In 2000, a tennis game by the name
of Virtua Tennis for the Sega Dreamcast took the video-game industry by storm.
Up until this point, the only viable option for tennis fans was Mario Tennis.
Virtua Tennis marked a new era for the genre, boasting realistic physics and
mind-blowing visuals for the time. A little over a year later, a sequel was
released. While the formula was generally left untouched, the title was
extremely well-received by fans and critics alike. Virtua Tennis 3 is the third
installment in Sega’s innovative tennis series. Much akin to Tennis 2K2 for the
Dreamcast, not a whole lot has been altered. Does the formula hold up, even in a
time where there’s heated competition such as the Top Spin franchise?
Xbox 360 owners currently have two
options to get their tennis fix: Top Spin 2 and Virtua Tennis 3. The former is
home to a simulation-style gameplay, while Virtua Tennis 3 stays true to its
predecessors by offering an arcade alternative that still pays reverence to the
great sport of tennis.
World Tour, Virtua Tennis’
highly-acclaimed career mode, returns for yet another set. I’m happy to report
it’s as enjoyable as ever, complete with insanely addictive and immersive
mini-games and RPG-inspired training exercises. The primary goal with the
mini-games and training courses is to develop your custom character into an
all-around powerhouse. Luckily, gamers will have a blast accomplishing this
objective. Your overall aim in World Tour mode is to become the number-one
ranked player in professional tennis. This feat is achievable by winning both
singles and doubles tournaments. In doubles tournaments, you will have to select
a partner from one of the available pros.
The pro list is as follows – Male:
Roger Federer, Andy Roddick, Rafael Nadal, David Nalbandian, Tim Henman, Tommy
Haas, James Blake, Lleyton Hewitt, Mario Ancic, Taylor Dent, Juan Carlos Ferrero,
Sebastian Grosjean, Gael Monfils; Female: Maria Sharapova, Lindsay Davenport,
Venus Williams, Amelie Mauresmo, Daniela Hantuchova, Nicole Vaidisova, Martina
Hingis. In World Tour mode, you can only pair players of like genders, so choose
accordingly when creating your character in the beginning.
In regard to Virtua Tennis 3’s
create-a-player feature, you will have a number of options to shape your champ,
including style of play, hair, height, weight, and mouth shape. To be completely
honest though, Top Spin 2 had a much more extravagant and precise
create-a-player mode. The one presented here isn’t too shabby, but don’t expect
to be able to mold your character into anything you desire.
The main draw of this series,
without a question, is its mini-games. There are 12 in total, and each and every
one is a ravishingly fun occurrence – from Pin Crusher, otherwise known as
bowling in the form of tennis, to Avalanche, where you’ll have to avoid rolling
oversize tennis balls while collecting fruit for a high score. Other, more
generic mini-games do exist, such as the self-explanatory Bull’s Eye, but the
bulk of them provide pleasurable challenges anyone can sink their teeth into.
One of the main issues I had with
Top Spin 2 was the inability to partake in its mini-games without two
controllers. While the same may be true on the surface here, all of the
mini-games available via multiplayer make an appearance in World Tour mode. One
disappointment, however, is that none of the mini-games are playable online.
This could have been true standout feature if executed correctly, but alas, Sega
chose to keep their online aspect relatively simplistic.
Upon jumping onto the Xbox Live
portion of Virtua Tennis 3, you’ll have the option to either participate in a
ranked or unranked match. As opposed to Top Spin 2, you can play as any
professional as well as your custom character in ranked games. In addition to
these two choices, you will be given the ability to watch other matches, as well
as the day’s best highlights and a channel dedicated to the highest ranked
players. Those familiar with Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis will know what
to anticipate with this mode, which is frankly only worth checking out for the
achievement points.
Earlier in the review, I made
mention of this being a more arcade-style tennis game. This is due to two
reasons: controls and physics. Starting with the controls, they’re exceedingly
basic. You have your slice shots (X/B), top spin shot (A), and lob (Y). Drop
shots can be executed by pulling a slice shot while aiming toward the front of
your opponent’s net. The second reason is the often wacky physics. When I first
booted up the game, I was taken aback by how high and unrealistically the ball
bounces.
Graphically, Virtua Tennis 3
possesses some of the best character models in a tennis game. On the downside,
the courts and environments are average at best. Additionally, the court
selection isn’t all that spectacular. I would’ve liked to have seen some fantasy
courts, especially taking into account the game’s arcade nature.
The audio is, hands down, the worst
facet of the title. The music sounds like something out of a 1960s sci-fi film.
In other words, it’s extremely annoying and repetitive. Sound-effects are well
below average as well. The crowd literally sounds as if they’re a broken record,
as they make the same expression every single point.
At the end of the day, Virtua Tennis
3 holds true to its highly-touted reputation. It provides solid online
multiplayer, a career mode bursting with life, and addictive mini-games fans
have come to expect. You’ll need to put the sound on mute or throw on a custom
soundtrack, but otherwise you’re looking at one of the best tennis games to
date.
Review Scoring Details for Virtua Tennis 3 |
Gameplay: 8.2
It’ll take some time getting used to, but once you’re acclimated you’re in
for a real treat.
Graphics: 7.1
Nothing to write home about, but the character models are close enough to
their real-life counterparts.
Sound: 6.5
There’s no beating around the bush, Virtua Tennis 3 contains a horrendous
soundtrack and terrible sound-effects.
Difficulty: Medium
World Tour begins fairly easy, but as you progress it becomes tougher and
tougher. Online competition is downright fierce.
Concept: 8.0
Sequel or not, I welcome tennis games with open arms. It’s a much-needed
mix-up from what we’re used to seeing released nowadays.
Multiplayer: 8.1
VT3’s Xbox Live portion doesn’t attempt anything out of the ordinary, but it
gets the job done. Lag is unnoticeable on most connections.
Overall: 8.2
Taking into account how much Virtua Tennis 3 offers, it’s hard not to
recommend.
