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 Virtua
Tennis 2009 (Playstation 3)
Sega's long-running Virtua Tennis series returns on PS3 with another
enjoyable installment that offers the usual solid gameplay mechanics,
excellent ball physics, intuitive controls plus an array of challenging
mini-games. Players can choose to play as one of dozens of real-life
tennis superstars including Nadal, Venus Williams and Roger Federer, each
of which mirrors their actual counterparts in terms of style and ability.
You can go with quick arcade-style matches and or build up your ranking in
World Tour mode. This isn't the most innovative sports title on the
market, but Virtua Tennis 2009 delivers an entertaining and exciting
sports experience. |
Most major sports titles in the current generation measure their progress
by becoming increasingly complicated and elaborate with each installment,
throwing more complex controls and techniques at players. Sega's Virtua
Tennis has long taken a more straightforward approach. It has never lost
sight of the simple pleasures that the sport offers for gamers, and this
is what makes it so appealing. The simple rules, intuitive play mechanics
and easy to learn on-court techniques have thrilled players since the
Dreamcast era remain this time around. Even though the latest edition
doesn't stray too far from these roots, there are a few additional modes
and extras to help keep things current. While the graphics engine isn't
mind-blowing, the game's crisp, HD visuals look razor sharp, yet also
simple with a straightforward presentation that allows you to focus on the
action. There are three basic camera angles to choose from - the standard
tilted perspective, a close in perspective and one that puts you right on
the court. As usual, the player renders look solid, with good
representations of each giving the game a sense of realism. While the
animations aren't as smooth as HD contemporaries, the graphics engine
effectively brings Virtua Tennis to life. Players can select from one of
two dozen athletes including Federer, Nadal and Venus Williams. It seems
like a fairly small roster of players, but there's enough variety in terms
of style and approach to make for a balanced game. Each player is ranked
in terms of speed, power and running, so you can see how they match up and
tailor your strategies accordingly. There are several levels of difficulty
available, and the challenge they present depends on what level you
choose. At the earlier stages, they're fairly easy to defeat but, in the
harder levels, they're much more aggressive with attacks, making for some
long matches with extended volleys. The gameplay is simple and fluid, but
offers a surprising amount of depth. Once you get on the court, you'll
discover a variety of techniques and skills to master.
You have three basic shots at your
disposal - Slice, Lob and Top Spin. Each of these directs the ball in
different ways, and knowing which one to use at certain points allow you
to take the advantage. A top spin shot is used as a forward hand move that
makes the ball move vertically and at high speed. This can be quite
effective if you learn to return them quickly. If you find yourself behind
the ball, you can use a lob to defensively move the ball back to the other
player, which moves at a slower speed, but also allows you to regroup. In
order to keep your opponents moving on the court, you can throw a Lob over
their heads, which makes them run to catch and keeps them off their game.
As you'd expect, the pacing of each match depends on your opponent's skill
level. Easier opponents don't take quite as much effort to defeat, while
more skilled players keep up a relentless pace, which gives you less
reaction time. If you've never played it before, Virtua Tennis' intuitive
controls make picking up the game fairly simple. You move the player
around using the analog stick while three face buttons are assigned
different shot types. Serving is fairly simple as well, just wait for the
shot bar and press the button and the first volley is thrown. Most players
should have little trouble with the game's interface, which remains
consistent with earlier installments of the series, making this one of the
more accessible sports titles out there.
 One
of the trademarks of the series has always been its mini-games and this
installment doesn't disappoint. There are a dozen of these included this
time around with varied themes and challenges. They range from a pirate
themed one where the object is to shoot volleys back and sink them while
avoiding their cannon balls to the infamous Avalanche mode where you have
to shoot smaller balls while avoiding the bigger ones, and a pool-themed
one where you have to shoot tennis balls to knock pool balls into the
correct sockets. These add a lot of replay value to the game, making for
some fun and entertaining party action. Players can choose to play these
individually or in the game's World Tour mode. In addition to solo-play,
Virtua Tennis 2009 offers a deeper gameplay mode where you can work your
way up the rankings by progressing through a series of challenges. You
begin by creating a custom avatar and entering amateur tournaments, and
can also access a few mini-games and tutorial modes including a tennis
academy. As you work your way up the rankings, you'll earn points that can
be redeemed for additional items, such as tennis outfits to customize your
character. In addition, progressing through the ranks also unlocks
additional playable tennis stars, courts and challenges. While it mirrors
the tour modes in previous games, it definitely adds a lot of depth to the
gameplay and increases the game's replay value substantially.
Additionally, Virtual Tennis 2009 supports several online modes including
multiplayer matches, leaderboards and online matching. You can play either
against a single opponent or compete in online doubles matches. These
added features make for a robust experience whether you want a quick
arcade-style match or want something deeper. This balance between
accessibility and depth makes for a solid title that delivers what you'd
expect.
Not much has changed with the series
over the years. While it's still an appealing game with solid play
mechanics and a surprisingly high amount of replay value, those who played
previous installments will probably find many familiar elements. With its
easy to understand control interface, straightforward play mechanics,
challenging single player modes and extensive multiplayer support, Virtua
Tennis 2009 delivers a solidly entertaining sports gaming experience.
While it's visuals aren't quite as smooth as other HD sports title, the
streamlined approach allows you to focus on the action. The multiple game
modes offer a varied selection of gameplay types, allowing you to play for
quick bursts but the added depth underneath the accessible controls gives
you enough options to keep you playing for extended periods. It's not
revolutionary by any means since there aren't many truly innovative
features offered in the PS3 edition. It should be seen as more an upgrade
to previous versions with an updated roster and incremental changes
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Michael Palisano
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