Nintendo brings us yet another Mario parody game -- Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash -- and this one features the gang in a tennis game for the Wii U. With the over-saturation of Mario titles out there, can this one separate itself from the bunch?

There aren't too many surprises here if you're familiar with any tennis game for the Wii or Wii U, as the game mechanics stay fairly the same. Mario veterans will of course also be happy to see all of the mainstay characters from the franchise with their own varying playing styles.

Here's what the critics had to say about the game.

Nintendo Everything

Nintendo Everything felt that the game would have done better had it stuck to a more simple template instead of ushering in a whole bunch of features.

"Comparing the game to Pong isn't entirely negative though- Pong is fun! It endeared people for good reason, and it's in the same ways that Ultra Smash might give you some amount of enjoyment. But Pong was committed to its simplicity; it was black and white, and not all that noisy (sure, it was because of technical limitations, but still) whereas Ultra Smash is nearly just as vacuous, but wears a shiny coat. All of the extra modes, all of the shiny giant characters, the enormous selection of nine identically rectangular courts- it's all to make something small and unimpressive seem bigger and more important. It's the game version of an unremarkable child wearing a big, cheap suit."

IGN

IGN is unsatisfied with the game's lack of modes and unlockables to make this feel like a true Mario game.

"Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash is as stripped-down a Nintendo sports game as I've ever played. The absence of modes, unimpressive unlockables, and tiring hook offer very little reason to keep playing. Sure, it's pretty, but that's about all it has going for it."

Gamespot

Gamespot doesn't feel there's enough content in the game for players to become engaged.

"Considered as a whole, Ultra Smash does just enough to get by. At moments it shines and at others it frustrates, but mostly it just coasts. Without substantial content to drive longevity, you may end up switching back to Mario Kart sooner than later, but if you're playing online -- or better yet, with your friends at home -- you'll likely overcome the game's frustrations and squeeze a solid few hours of fun out of its fast-paced, power-up-driven action."

Shack News

Shack News feels that the 3DS version of the game provided more of a compete package than the Wii U version.

"Mario Tennis' transition to the Wii U feels like one step forward and two steps back. The addition of Mega Mushrooms is clever enough, but the game doesn't commit to the idea of power-ups enough to sustain it. Meanwhile the no-frills package feels so anemic that I was burned out on the experience after only a few hours. If you want a great Mario Tennis game, stick with the better, cheaper, and more complete 3DS version."