As was the case with Mario Golf, the Game Boy Color release of Mario Tennis was incredibly impressive for the era and is considered by many to be among both the best sports and Mario titles for the system. It's packed full of excellent content and provides a surprisingly authentic tennis experience to boot.

The game features multiple game types and a large cast of playable characters, including Wario and Waluigi, who could be transferred into the game by connecting it to its N64 counterpart using the Transfer Pak. It also features several mini-games, which would go on to become a staple of the series' handheld versions in the years that followed.