHALLENGE

After selecting EXHIBITION, TOURNAMENT or KOOPA STAGE, you are presented with-

-  SHI  N  GU  RU  SU  = SINGLES

- DA  BU  RU  SU  = DOUBLES

After selecting an opponent, you are asked to select it's difficulty-

-  FU  TSU  U  = EASY

-  YA  YA  TSU  YO  I  = MEDIUM

-  TSU  YO  I  = HARD

-  SA  I  KYO  U  = VERY HARD

After selecting it's difficulty, you are asked to choose a court (in Tournament mode, this is replaced with a Cup select)-

-  HA~  DO  KO~  TO  = HARD COURT

-  KU  RE  I  KO~  TO  = CLAY COURT

-  GU  RA  SU  KO~  TO  = GRASS COURT

-  KA~  PE  TTO  KO~  TO  = CARPET COURT

Other courts become available for completing tournaments with various characters. These are usually themed on the character you earnt it with.

After selecting SPECIAL GAME from the main menu, you are presented with-

-  SHO~  TO  GE~  MU  = SHORT GAME (5 POINTS)

-  TA  I  BU  RE~  KU  GE~  MU  = TIEBREAK GAME (7 POINTS)

-  RI  N  GU  TO~  NA  ME  N  TO  = RING TOURNAMENT

-  DE  MO  PU  RE  I  = DEMO PLAY

While playing, pausing the game will present you with-

-  RU  RU  = RULE

-  KA  ME  RA  KI  RI  KA  E  = CAMERA CHANGE
(Kirikae is the verb 'to change' or 'to switch')

-  ME  NYU~  NI  MO  DO  RU  = RETURN TO MENU

If you select CAMERA CHANGE, you are presented with-

-  NO~  MA  RU  = NORMAL
(Default camera view)

-  FU  RO  N  TO  A  PU  = FRONT UP
(Player is always playing up the screen, even after changing ends)

-  DA  I  NA  MI  KKU  = DYNAMIC
(Camera is lower and closer to the player's character)

If you select CONTROLLER SETTINGS, you are presented with-

-  SU  TA~  TO  BO  TA  N  = START BUTTON

-  PO~  ZU  ME  NYU~  = PAUSE MENU

B  -  BO  TA  N  = 'B' BUTTON

-  SU  RA  I  SU  SU  PI  N  = SLICE SPIN

Z    -  BO  TA  N  = 'Z' BUTTON

-  TA  ME  KYA  N  SE  RU  = CHARGE MOVE CANCEL
(At least that's what I THINK it's for!)

A    -  BO  TA  N  = 'A' BUTTON

-  TO  PPU  SU  PI  N  = TOP SPIN

3D    -  SU  TI  KKU  = '3D' STICK

-  KYA  RA  KU  TA~  I  DO  U  = MOVE CHARACTER

After a match, the score board displays-

-  SA~  BI  SU  E~  SU  = SERVICE ACE

-  RI  TA~  N  E~  SU  = RETURN ACE

-  SU  MA  SSHU  E~  SU  =  SMASH ACE

-  DA  BU  RU  FO  RU  TO  = DOUBLE FAULT

After selecting OPTIONS from the main menu, you are presented with-

-  SU  TE~  TA  SU  = STATUS

-  MYU~  JI  KKU  = MUSIC

-  O  N  = ON

-  O  FU  = OFF

-  BA  KKU  A  PPU  = BACKUP

-  SA  U  N  DO  = SOUND

-  SU  TE  RE  O  = STEREO

-  MO  NO  RA  RU  = MONORAUL

Other helpful translations-

-  GE~  MU  = GAME

-  SE  TTO  = SET

-  SE~  BU  = SAVE

- HA  I  = YES
The above word 'hai' is written in Hiragana as it is the Japanese word for 'yes'.

- II  E  =  NO
The above word 'iie' is written in Hiragana as it is the Japanese word for 'no'.