This article has a talk page!This page details pre-release information and/or media for Mario Tennis (Nintendo 64).
Waluigi#
During the development of Mario Tennis, the game had many classic Super Mario characters, but few were humans, and Wario did not have a partner for doubles. To this end, designer Fumihide Aoki came up with the idea to make a rival for Luigi. Shigeru Miyamoto was consulted in order to help with the design. Among the development team, names like "Jeroji", "Jinani", and "Waigi" popped up, until it was decided that the name would be "Waruīji", a portmanteau of the words "warui" (bad or evil) and "Ruīji" (Luigi). It was also decided that the character would be the extreme to Luigi's height and lean body, just as Wario is the extreme to Mario's round and short body. According to Shugo Takahashi, Yoichi Kotabe put on the finishing touches for Waluigi's final design.
Cut characters#
- A Goomba was considered for the game but was cut due to not having hands, A Goomba was eventually playable in Mario Tennis Fever making it their first playable appearance in the Mario Tennis series.
- A Whomp from Super Mario 64 was also considered as well, but got scrapped due to being rock solid and unable to bend to reach the ball.
- A Bullet Bill was also intended to be playable in the game, likely cut due to not having any feet.
- A Koopa Troopa was considered to be a playable character, but was replaced with a Paratroopa instead due the Bowser Stage's tilting mechanic. Despite this, Paratroopa's losing animation show it reverting back to a Koopa Troopa.
Wapeach#
Wapeach, a scrapped character who never made it to the final game, The idea of Wapeach was considered again for the sequel, getting a proper design and even a finished 3D model and even then only to be scrapped again.
