Sega Sports Tennis

by Sega

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0000664J7
• Item Weight: 8 ounces
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: July 30, 2002
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,425 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

The Dreamcast's Virtua Tennis was a hit because of its gently climbing learning curve and compelling TV-style presentation. Its sequel, Sega Sports Tennis for the PlayStation2, retains everything that was great about that original game and improves it with 16 male and female tennis stars (including cover girls Venus and Serena Williams), three difficulty settings, and a create-a-player feature.

At first, playing the game is almost as simple as Pong: Move your character toward the ball and press a button. Provided they're close enough to the ball, they should be able to return the volley. To progress through the increasingly tough challengers, though, players will need to learn how to direct the ball, perform lobs and smashes, and use finesse with topspins and backspins.

The game still has a few areas that could be improved. First, there's no way to change the court perspective--one side of the court is always in the foreground, the other in the background. It's easier to play the game when your character is right in front of you, but the characters switch sides between games in the set. It makes sense in the two-player game, since having the camera move with the character would require a split-screen arrangement, but gamers should at least have the option of staying with their tennis pro during computer matches. The only other complaint is that while Sega Sports Tennis has an excellent two-player game--with both the singles and cooperative or competitive doubles--there are no three- or four-player options, as there were in the Dreamcast version. Granted, there are only two controller slots on the PS2, but plenty of other games get around this by using the Multitap accessory.

Still, even with only two at a time, Sega Sports Tennis is a great party game since the matches are short and anyone--even those who know nothing about tennis and have never played a video game in their lives--can pick up this game and have fun. --Porter B. Hall

Pros:

• Easy to pick up and play
• Gentle learning curve
• TV-style presentation
• Competitive and cooperative 2-player doubles

Cons:

• Fixed court perspective
• No 3- or 4-player option

Product Description

This is the game Sega Sports Tennis for the Playstation 2. This game may not come with the original case and instructions. We stand by our products and offer a 60 day guarantee. If a game does not work within 60 days from the time you receive it we will gladly exchange it for you.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Tennis Game Ever!, April 21, 2002

By 

ffootballguru27 - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sega Sports Tennis (Video Game)

Sega turned another one of its great Dreamcast sports games into an even better PS2 game. This game is pretty much the same as the Dreamacst version, but still a whole lot of fun. This game has not only 8 men but also has 8 women players. The players include Patrick Rafter, Yevgeny Kafelnikov, Tommy Haas, Venus Williams, Serena Williams, Lindsay Davenport and Monica Seles.

The gameplay is amazing. There are 3 buttons you use. One is for a lob shot, one is for a smash shot and the other is just a regular old shot. You really only need to use two buttons (the joystick and the A button).

The graphics are way better than 2000's Virtua Tennis (for the Dreamcast) and are even better than most of the other 2K2 games. Each player resembles it's real-life counterpart very well and any tennis fan can pick them out. The graphics are so realistic that their clothes and shoes look exactly like what they do in real-life. The courts are also very realistic and their are more than a dozen more different courts.

There are 3 modes: World Tour, Exhibition and Tournament. In World Tour you pick a player and participate in a variety of singles and doubles matches as well as many fun bonus games like in Virtua Tennis. You earn money when you win or do good in the bonuses to use to buy more equipment or courts. In Exhibition you just pick two players and serve away in just one match. In tournament mode you pick one player and face off against the rest of the men or women and player in a series of games until you either win the championship or lose.

Some more cool things are that you can actually understand the PA announcer and when you hit a ball into the net the ball boys run out and retrieve the balls. Also when you hit a ball out of the court near the wall the people standing there will avoid the balls by moving out of the way instead of standing like statues.

Also the players are every detailed. Monica Seles grunts when she hits the ball and after you win your player has a big smile and after you lose they look very mad and disappointed and are ready to throw their rackets.

The only things missing are some of the players like Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, Martina Hingis and Jennifer Capriti.

This game is a must-have for any owner of a PS2 who is a tennis fan.

Gameplay: 5/5
Graphics 5/5
Controls: 4/5
Overall: 5/5

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best tennis game out..sigh..., January 29, 2003

By 

Kang (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sega Sports Tennis (Video Game)

It's the best, alright. But its competition is...well, none existent, really.

What I liked about the game was its attention to detail. Unlike other tennis title, your character actually developes in skill. At first, your ground strokes and serves are pathetically slow. Fortunately, so is the footwork of your opponents. There are alot of training games you can play (it's more of a mini-game) to improve our skills. Want to have a blazing serve? Then 'train' in either the serve bowling game or the shoot for prize game.

There are 2 training games for each skills, which include: groundstrokes, volleys, footwork, and serve. Those 4 sets of skills are also divided into individual sub-skill sets. For example, on your serve, you have power and control skills sets. And for your ground strokes, you have power, control, and angel, all divided into left and right hand groups.

You gain rank by playing and beating your opponent. At first, there won't be much tournaments you'll be able to attend to due to your low ranking. Soon, however, after much training, you'll be able to attend the top tournaments, such as Wimbeldon and U.S. Open.

Now the dislikes...you don't improve your skill by playing matches. Training in those mini games is mandatory, instead of something to pass time on. I'd also loved to have a realistic partner training to improve your skills. Also, as with every other tennis game I played...the service is a joke. I have nearly maxed out my service yet I have only scored a couple aces. Serve a power service going 120mph, and your opponent not only returns it with ease, they'll return it with such pace and angle, you're left playing catch up the whole point. It also goes the same for your opponents service. The only time they get aces is when I pretty much let them.

Also, due to the lack of skill improvement by playing actual matches, attaining the top 10 rank will take too much time. It took me over 10 years to attain that rank!

Hopefully sega will release a new version in the near future that addresses many of the finer points.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is the best TENNIS game out right now!, September 14, 2003

By 

"marsupial24" (Indianapolis, IN United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sega Sports Tennis (Video Game)

I'm not even into tennis, but I have played several different tennis games (both on PS and PS2). Sega Sport Tennis outplays the other games without hesitation. The play is so much smoother, faster and EXTREMELY EASY. You don't have to be a tennis pro to play this game!! I love to play the pro tour mode... and go through all the training and matches to see my player move up in the ranks. Everyone I have ever talked to who has played this game, including me, has become horribly addicted to it. You sit down to play a few minutes and realize that several hours have flown by!!! It truly is a fun game to play by yourself or with another!!:)