Mario becomes fixated on the ball’s spin as it floats toward him. Up to this point, the rally had been impeccable, dealing damaging blow after blow to their menacing foe. Now, it was all up to Mario to finish the job. Missing this opportunity would leave his team vulnerable to a counter-attack, which was not an option seeing as Luigi’s low health had him teetering on the point of collapse.

With his feet firmly dug in, Mario pulls back his racket, takes a deep breath, and swings with all his strength. The impact is mighty, causing the ball to propel forward as if it were a heat-seeking missile. Direct hit! Mario, Luigi, and Paper Mario throw up their hands in triumph, permitting themselves a brief moment of celebration before moving on with their quest.