Mario Power Tennis/Characters

Mario and his merry cast return from Mario Tennis with the exception of some that have been removed, namely Donkey Kong Jr, Birdo, Toad and Baby Mario. New to this however is Diddy Kong, Koopa Troopa, Fly Guy, Bowser Jr, Wiggler and Petey Pirahna. The first section discusses some things to cater for people with different preferences. There's no Demo Mode, but try out all these characters, find your favourite, and master their abilities!

Left-handed option
You can switch to left-handed mode by pressing. Compared to right-handed shots, left-handed shots act oppositely. For example, the same style of shot will result in the ball travelling in the opposite direction.

Star Power
Unfortunately, it's not unlocked for every character. You need to finish the first three tournaments to give your character an extra power that it needs for a further three tounaments at the end. If you succeed in unlocking star power for your characters, you can press to enhance its abilities. So don't be afraid to add power to help you get an advantage in the courts.

Type of attributes
It wouldn't be fair that all characters play the same way. However, given each character's nature in size, shape and strength, there will be ups and downs for every character in their level of strength.

All Around
Both Mario and Luigi are well balanced in all areas but are not likely to exceed in all areas. They're perfect for beginners who want to go straight into the game.
 * Mario's defensive shot is Mario Tornado. Mario's offensive shot is the Super Hammer.
 * Luigi's defensive shot is Poltergust Return. Luigi's offensive shot is the Squeaky Hammer.

Technique
Peach, Daisy, Shy Guy and Paratrooper all excel in hitting the ball to the furthest point of the court with deadly accuracy. The downside is their weak defense. Intermediate players should be well suited to those types of attributes.
 * Peach's defensive shot is Sweet Kiss Return. Peach's offensive shot is the Super Peach Spin.
 * Daisy's defensive shot is Flowerbed Return. Daisy's offensive shot is Wonder Flower.
 * Shy Guy's defensive shot is Spear Dance Return. Shy Guy's offensive shot is Lightning Spear.
 * Paratrooper's defensive shot is Sky Dive. Paratrooper's offensive shot is Energy Ball.

Power
Bowser, Donkey Kong, Wario and Petey Pirhana are dynamos for strength but exceptionally slow. Advanced players would really have to move these heavy hitters to master their powerful strength.
 * Bowser's defensive shot is Spinning Shell Dash. Bowser's offensive shot is Fire Breath.
 * Donkey Kong's defensive shot is Boomerang Banana Return. Donkey Kong's offensive shot is Barrel Cannon Blast.
 * Wario's defensive shot is Ultra-Hand Return. Wario's offensive shot is Thunder Cast Shot.
 * Petey Pirhana's defensive shot is Pirhana Swingback. Petey Pirhana's offensive shot is Sludge Racket.

Speed
Yoshi, Diddy Kong and Koopa Troopa are the opposite of power. They're really speedy characters but they suffer when it comes to the strength of their shots. Advanced players will need practice to be able to move around the court with ease and strike the ball well when the time comes.
 * Yoshi's defensive shot is Rolling Egg Return. Yoshi's offensive shot is Rainbow Flutter.
 * Diddy Kong's defensive shot is Barrel Jet. Diddy Kong's offensive shot is Acrobatic Banana.
 * Koopa Troopa's defensive shot is Water Shell Dash. Hoopa Troopa's offensive shot is Water Bomb.

Defensive
Waluigi and Wiggler have a great reach, capable of hitting balls within the lengths of the court but can't be quick enough if the ball is out of reach. Intermediate players will have a good time with these two.
 * Waluigi's defensive shot is Swimming Return. Waluigi's offensive shot is Whirluigi.
 * Wiggler's defensive shot is Butterfly Return. Wiggler's offensive shot is Anger Management.

Tricky
Boo, Bowser Jr and Fly Guy excel in a bizarre version of an all around. Even though they don't excel in all areas, once they hit the ball, it moves in a curvy left and right trajectory. Advanced players should have a lot of practice with them before they really play.
 * Boo's defensive shot is Boo Brigade Return. Boo's offensive shot is Boo Blast.
 * Bowser Jr's defensive shot is Rolling Brush Return. Bowser Jr's offensive shot is Magic Paint.