Smash Court Tennis Pro Tournament
Score: 85% ESRB: Everyone Publisher: Namco Developer: Namco Media: CD/1 Players: 1 - 4 (Multitap) Genre: Sports
Graphics & Sound: As in most sports games, the most important thing for Namco to do in Smash Court was present believable computer versions of real athletes. In some cases, Namco succeeded but they could have done a much better job. Except for Monica Seles and Andre Agassi, most of the players look like everyday people. This is especially disappointing considering this is one of the first tennis games to feature every teenage boy's 'favorite' player, Anna Kournikova. It's also a little disappointing to see that all of the players use the same animation sets. The fact of the matter is that as a whole, this is just an average looking game. As far as sound goes, there's really not much to comment on. You can turn on a really low-key melody in the options, and there are some nice player introductions - but for the most part it's about as quiet as a room of mute mimes.
Gameplay: As you've probably guessed by the title, this is a tennis game - and a surprisingly good one at that. Smash Court features eight Pro-players (including Pete Sampras, Lindsay Davenport, and every male's favorite 'player' Anna Kournikova) and even though it's more of an arcade game than a sim, it's still an amazingly deep game. I'm not going to lie to you, but when I first popped this game in, I thought it was a menu-based game. I started to believe this even more when I saw that the first ten pages of the instruction manual were all about the different menus in the game. While I haven't gotten through all the menus yet, I'd be willing to bet that if you can think of it, there's probably an option for it. In addition to real-life players, Smash Court also offers four courts, such as Arthur Ashe Stadium and The Australian Open. Players can choose to compete in Exhibition, Arcade, Time Attack, and Challenge (aka Training) modes. Smash Court also offers a very fun multiplayer experience for up to four players. One of the things I picked up from Smash Court is a real appreciation for just how agile and quick you have to be to play tennis. On TV, it looks easy - just run around and hit the ball. But trying it out, even with a controller, it's amazing to see that you need enhanced Spider-Man, Jedi-like reflexes just to hang with these guys.
Difficulty: The extent of my tennis knowledge and skill stops after about five lessons in the summer when I was 10. So, understandably, I found Smash Court to be a little difficult. Smash Court is a true challenge and well - just plain hard; however, it's not so hard that you'll want to quit playing, and it helps to add a feeling of accomplishment when you win a match or a tournament. Like in real tennis, if you want to get good - expect to spend a lot of time practicing.
Game Mechanics: Smash Court controls beautifully and like so many things before it - it's easy to learn, but will take a lifetime to master fully. Perhaps the biggest piece of advice I can give anyone is to abandon the D-pad. Yes, I know some people just don't like the feel of the analog controls, but in this game it offers a much-needed smoothness to the game. Smash Court is a good tennis game, no doubt about it, however I feel it's more for fans than anything else. Unlike something like say, Mario Tennis, Smash Court feels a little to niche, which makes it hard to appreciate unless you are a fan. Other than it featuring Anna Kournikova, Smash Court lacks anything to give it a broad-based appeal. I'd suggest renting it first since this definitely isn't for everyone.
-Starscream, GameVortex Communications AKA Ricky Tucker
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