Mario Tennis Aces Serves Balance Updates And Changes, Nerfs Bowser Jr. In 1.2.0 Update

Mario Tennis Aces just got its latest update that adds game balance updates and various changes, including another nerf for Bowser Jr., and more for Adventure and Swing Modes.

Here are the full patch notes from Nintendo:

Version 1.2.0

Game Balance Updates

• We have increased the minimum energy level used for a Zone Shot serve from 25% to 30%. 33% energy is still needed in order to trigger the shot.
• We have shortened the distance a character is pushed back when returning a shot that pushes the opponent to the back of the court, such as a Max Charge Shot.
  • The player can reduce the impact of being pushed back by returning a Topspin and Lob with a Slice, a Slice with a Topspin, and a Flat with a Flat.
• We have adjusted the way the ball bounces back when hitting the center mast on the Savage Sea court.

Additional Settings

• Options: Players can now switch the controls of Trick Shots to use only the Right Stick.
  • When holding the Joy-Con sideways, you can complete a Trick Shot by pressing up on the directional buttons (or the Y button) twice, regardless of the settings.
• Free Play: You can now choose Stadium Only when entering search conditions when searching for players online via Invite Anyone.
• We have added Full (6-game, 1-set match) to Free Play and Swing Mode.

Changes to Adventure Mode

• It is now possible to retry a mission without returning to the world map after failing.
• You can now retry a mission while from the pause menu without quitting the mission.
• How to Play: It is now easier to hit a Block during the tutorial.
• Forest Practice Court: We have adjusted the charge amount of the opponent’s Charge Shot.
• Detour: We have adjusted the charge amount of the opponent’s Charge Shot and likelihood of using a Zone Shot.
• Savage Sea: We have adjusted the charge amount of the opponent’s Charge Shot and likelihood of using a Zone Shot.

Changes to Swing Mode

• Rally Challenge: The Smash Point will not appear during Rally Challenge in Swing Mode.
• The image showing how to hold the Joy-Con is now a video demonstrating how to hold it.

Fixes to Online Tournament Ratings

• Your rating will no longer go up when you lose a match.
  • When you win a match, your rating will not go down, and when you lose a match, your rating will not go up. Your rating will change based on the result of the match, but the amount it changes will be based on your opponent’s rating and on the content of the match. (The change may also be zero.)
• If the software is forcibly closed during a match, your number of losses will increase, and your rating will go down by 0.5%.
  • If multiple intentional disconnections are detected, they may not be reflected in your ranking.
• Starting with the August 2018 tournament, the ability to sort by rating will be added to the ranking board.
  • Along with this, the ranking board for total accumulated points will no longer display rating. You will be able to check your own rating for the month of July by looking at Results on the left-hand side of the tournament display.
• At the start of each new month, your starting rating will change based on results from play the previous month. (This will be reflected as of the change from July to August.)
  • Rating of 2,000 or less – starts at 2,000
  • Rating between 2,000 and 2,500 – rating stays the same
  • Rating above 2,500 – 1/10th of the amount over 2,500 will be added to 2,500 to determine the rating
  • Note: If you did not play the previous month, or if any irregular data is discovered, your rating will be reset to 2,000.

Changes to Character Abilities

• • The abilities of certain characters have been changed.

Other Changes

• Fixed an issue where the “Too Early” block timing indicator would appear when you are not pressing a shot button, while using a Trick Shot to return a ball from a Zone Shot or another Special Shot.
  • It is possible to block the ball from a Zone Shot or another Special Shot by pressing the shot button with good timing, even when while using a Trick Shot.
• Fixed an issue where it became easy to succeed at a normal block during a 1-point rally in the period between a perfectly timed Trick Shot and the next shot that was not a perfectly timed Trick Shot.
  • Your energy gauge will refill greatly when you hit a Trick Shot with the best timing possible.
  • This issue will not occur during Zone Speed or blocks performed during Trick Shots.
• Fixed an issue where the energy gauge would show as yellow instead of red when your remaining energy is between 1/3rd and very little.
• Fixed an issue in online tournaments where the character icon was horizontally inverted as it entered the tournament display block on the right side.
• Fixed an issue where the game would stop when connectivity was especially poor during local wireless or Internet matches.
• Fixed various issues related to the display of text.

Mario Tennis Aces is available on the Nintendo Switch.