Smash Court Tennis: Pro Tournament 2 - an ACE game (Smash Court Tennis Pro Tournament 2 (PS2))

Member Name: mkkreuk

Product:	Smash Court Tennis Pro Tournament 2 (PS2)
Date:	06/04/08 (60 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Nice and simple, with a good gameplay system . Very enjoyable

Disadvantages: Can get a bit too easy/repeptitive

I have three tennis games, and Smash Court Tennis: Pro Tournament 2 is by far and away my favourite. I really am quite addicted to it!
By now, the game is quite old, but this is no problem at all, except for the fact that the players are a bit "past it". You can still play as Tim Henman, Juan Carlos Ferrero, Richard Gasquet, James Blake, Lindsay Davenport and Venus Williams amongst others. You can also create a 2 players (one man, one woman) in the Pro Tour mode which can be used as characters for the rest of the game.

The game play in my opinion is genius. You can play as a normally match, winning the points until you get a game and then winning enough games to take a set and so on. However, playing best of 5 sets would make tournaments long and drab and so the creators have made it so that whilst you can play like this if you want to you can also choose a "mission play" mode. This mode introduces "turning points", which means that you do not have to play every single point of every single game in the match. Instead, the computer will dictate how the match is going and come to a point in the set (i.e. you lead 4-3 in the first set) and will give you control. It will then set you a mission such as "break your opponents serve to love". Your performance in this mission will see the set "turn" in your favour. There are a number of these missions such as "hit 2 aces", "force your opponent to use less that 25% forehand shots" and so on. The variety of these missions are great fun.

There are also a number of modes which you can use. The first mode is the arcade mode which sets you the target of winning all the major tournaments and as you progress your opponents progressively become stronger. The next mode is the exhibition mode where you can select matches according to your own rules and allows you to play with another player. Finally the best mode is the Pro Tour mode which allows you to create and customise your own unique player, and train them and battle through tournaments to gain the allusive number 1 ranking.

The game is very easy to play, some might say TOO easy. At first, it can be a bit difficult to master the controls, but through tutorial mode you will be a master before too long. After a couple of hours play you do learn lots of tips and trick and it can get really easy.

Graphically, it is average. Considering it is quite old it isn't too bad but some of the appearances of the players is very poor. Although, whilst playing the racquets, court and balls are very good and not a problem at all - something that usually does happen with tennis games.

Overall, Smash Court Tennis: Pro Tournament 2 is brilliant. It has great controls, great modes and a system which is really addictive and definitely makes you want to come back again and again!

(P.S This is my review from Ciao)

Summary: If you like tennis and video games, this is one for you!