Ever since the announcement of Mario Tennis Open late last year, fans have been clamoring for the return of an RPG mode. As more information on the game was released, it became evident that such a mode would not make it into the final product. In a recent issue of Nintendo Power, Hiroyuki Takahashi and Toshiharu Izuno sit down to answer some of the more prominent questions being asked about the game, including a question regarding the lack of an RPG mode:
NP: In the past, portable Mario Tennis titles have featured an involved, RPG-styled single-player mode. Why does this game not feature such a mode?
Takahashi: This version may be for a handheld system, but we approached it like a console title. With aspects like download matches and online matches made possible by the hardware, the game has a feature set more similar to console games. Another reason is that the game’s cast includes Mii characters in addition to characters from the Mario family, which are difficult to work into an [RPG] scenario. It didn’t feel right to have already-existent Mii characters appear in an original storyline. But there are RPG-like elements in the form of costumes. I hope people will enjoy collecting the various costumes to customize their own characters and expand their abilities.
Looks like we can put even more blame on the Miis. The lack of an RPG mode might keep some players away, but the new online features are a welcome addition.