LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Virtua Tennis: Courts
built 266 days ago
Despite the quick learning curve, Virtua Tennis is deep. First time players should have no difficulty pressing the A button to return serves and volleying, and can probably hit a maximum power serve here and there. Like in Soul Calibur, though, being able to perform the basic moves does not mean you're ready to take on a master. Virtua Tennis allows you to put top- or back-spin on the ball by pressing Up or Down . With this technique you can force your opponent to chase the ball to the corner of the court, then smash his return away from him. Even after you've mastered that, you have to be able to anticipate your opponent's shots, or else you'll be diving at missed shots all day. Eventually, you'll want to be able to hit a Max power serve down the line for an ace, lob over your volleying opponent's head, and know when to charge the net and when to stay on the baseline.
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Even with this simplicity, Virtua Tennis provides the full tennis experience. You can hit the ball anywhere you'd like if using the analogue thumb pad (maybe digital as well - I haven't tried it out too much), and this including hitting the ball into your net or outside of the court (I can do both with much consistency, thank you very much). You can ... achieve varying shot strength by pushing forward or backward on the thumb pad just before and after contact with the ball. The only trick is that due to the simplified control setup, the Dreamcast chooses what exactly your player does, be it reaching overhead for a smash, diving for a ball, reaching around the back for a definite crowd pleaser, or some other fancy-smanshy move (I managed to make Courier hit the ball between his legs a couple of times).
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The graphics in Virtua Tennis is adequate but not awe inspiring. The courts look very good, with realistic marks from the balls being hit, and from the normal view, characters look fine. However, cardboard looking audience, and mediocre looking character models make the graphics on this game lacking slightly.
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VIRTUA TENNIS from Sega is essentially a graphically splendid, feature-rich take on the SNES classic SUPER TENNIS. You can choose one of several real-life tennis pros, select Singles or Doubles mode, and make your ball-bouncing way through levels of ever-increasing challenge. Controlling your swing and ball direction is simple and elegant: one button is used for normal swings and one button is for lobs, and you control the direction of your shot with the analog stick. The duration of the button press determines how powerful your shot is, meaning you have control over every element of every shot. Compete in Exhibition mode against your friends and watch the multiplayer mayhem ensue, and engage in Four-Player Doubles matches that are court-crowding parties of sporting madness. Customize the rules for victory, enjoy a slew of mini-games (like knocking down cans and hitting bulls-eyes), spend your winnings in the tennis shop (contract partners, buy stylish outfits), and unlock hidden players.
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If you've ever played a Virtua Tennis game before, you've got a pretty good idea of how this iteration sounds. Cheesy guitar rock plays during the menus and matches; some people will love it, others will loathe it. Sound effects are spot-on, though some of the player grunting and yelling is a bit obnoxious. The crowds react appropriately to what's happening on the court, and there are PA announcers that give the score in their countries' native tongue, which is a nice touch.
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