    ____  ____        _____       _____       ___      ____
   /    \/    \      /     \     |     \     |   |    / __ \
  |            \    /   ^   \    |  |\  \    |   |   / /  \ \
  |  |\    /|  |   |   / \   \   |  |/  /    |   |   | |  | |
  |  | \  / |  |   |   ---   |   |     /     |   |   | |  | |
  |  |  \/  |  |   |  _____  |   |     \     |   |   | |  | |
  |  |      |  |   |  |   |  |   |  |\  \    |   |   \ \__/ /
  |__|      |__|   |__|   |__|   |__| \__\   |___|    \____/


\_\_\_\_\_  \_\_\_\_\_  \_\_    \_  \_\_    \_   \_  \_\_\_\_\_
      \_      \_          \_ \_   \_  \_ \_   \_   \_  \_
       \_      \_\_\_\_    \_  \_  \_  \_  \_  \_   \_  \_\_\_\_\_
        \_      \_          \_   \_ \_  \_   \_ \_   \_          \_
         \_      \_\_\_\_\_  \_    \_\_  \_    \_\_   \_  \_\_\_\_\_



                            ____
                           /   /
                          /   /      ____
                         /   /     __|  |
                        /    \    / /|  |
                       /  /\  \  / / |  |
                       \  \/  / /  |_|  |__
                        \____/  |____    __|
                                     |  |
                                     |__|


A FAQ written and created by Paul Schlabach, a.k.a. sndgarden69 on 8/22/00

Thanks for checking out my FAQ.  If you liked Mario Golf, play this game.  
It features some of the same features that made it fun, and a better 
multiplayer mode.  This is my first FAQ, so dont critique me too harshly.

Version History
8/22/00    V1.0-Created FAQ
8/24/00    V1.1-Created Title art and few minor corrections
8/25/00    V1.11-Fixed title art cause of screwy spacing things
Contents
      I. Disclaimer
      II. How to Contact Me
      III. Modes of Play
      IV. Court Design
      V. Court Surfaces
      VI. Controls
      VII. Basic Strategies
      VIII. Original Characters
      IX. Hidden Characters
      X. Good Doubles Teams
      XI. Cheats
      XII. Special Thanks

**********
Disclaimer
**********
Do not attempt to copy, recreate this document for anything.  If you would 
like to post this FAQ on your website, please e-mail me at 
sndgarden69@hotmail.com.  So far this FAQ has been posted on:
      www.gamefaqs.com
      www.cheatcc.com
	www.gameadvice.com
If you see this on any other web sites, let me know, and it will be greatly 
appreciated.  This FAQ is copyright 2000 by Paul Schlabach.

How to Contact Me
Please e-mail your constructive criticism, posting requests, corrections 
(yes, even I can be wrong from time to time!) and/or suggestions to 
sndgarden69@hotmail.com.  If I include something from you in this FAQ, it 
will be noted at the bottom.  Please put a subject name on it and I will 
respond as fast as I can.  Time for the FAQ!

*************
Modes of Play
*************
There are a couple different modes of play in Mario Tennis, all of which I 
will explain.
Singles Matches- A one on one match between you and your opponent.
Doubles Matches- A two on two match between 2 teams of players.
Tournaments- There are three tournaments available when you start the game.  
You proceed through the rankings, in either doubles or singles matches.  If 
you win, you get a trophy and move on to the next highest tournament.
Piranha Challenge- Several piranha plants spit balls at you and you must hit 
them past your rival more often than the plants spit them past you.
Ring Shot- While volleying with your opponent, you must hit the ball through 
target rings and win the point to get credit for the rings.
Bowser Stage- While playing on Bowsers court, aim for the power-up boxes 
which can be used by hitting R.  These items can stun your opponent, which 
usually wins a point.  However, the court also tips where the most weight is 
located, so dont run too far.

************
Court Design
************

  _________________
  | |  4  |  4  | |
  | |<5   |<3 5>| |
  | |_____|_____| |
6>| |  1  |  1  | |<6
  | |     |     | |
  | |     |     | |
  |_|_____|_____|_|
  | |  2  |  2  | |
  | |     |     | |
  | |     |     | |
6>| |_____|_____| |<6
  | |  1  |  1  | |
  | |<5   |<3 5>| |
  |_|_____|_____|_|
     4     4
NOTE: Numbers represent the line above them except 3,5, and 6 which all have 
an arrow
1-Service return line
  Dont go past this before the opponents serve gets returned, or they get 
the point.  Behind these lines is what is known as the backcourt.
2-Net
  Hit it over this every time.  If you hit the net when serving, its known 
as a fault unless it dribbles onto your opponents court in which case its a 
let, which has no penalty.  After two faults, your opponent wins the point.
3-Center Line
  This line represents the center of the court.  Stay at the T of the 
service return line and center line while waiting for a return unless youre 
rushing the net.
4-Serving Line
  You have to serve from behind this line.  Also, if you hit past this line, 
it is out of play and your opponent gets the point.
5-Baseline
  Alternate hitting to these to keep your opponent on the run, but if you 
hit it over them, it is also out in singles play.
6-Sideline
  When playing a doubles match, this is out from side to side.

**************
Court Surfaces
**************
There are 5, yes 5, different court surfaces in Mario Tennis, offering a 
great variety of gameplay.  These courts are rated by the ball speed and 
amount of bounce on each court.  Try to use a slice on a weak bounce court, 
as it will hardly bounce at all, while you should try to use a topspin on a 
strong bounce court to force your foe to hurry a shot.
Hard Ball Speed Normal
     Bounce Strong
Clay Ball Speed Slow
     Bounce Weak
Grass Ball Speed Fast
      Bounce Weak
Composition Ball Speed Fastest
            Bounce Normal
Mario Brothers Court Ball Speed
                     Bounce Weak

********
Controls
********
Alright, thankfully these controls are easy to learn and not numerous in 
count, but also take a degree of talent to master.
A  Topspin shot
B  Slice
A, then B  Lob
B, then A  Drop Shot
A, then A  Topspin power shot (orange trail)
B, then B  Slice power shot (blue trail)
A or B, then A+B power smash
     On the power shots, get in place and tap the button and youll start to 
charge up your shot.  When the ball comes to you hit the desired shot 
combination and it will be powered up.  However, placement comes before 
power, so be careful.

****************
Basic Strategies
****************
Serving
When serving, you can serve it down the middle or ram it up the corner.  
Hitting it to the corner almost guarantees a point when you send the return 
to the opposite side.  However, this is risky, as your serve may go out or 
it will go right to the opponent and theyll blast one down the line.  By 
hitting it to the middle, your going to be in for a longer volley than if 
you hit wide.  Basically, high risk, high return.  There is one shot that 
will almost guarantee you an ace, though.  If you hit a power serve (A+B) at 
the point of the T of the serving line and center line.  This is the hardest 
serve to accomplish, so its really up to you.

Baseline
Without baseline play, you wont have a successful net game, and without a 
net or baseline game, youll lose.  If you stay in the center of the court 
your opponent will have a hard time hitting it by you.  Also, mix it up when 
hitting to the baseline to keep your opponent guessing.  Sometimes, it helps 
to hit one right back at an opponent in the corner when theyve been on the 
run, because theyll be scrambling to get to the other side of the court.

Net
If youre at the net, you have a good chance to win the point, or youre in 
a defensive mode attempting to stay alive.  There isnt much strategy once 
you get to the net, unless there is a star on your side of the net near the 
net.  Use an overhead smash (A+B) to bash it down.  You must time the hit 
right, or youll tap it in the net and the neighbors will wonder why youre 
yelling at your controller.

Serve Returning
You have to be able to react quickly when players like Bowser are bashing 
serves at you at speeds up to 108 mph!  Also Boos tricky serve will leave 
you on your ass if youre not careful, as he can steer it through the air.  
This part is VERY important!  DO NOT CHEAT!  Do not take a step to the 
middle if thats where Bowser has been serving all game because chances are 
hell serve it wide and ace you.

*******************
Original Characters
*******************
In this section, I will explain the characters playing style, and 
strategies to use when using the character or playing against the character.

Mario
Style: All-Around
Like always, Mario is one of the well rounded characters in the game.  Use 
baseline shots to make your opponent mess up.  When playing against Mario, 
he usually wont hit with much power, so rush the net and smash it in his 
face.

Wario
Style: Power
As Marios stronger and chubbier other half, Wario has the strength but not 
the speed.  If you can anticipate shots, then truck Wario into position and 
charge for a power shot, but always return to the center T of the court.  
Watch Wario cheating to one side or the other and blast a shot to the other 
side of the court to smoke it by him.

Luigi
Style: All-Around
Of course hes practically the same as Mario, with their being brothers and 
all, although he has a bit more of a reach and a tad slower.  However, since 
he is good at everything, he is a good beginners choice and easy to win 
with.  Just keep your foes on their toes and theyll eventually be worn down 
to the point where they hit a crappy shot.  However, he can also be a very 
challenging opponent, so choose your strong shots wisely.

Waluigi
Style: Technique
The newest addition to the Mario family is Waluigi, Luigis evil cousin.   
Because of his long reach, technical skills, and his speed, he is one of my 
favorite characters.  When using him, force the baseline shots and rush the 
net.  With Waluigis long reach, its easy to smash one down the opposing 
players throat.  Speed is of the essence when playing against Waluigi.  The 
key to beating him is keeping him away from the net, so use your characters 
strong suit.

Peach
Style: Technique
Peach is better than you might think in this game.  With good speed, decent 
power, and good net play, she rocks the party.  Head for the net, because 
not much will get by Peach.  This also means she is a challenging opponent.  
She lacks the aggressiveness most players have, though, so counter with a 
lob if she pins you in the corners.

Toad
Style: Technique
Finally, Toad is playable again!  Anyway, Toads serve is better than most 
technique players, so use that to your advantage.  Toad is easily taken care 
of with plenty of topspin shots and a rush to the net.  One kiss from the 
net and this Toad will dead in the water.

Baby Mario
Style: Speed
Thanks to a convenient rip in the fabric of time and space, Baby Mario can 
actually be on the same court as Mario.  Baby Mario is a speed demon, and he 
is one of the few characters who can play well between the baseline and the 
net.  With this advantage, you can easily out-hit your opponents with quick 
returns.  Thankfully, he has weaknesses, and they are his reach and stature. 
  A cross-court lob should rock this baby to sleep.

Daisy
Style: Technique
Who the hell is Daisy, you ask?  Well, she is Luigis mixed doubles partner 
and the damsel in distress in Super Mario World.  She also makes a partner 
comparable to Peach, so follow the strategies to take out the trash.  Her 
reach is shorter than most characters, so it is relatively to hit one past 
her, though.

Yoshi
Style: Speed
Yoshi has speed like no other when playing on grass.  He lacks in the power 
department, though, so make sure your hits count.  To get Yoshi to bite the 
big one, get him going back and forth and he will eventually commit to the 
net.  Give him a lob or topspin shot to take him out.

Birdo
Style: Speed
Speedy dinosaurs must be the rage at tennis courts, because their ranks have 
doubled from previous games.  Is Birdo Yoshis love interest or is it a 
guy???  The bow just could be for looks, you know.  As with all speedy 
characters, chase down every ball, and opponents will start to get sloppy.  
Once Birdo gives you a lollipop serve, smash it down the opposite line.  
Once he gets to that, you should have time to get to the net and slap it to 
the court.

Bowser
Style: Power
Bowser packs quite the wallop, but is somewhat slow, so youll have to 
anticipate shot placement.  Once he gets set, charge up, and smash it back 
over the net.  Just stay in the center of the court when playing Bowser, and 
wait for his first mediocre shot to blast it by him.

Donkey Kong
Style: Power
Donkey is a menace in this game.  His reach is phenomenal (obviously, with 
those simian arms) and has some solid power.  He cant get around laterally 
too well, so keep your opponent at bay with solid slice and topspin shots.  
To beat the big ape, make him truck across the court and hell be toast.

Paratroopa
Style: Trickery
Paratroopa is a blast to play as, because his movement around the course is 
strange at best, and feathers fly when he hits the ball, disguising his 
shot.  He also is rather speedy, so use that to your advantage.  Send Troopa 
scurrying for wider shots to keep his tricks at bay, and youll have an easy 
time.

Boo
Style: Tricky
I have to say, it isnt too soon to see Boo is a major player in a 
multiplayer game.  Boo has one of the best serves, which you can steer in 
the air when the technique is mastered.  Stay near the serving line to track 
down shots, and everything should be ok.  When Boo is serving at you, move 
closer to the service return line.  Then, the ball cant move away from you.

*****************
Hidden Characters
*****************
Same strategy here as is for original characters.
Donkey Kong Jr.
Style: Speed
It may seem hard to believe that a Kong with a first name of Donkey is 
speedy, but I wouldnt trust a monkey with a racket anyway.  This also means 
DK Jr. wont overpower anyone with his underdeveloped muscles.  Just run all 
shots down and take care of your monkey business.

Shy Guy
Style: Technique
Shy Guy is not necessarily the best player on the courts, but he does make a 
deserving appearance as a kick-ass player in this game.  Shy Guy does 
everything better than average, and, like Baby Mario, he can thrive between 
the backcourt and the net.  Shy Guy is one tough player to beat.  He does 
return almost everything you hit at him, but he doesnt have much zip on it. 
  You can rush the net and hit it down unless he has worked his way past the 
baseline, in which case, hell hit right by you.

******************
Good Doubles Teams
******************
Wario and Waluigi
With Warios superior power and Waluigis superior reach, they make a great 
team.  Waluigi can reach almost anything from the back row, and any shot 
Wario can reach will be smoking.  Also, these two can be switched, with 
Wario in back and Waluigi in front.  That way Wario can reach almost 
anything and blast it back in time, and Waluigi can dominate at the net.

Mario and Peach
These two are good as a team as they rock by themselves, and together 
theyre even better.  You can use either as back row or front row and 
theyll do great.

Luigi and Daisy
Daisy was included just so Luigi would have a Peach.  See above, just switch 
Mario with Luigi and Peach with Daisy.

Birdo and Toad
Im not sure how good of a tennis team they are, but these two win the prize 
for the strangest looking team.

Yoshi and Baby Mario
These two are both speedy and together they have decent power so they can 
catch up to almost any ball.  Also, you can run more powerful opponents into 
the ground by making them run around more than they can handle and you 
should have no problem.  (Thanks Blake Zahari)

If you have any good teams, email them to me, and I will include them along 
with your name.

******
Cheats
******
Use a left-handed player: Hold L when choosing your character

Have handicaps: Hold R when choosing your character

Get Shy Guy: Win the Star Cup Singles Tournament

Get Donkey Kong Jr.: Win the Star Cup Doubles Tournament

Donkey Kong Court: Win the Mushroom Cup Singles with DK

Yoshi and Baby Mario Court: Win the Mushroom Cup Singles with Yoshi

Mario Bros. Court: Win the Mushroom Cup Singles with Mario

Mario Bros. Court 2: Win all the Doubles Tournaments with Mario

Mario/Luigi Castle Court: Win both the Singles and Doubles Tournaments in 
the Star Cup with Mario.

Wario Brothers Court: Win all the Doubles Tournaments with Wario

Piranha Plant Court: Complete any court perfectly in Piranha Plant Challenge 
with any character

Special Cups: Win all the Tournaments with everyone, even Shy Guy and DK Jr. 
  Press R while choosing your player to access the special cup screen.

**********
Thanks to:
**********
Expert Gamer, for information
Nintendo Power, for getting me hooked on the game and for info
Camelot, for making such a kick ass game
You, for reading this
cheat code central(www.cheatcc.com), for cheats
Everyone who contributed teams, your name should be mentioned above, but if 
not, thanks anyways!

