WTA Tour Tennis

"A solid simulation"

First off, let me state that I intend to evaluate this game on it's own merits, not based on a comparison to other games(namely Smash Court Tennis). I wrote a review of Smash Court on this site, so you can consult that for more information. That being said, let us proceed:

Graphics(8.5/10):

The graphics are fairly good, actually. Stadiums are realistically represented. The players look good, for the most part resembling their real-life counterparts. The animation is fluid. The overall presentation is great. Random stats will appear on the screen from time to time during the course of the match, breaking down winners, unforced errors, aces, smashes, etc. The replays are non interactive, but diverse enough to be entertaining. The players towel off and drink water between sets, just like in a real match. On some points, the players even protest with the chair umpire about a close call. This game just oozes ambiance.

Sound(9/10):

The sound is nothing short of excellent. The chair umpires and line judges are realistically portrayed. The scuffling of shoes on the court and the sound of the racquet connecting the ball are well done. The crowds are very realistically portrayed. They hoot, cheer, gasp, and even call out player names (even in the middle of an intense point, just like in real tennis). The players even grunt realistically (particularly Seles, who is represented in all of here patented glory). Well done, Konami.

Basic Gameplay(8.5/10):

This game is basically a limited WTA Tour simulation. The speed of the game is medium pace (as opposed to blazingly fast). You can't create your own player, alas. You must choose from one of 20 available pros, ranging from the best in the world(Jennifer Capriati) to some up and comers(Alexandra Stevenson). There are several game modes, each supporting both singles and doubles play:

(1) Tour Mode-the meat and potatoes of the game, where the player chooses one of the 20 pros to enter several tournaments, with the goal being to unlock the Grand Slams, win lots of prize money, and attain the number one ranking. Each match is a best-of-three set affair, just like in the real world. Since there are only 20 possible players, the most people in a draw can be 16 (at least that's all I've seen so far) without repeating players. Therefore, there can only be four rounds per tournament, maximum. Sorry, but there are no 128 player (7 round) Grand Slams here. The game would have been far superior if there were more players (I would say at least the top 200) and the draw was comprised randomly from that list, based on the prestige of the particular tournament in question. I don't know how much this would have cost Konami, though, in terms of licensing fees. One important thing that merits mentioning is that you can't save in the middle of a tournament, only after it is over. You can, however, have a rematch if you lose. I'm pretty sure that there are ten tournament venues in the game.
(2) Tournament Mode-in this mode you can pick a venue, set up the draw (up to 32 players, so five rounds max, with 12 repeated players), and play out the tournament. Simple enough...
(3) Exhibition Mode-you pick two players (or four for doubles), choose the number of games/set (1-6) and sets/match(1-5) and go to it.

One thing that I find very lacking is the fact that there is no practice/training mode. The controls are quite hard (more on that later), and very unforgiving to a newbie. The only way to effectively learn the controls is to play an exhibition match. Not very intuitive, Konami.

One final note: I read on Gamespot that there were supposedly some performance/slowdown issues during doubles matches. As of now, my playing time has been restricted solely to singles (so I can neither confirm nor deny this). Bear in mind that this is also the same reviewer who stated that you can't lob in the game (which is totally false), so take that as you will.

Controls(7.5/10-mostly due to lack of any practice/training mode):

There are two types of controls, easy and expert. In easy mode, the computer automatically selects the best shot for the player, based on the situation. This often results in weak shots. It is far better to learn the expert mode from the start, though it is called expert mode for a reason.

The control scheme for ground strokes is as follows:

(1) You position your player in a good position to return the ball, then you press one of the shot buttons (slice, flat, topspin, or lob). This will begin your back swing.
(2) Now, you use the left analog stick to aim your shot.
(3) Finally, as your player is about to connect the ball, press the shot button again. If done properly, this will maximize power.

Serving is similar, except you choose the serve type (slice/spin/flat), instead.

Believe me, proper timing makes a huge difference in this game. The control is very difficult at the start, but ultimately rewarding once mastered. Please note that you CAN (and will) make unforced errors in this game. If you shoot for an insane angle, there is a good chance you will hit the ball out. Each player has distinct ratings, so Capriati will make fewer errors than some 186th ranked up and comer. Once again, let me reaffirm that it will simply take time and lots of practice to conquer the controls. This game has a learning curve, so if you are not a patient player, then it may not be the right choice for you.

Bottom Line:

This game has a lot going for it. The gameplay is deep and robust. The overall presentation is excellent. The controls are good, but require patience. The only bad things are the limited number of players (which restricts the tournaments) and the lack of a practice mode. Give this game a try, and you may find yourself pleasantly surprised.

(8/10)-My tilt 8.5

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 04/08/02, Updated 04/08/02