Virtua Tennis 3
 Stumble it!
|
Since the appearance of the original Virtua Tennis title on the Sega Dreamcast, it has carved out a reputation as one of the best sports simulator titles available, and Virtua Tennis 3 looks to follow the lead set by it’s predecessors.
Tennis may not be everybody’s favorite sport, and to be honest it’s probably the favorite of very few people nowadays, particularly amongst the ranks of gamers across the globe, but there comes a time every single year - which usually coincides with the real life Wimbledon tennis tournament - were everybody loves a game of Tennis, and very few people have their own court, and your games console is the next best thing.
Virtua Tennis 3 gives you the opportunity to play Tennis at any given time without walking to your local park and waiting in line for the two old ladies to finish their match first, and many may find Virtua Tennis 3 more enjoyable than the real thing as you do not have to be an expert to do well and enjoy the game.
The gameplay is highly addictive from the outset much like it was in previous versions, allowing players of all ages and abilities to pick up and play without too much messing about. It is so addictive in fact that you do not even have to like Tennis to enjoy playing Virtua Tennis 3 because it is so much more than a Tennis simulator.
The main part of the game is the career mode which see’s you start off as an amateur player of your own creation, either male or female. You then select your home region before starting your twenty year campaign towards world domination by starting off ranked 300th place, but climbing the rankings is not as easy as you might think. You will need to build up your skills over time by training which involves playing a number of highly enjoyable minigames. Tennis School will introduce you to the basic skills you need to master, as you are given tasks to complete relating to different parts of your skill set, and if you complete the task then your level of the related skill will increase.
The minigames however offer a more enjoyable way to improve your game, with each game being based around your ground stroke, serve, footwork and your volley technique. Players of previous Virtua Tennis titles will recognise a few of the minigames from before, but most of the minigames are completely new, or at least improved versions of older minigames. One of the more enjoyable minigames is Pin Crusher which see’s you knock down large bowling pins with your serve - the bowling pins move each time which helps train your ability to position your serves well over time. Another, Prize Defender, see’s you stood in front of a prize-filled table and with ball machines firing balls at you from all directions you must return them to prevent the prizes being damaged. There are plenty of other enjoyable minigames, and very few of them ever feel repetitive as they are so much fun despite their simpleness.
Virtua Tennis 3 will surprise you if you have not played one of the previous titles, and it is very easy to overlook it entirely if you are not remotely interested in Tennis, but as a gamer that would be a mistake. Somehow it just does not feel like Tennis, whilst at the same time being arguably the most best Tennis simulator you are likely to come across. Confused? You should be, because the only way to understand what I mean is to pick up the game and give it a go yourself.
Virtua Tennis 3’s visuals are nothing special by today’s standards, but in a Tennis title you would probably be expecting a little too much from the developers by demanding flawless life-like graphics - that time will come eventually i’m sure, but not yet. The game sounds authentic too, but the background music which plays during the menu screens seems annoyingly out of place.
Virtua Tennis 3 is well worth buying if you are a sports fan, and possibly if you are not, as you will find few games as addictive as this. The gameplay is incredible and the minigames contained within the deep career mode will keep you interested for hours on end. Improving your skills may take time, but it is constantly rewarding which keeps you glued to the game. Virtua Tennis 3 will surprise you.
Link this post from your MySpace profile, LiveJournal, Facebook, blog, or a website.
this page from your website, blog, or profile.
