"Where's the love?"

Sports video games are surprisingly popular. I didn't realize so many people preferred pretending to play football than actually playing football. I guess if you aren't any good at the sport, though, it makes sense to stick to virtual reality. That doesn't mean you should compromise for something which doesn't capture the full art of the game. For the GBA, though, you may have no choice.

Graphics:
Tennis isn't about looking good. At least, that was the case before Anna Kournikova became a household name. Sticking to tradition, Virtua Tennis is a modest graphical production. The characters are 2D sprites drawn with the intent to mimic their real-life counterparts. Occasionally, it's possible to catch a glimpse of a human being in there, but I more often saw a monster eating a candy bar. No matter. The framerate is comfortably smooth. The ball is a bit tiny, however, and can easily get lost on the screen when you're sitting in a bumpy car.

Sound:
Sega has never impressed me with their music outside the Sonic Team, and Virtua Tennis is as generic as it gets. The sound effects work well, though. The clatter of feet and bouncing balls is fitting, but I'd just as well turn the volume off than worry about how this game sounds.

Gameplay:
It's tennis. You hit the ball back and forth over a net. If all you ever play are the Exhibition modes, you're going to get plenty of straight-up, solid tennis action. The game's real draw, however, is the World Tour. Here, you start by creating a male and female character (with limited templates). They start at the bottom of the ranks with no talent or skill whatsoever. You become "the best" by practicing at mini-games, entering tournaments, or buying new equipment/items with earned cash. The eight mini-games range from running around on a conveyor belt to pelting a tank with tennis balls. These games have to be played extensively to boost your different skills like power, control, and stamina. Yet not only do the games get really boring really fast, some of them are near impossible. It's a little difficult passing a target practice game when your character has no aiming skills yet (and won't until you magically beat the stupid mini-game). With the money you earn by winning matches, you can buy better equipment and other items.

Controls:
I'm used to playing the quicker and faster Mario Tennis. Virtua Tennis feels a little sluggish and unresponsive in comparison. The players, as most human players do, must accelerate to run and pull back their arm before hitting the ball. As realistic as it may be, it doesn't have a very arcade-like feel, and you really have to get used to those brief seconds of anticipation. It all works out in the end, but it's tough to master, especially when your character starts out so inept.

Frustration:
It's a little frustrating at first, because your character isn't very good. Once you've played some mini-games and won a couple matches (by sheer luck, no less), the game starts getting good. However, you really can't go far unless you enter some doubles tournaments. To do so, you'll have to recruit the help of an AI teammate. Be forewarned: these teammates are incredibly stupid. They like to hog the court and run all over the place. It never occurs to them that when you stand at the front, it means you want them to play the back. Worse yet, your teammate will sporadically decide he/she doesn't want to hit the ball and will instead run over and stand by you. What would have helped is to be able to tell the person where to stand by tapping the L or R button. Alas, such an option doesn't exist, and you'll find doubles matches to be a real pain in the neck.

Lasting Appeal:
The World Tour will take some time to beat, considering there are two characters you must build up and play with. Those doubles certainly take multiple tries, as well. Unfortunately, your characters reach a point where they are too good. The computer is no match for you anymore. It's a good thing Virtua Tennis offers a multiplayer mode. I haven't been able to try it, but four-player tennis has never failed in the past. It requires a copy from each player, though, and I doubt there are many people out there toting this game with them.

Overall:
Since there is no Mario Tennis Advance available, Virtua Tennis may be as good as it gets. The game boasts solid design and gameplay, but it does take some getting used to. The RPG-like quality of the World Tour mode is much appreciated. This, however, requires meddling with some boring and tedious mini-games. With a ridiculously unhelpful AI to boot, Virtua Tennis manages to appease the handheld tennis niche, but is not a great tennis game overall.

Points:
+ Solid tennis action
+ RPG likeness
-- Dumb mini-games
-- Frustrating doubles partner

Score: 7/10

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 02/10/05, Updated 02/10/05