Nintendo Switch's Mario Tennis Release Date, More Details Confirmed At New Direct

As teased earlier this week, Nintendo shared more information on Mario Tennis Aces during today's Nintendo Direct presentation. We learned a ton of new details about the upcoming Switch sports game, including when it'll release around: June 22.

On top of basic actions like topspin, slices, and lobs, Mario Tennis Aces introduces new Zone Shots. These allow you to pinpoint any spot you want to aim at on the court using motion controls. They're also really powerful and can damage an opponent's racket if they're hit with one. Get hit by three Zone Shots and your racket will break completely, resulting in an automatic forfeit. Zone Shots are not all-powerful, however, as they can be stopped by a block.

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In addition to Zone Shots, Mario Tennis Aces features a new mechanic called Zone Speed. This slows down the action around you, allowing you to move around the court in seemingly high-speed. Zone Shots and Zone Speed are fueled by a new energy gauge, which fills up the longer you keep a rally going. You can also perform Trick Shots to quickly jump to a ball that got away from you or unleash a powerful Special Shot, which can potentially break an opponent's racket in one hit.

If you prefer a more traditional tennis experience, Mario Tennis Aces also allows you to play using simple rules. The game supports online multiplayer for up to four players, and you can win special outfits and additional characters for playing online. Prior to its release, Nintendo will hold a pre-launch online tournament that allows players to play 1v1 matches online. Date and timing details for that will be revealed later.

Aces is the first new installment in the series since 2015's Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash for Wii U. It also marks the first Mario Tennis game since the Game Boy Advance entry, Mario Tennis: Power Tour, to feature a single-player story mode.

Mario Tennis Aces was first revealed during the surprise Nintendo Direct Mini presentation that aired back in January. The game is developed by Camelot, the studio behind the Golden Sun series and numerous other Mario Sports titles.

Nintendo revealed a ton of new Switch and 3DS titles during today's Direct presentation, including a Splatoon 2 expansion and a Luigi's Mansion remake. You can see all of the biggest announcements from the broadcast in our Nintendo Direct news roundup.