Virtua Tennis
Graphically well done, but overall not too polished...
Virtua Tennis is definitely playable, well produced, interesting to sink into tennis game; it's fully 3D, and you see the action from behind your player; but, overall, the entire game does a very good job at being playable, without some major flaws. Gameplay wise it tethers on the old school kind of tennis game arcade build; some of the moves of the player are automated, so you just have to be at the right time at the right place, and shoot when the ball is in close proximity. This ballet of being at the right place on the field is easily done, and the controls, to this game's merit work great. But the AI controlled players all play the same, almost without variance. So, just play it in short bursts, don't overdo it; doing it like this, will definitely make the game play much more seamlessly, and more than anything it will allow you to keep on playing it for a good chunk of time and have a great experience with it. And, more than anything, it's fun, at the controls level, which few games get right. Else, download Virtua Tennis 2009, which is, in my opinion, the best PC tennis game out there, easily playable, fun, great looking and exciting with diverse and intelligent AI players!
High ranking tennis sim
Another addition to Sega's long line-up of games featuring the 'Virtua' tag, this one rather obviously turns its attentions to the world of sport and does so in pretty spectacular fashion. In fact, this is still probably one of the finest tennis sims on the market, thanks to its accessibility, tight controls and sheer fun factor. A range of players, both real and fictitious, are on display here, while a good selection of tournaments across a variety of court types is also included. The main mode is the World Circuit, where players must work their way up from being ranked 300 in the world by winning matches and completing training exercises. The training exercises are intended to be fun rather than realistic but add a nice bit of variety to the game, while there are also Arcade and Exhibition modes to throw in some more options. Any sports sim requires excellent controls, and Virtua Tennis is highly successful in this respect. Players always feel completely in charge, able to carry out a range of moves with ease and speed. Speaking of which, the game is fast, with intense rallies turning into nerve-racking battles that really capture the spirit of the sport. Visually, the game is certainly impressive, with atmospheric courts and well animated sprites hurtling around the screen at breakneck speed. Thanks to its combination of fluid gameplay, neat graphics and a wide range of options, Virtua Tennis is definitely recommended, whether you are a tennis fan or not.
