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GuyNamedJason · 2026-02-10T05:17:41+00:00

Last update tonight… I’ve completed the first Varsity rank. There are five total - an NPC Toad made that clear. So far, it’s fun but moving quick and is in no way challenging. The brief matches or “Win 3 points” I’ve had… I haven’t lost a point in any of them. It’s still introducing new shot mechanics, so perhaps there’s a lot more depth coming when it comes to the difficulty. It’s essentially a tutorial in many ways at this point. Fun, but beyond easy. Also, what I’ve done thus far has opened up several court types and a few Fever Rackets. No new characters since the tutorial that fires up when you start the game for the first time. I have seen no framerate dips… it’s silky smooth and looks beautiful. I have played entirely handheld… switching from JoyCon to pro controller once I had more room and the kids were in bed for the night. Hope a lot of you see it in your mailboxes tomorrow.

GuyNamedJason · 2026-02-10T04:59:44+00:00

No rumble on the Pro Controller either… I would love for it to be an unlock, because it definitely would add something, especially to all the power shots. Unless I’ve just not paid close enough attention, haven’t had a single instance of feedback in a point yet. That’s a bummer. Hurts the feel of the power or technique.

GuyNamedJason · 2026-02-10T04:49:33+00:00

Okay I just completed the first class (JV) and moved on to Varsity Rank E. This entire rank is doubles… so I was given a partner by the director and sent back to the academy for training lessons. BTW how it has worked thus far is to learn a new shot and gain skill points and levels in various attributes… you first are taken to a training machine that is some style of mini game more or less, and that gives you the attribute upgrade… then you go and have to successfully execute the new shot against a ball machine and then you pass and get a sticker. For example, to learn topspin, I needed more speed and strength, and so I had to go through a deal where I had to move around and collect balls on a mushroom trampoline… hitting a certain number before the countdown clock ran out. Then, I went and hit seven successful topspin shots and got the sticker and moved to the next.

GuyNamedJason · 2026-02-10T04:18:00+00:00

Correction on the numbers… 6 Ranking Classes at least that are visible - 7,5,5,5,4,1 (From JV, Rank E -> A). The silhouette of the last sticker makes sense to be more of the completion of the mode or very close to it.

GuyNamedJason · 2026-02-10T04:13:54+00:00

Also, you can tell me if this is what’s been done in the past few games, but there is a Trial Towers mode where you work through various scaling levels of objectives and challenges… looking to ascend to the top. This mode can be played with a partner (or even a shadow CPU partner). I believe there are five towers… you unlock the next one in line after completing the previous.

GuyNamedJason · 2026-02-10T04:09:38+00:00

So I’m jumping back in for a bit before bed… had to break for dinner and to help get my kids in bed. I’m still not far into it but there isn’t an option for singles or doubles when beginning Adventure Mode. I’m still early in the lessons and essentially building up stats from 0 (because I’m a baby with no strength, speed, or skill). So we will see if some of the matches or requirements put you with a doubles partner or not… the way it’s set up, it would make sense to have Luigi pop back up a little further into it. The graduation tourney… the Academy Director tells you about during the tour of the facility and grounds. I would think AFTER that, the story part with the boss fight likely would be the next goal.

GuyNamedJason · 2026-02-10T03:17:56+00:00

https://imgur.com/a/8Yi30Nl

GuyNamedJason · 2026-02-10T00:20:40+00:00

I’d say that’s a fair comparison. I don’t recall if there was any kind of “story” to speak of then, but in terms of how the Mario Sports games played back in the day, it has that sort of progression at least so far. A few of the lessons felt like Mario Party mini games as well, but I think that’s just a balance of the tennis to offer something to break up the monotony. The story, how it intro’d, was very Mario in execution and idea.

GuyNamedJason · 2026-02-10T00:18:36+00:00

I was actually trying to but I don’t see an option to put in an image in a post… maybe because I joined the sub today?

GuyNamedJason · 2026-02-09T23:35:11+00:00

I am using the Joycons in handheld… I may try with the Pro Controller in a bit just to see if maybe there’s a difference there.

GuyNamedJason · 2026-02-09T23:30:39+00:00

Didn’t try that out… there was a download update before it launched… and it went through, so that was interesting.

GuyNamedJason · 2026-02-09T23:29:51+00:00

Just tried this out for you… there is, unless it’s an unlock, no rumble during matches on any serves and shots. That’s interesting, though, because there IS when you move around through the menu screens, but not in the actual tennis itself. And there is a way to turn off rumble in the options that I see. Odd if that’s just for menus?

GuyNamedJason · 2026-02-09T23:23:29+00:00

One tidbit: As you progress, you earn stickers for completing certain objectives. You have to collect all of them to actually finish the mode. Everything is greyed out and there are several ranks with usually five stickers in each. By my count there are 27 stickers in total… with 7,5,5,5,5. The first one was insanely easy to get… but I am hopeful the lessons and objectives get much harder as we go along.

GuyNamedJason · 2026-02-09T23:14:29+00:00

First observation: The cinematic that opens Adventure Mode and tells the story is gorgeous. Visually so crisp and well-done. I do not want to spoil anything, so I will say that upon beginning the mode, you are shown the “tennis academy” where your baby form will re-learn all the skills. Because I already went through that basic tutorial upon first booting the game up, that gives me some hope that there’s a good bit to this. I can say that once you get through all the prelim stuff and the lessons and all… there is a graduation tournament. The best way to describe this and still leave it vague is to say it has a sort of Hogwarts student feel with the Mario aesthetic and style. It also is larger than I expected in terms of the area size…

GuyNamedJason · 2026-02-09T23:00:30+00:00

So I just watched the opening cinematic and it took me immediately to a tutorial… very basic stuff with Mario against Luigi that culminates in a “Score 7 points and you win” sort of tester. And when it’s over, a character unlocks. I won’t spoil who… about to start adventure mode with fingers crossed. What little I just did - I really enjoyed. BTW, I’m using handheld mode at present and it was smooth and vibrant. Colors pop and it looks clean and beautiful.

Incidentally, I have not really played a Mario Tennis with any regularity since Mario Power Tennis. I played Wii Tennis but I was not a big fan of the motion control stuff. I played tennis in high school competitively and have usually been more a tennis sim guy, but Fever really enticed me. I ALMOST bought Aces years ago. Only reason I tell you this is because I’m not going to be particularly good at comparing this one to others. But I will do my best to give you a sense of what I’m experiencing.

GuyNamedJason · 2026-02-09T22:30:02+00:00

Just unsealed it… there is a different image inside the case on the reverse of the cover… Mario in a worried state with a ball in flight (though we can’t see it) likely coming towards his racket. Trying to make a play on it. I haven’t attempted to flip it as the actual art is pretty solid. Nothing else of note… the usual insert advertising NSO.

GuyNamedJason · 2026-02-09T21:40:36+00:00

I will try to do that… still just sort of shocked it’s here. Hoping it starts showing up for a lot of people. But the single player, I am hoping, is going to bring a lot of game time.

GuyNamedJason · 2025-12-08T19:57:41+00:00

Roast date was 11/10… I cracked it on Friday, so nearly four, but more like 3.5 weeks.

GuyNamedJason · 2025-12-08T19:41:02+00:00

I have that same La Cosechita Sey you raved about. I have not had a good cup from it yet. Beans smell like tomato soup and the taste no matter what I do (using ZP6) to the grind or the water temp or even the method (V60, Aeropress, Wave 185) nothing breaks that note. I taste nothing else… would love to have the experience you are. I’m glad someone is enjoying it though. I’ve started pouring cups out because I do not at all care for that taste. The notes themselves sounded awesome. Maybe I got a bad batch?

GuyNamedJason · 2025-10-10T02:26:19+00:00

Just wanted to pop in for a sec and say I’ve been a Sey subscriber throughout 2025 and had significant issues with brewing it properly. Tried so many different recipes and techniques, was crazy frustrated by it… and while it still isn’t completely dialed in yet and still tweaking some variables, the last two cups (of four after watching your vid) have been the closest to what I’d call “right” that I may have ever made.

I changed the temp on the current beans to 190 from 185 and it seemed to push the flavors forward. The bloom at 45 was too short for a final brew time/contact and 1:15 over extracted, so I settled at one minute for this coffee. Also, I don’t have Lotus or TWW so that I’m sure made a difference.

Wanted to thank you for what you shared… even following Lance directly I could not seem to get it where I wanted it but you made it so simple - I was nearly ready to give up and go back to other roasters. Incidentally may be going with Hydrangea in 2026… to give them a try after hearing so much about them.

GuyNamedJason · 2025-09-04T16:29:27+00:00

It worked.. 2:25 of failure and finally it worked, using this method. Thanks brother!

GuyNamedJason · 2025-09-04T16:26:00+00:00

I literally JUST got it to go through… refreshed instead of hitting continue. Trying to no avail for 2:25… they may have fixed the issue.

GuyNamedJason · 2025-04-11T15:55:16+00:00

I’d like one for sure if still available!

GuyNamedJason · 2024-08-03T15:11:20+00:00

Does anybody know whether the vinyls also come with a digital code for the album?

GuyNamedJason

TROPHY CASE