I had actually been playing alot of Virtua Tennis 4 in the past month. There are still a couple people playing online on PS3. I never liked the Top Spin series and so I am hoping that a new VT will eventually get another for this gen.
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The Lack of a Good Tennis Video Game Series in Recent Years is Baffling
- Thread starter osnameless
- Start date
OP
OP
I guess that is something I loved about tennis in particular. It is not a sport that you need to keep up with in order to enjoy. Maybe that applies to a lesser extent to games like soccer or basketball. (I do keep up with tennis, though, from time to time, but wouldn't say I am an avid fan of the sport).
Its simple formula makes for a great arcade experience.
I think Tennis World Tour is going to be really good. I enjoyed the gameplay they just put up of Agassi vs. McEnroe, and it looks to have the Topspin framework. And with Mario Tennis Aces so soon as well, it's finally a good time to be a video game tennis fan!
Tennis and hockey games are a (to mix up my sports metaphors) slam dunk for video game versions. They are inherently a natural fit so it's a bummer to see them both sort of fade away in prominence even though I understand why.
OP
OP
I really hope so!
I was so excited when they announced it.
Maybe I prefer the arcade fun of Virtua Tennis over the more technical Top Spin, but I am just happy that someone is putting some effort into a tennis game.
Any sports games other than American Football, Football (soccer), Basketball, Hockey and Baseball kind of went away in the era of AAA gaming. I guess they just won't make the money.
The last PGA tour game was I think 2014.
We used to get Cricket games, Rugby, Non-madden American football games, Field sports, Fishing, Lacrosse, Ping Pong, Volleyball, Surfing, etc.
Now no one takes any risks.
The last PGA tour game was I think 2014.
We used to get Cricket games, Rugby, Non-madden American football games, Field sports, Fishing, Lacrosse, Ping Pong, Volleyball, Surfing, etc.
Now no one takes any risks.
Top Spin 2 and 3 (never played the original) were pretty decent games, but I'd say they had some flaws, mainly the games didn't feel as exciting as they should, as was the case in Virtua Tennis. But in Top Spin 4 this was corrected, making the gameplay tonnes of fun and really challenging, it was geniously satisfying to hit a winner after a tough rally or go to the net to finish the job. It also included a good number of legendary players and I think all events except Wimbledon were licensed. So far, it seems the level of ambition for World Tour Tennis is much reduced, but if they can deliver the same gameplay I'd already be pretty happy. Unfortunately I suspect the game will be a dissapoinment, but I hope I am wrong.
I want Tennis World Tour to be good but it looks like a ps3 game and doesn't seem to be making significant strides over Top Spin 4, a game from 2011. I would even say it looks worse right now unfortunately. Animations and sound meh, roster meh, nothing sticks out as good.
Anyway, with Everybody's Golf getting a solid reception last year I wish they could continue that with another Everybody's Tennis too.
Anyway, with Everybody's Golf getting a solid reception last year I wish they could continue that with another Everybody's Tennis too.
OP
OP
I think I've heard about it a while ago. I guess I should give it a try. Thanks!
OP, here's why:
- US Tennis SUCKS
Look at the Top 10 of Men's tennis over the last decade. It's dominated by Europe. US men are an utter joke. If the US sucks at something, they don't really care about it that much. With the US not caring about it that much, it's really difficult to justify a huge budget for a game. This alone bring a ton of problems. (And unfortunately no. Serena being a living legend is not good enough for the US crowd I'm afraid. She's not a white man. Just imagine the racist comments if she was the sole cover star.)
- licensing Tennis is a nightmare
It's not like FIFA. You have to license each and every player, each and every tournament. That's a nightmare and costs a fortune.
- Tennis Ultimate Team is hence impossible
I think this needs to be its own point. FIFA makes a ridiculous amount of money because of Ultimate Team. Without it any Tennis game will be less attractive for any publisher.
- the animations need to be on point
This is also very expensive to do.
- Tennis eSports is weird
The characteristics of eSport are either team composition or meta improvement. I don't think that's a big thing in sports games. You should be able to win if you can control the game better than your opponent. Not because if some buff you chose. But Tennis World Tour is actually trying to be more eSports interesringly.
- US Tennis SUCKS
Look at the Top 10 of Men's tennis over the last decade. It's dominated by Europe. US men are an utter joke. If the US sucks at something, they don't really care about it that much. With the US not caring about it that much, it's really difficult to justify a huge budget for a game. This alone bring a ton of problems. (And unfortunately no. Serena being a living legend is not good enough for the US crowd I'm afraid. She's not a white man. Just imagine the racist comments if she was the sole cover star.)
- licensing Tennis is a nightmare
It's not like FIFA. You have to license each and every player, each and every tournament. That's a nightmare and costs a fortune.
- Tennis Ultimate Team is hence impossible
I think this needs to be its own point. FIFA makes a ridiculous amount of money because of Ultimate Team. Without it any Tennis game will be less attractive for any publisher.
- the animations need to be on point
This is also very expensive to do.
- Tennis eSports is weird
The characteristics of eSport are either team composition or meta improvement. I don't think that's a big thing in sports games. You should be able to win if you can control the game better than your opponent. Not because if some buff you chose. But Tennis World Tour is actually trying to be more eSports interesringly.
OP
OP
All of the things you've said are pretty valid, excpect for the animation part. I mean I am not an animation expert or anything remotely close to that, but I don't think animating 2-4 moving players is more complicated that an entire pitch of football players or a basketball court where there is more movement and action. (e.g. keeper and attacker, attacker and defender, freekicks, offisdes, crosses, long passes) etc...
But I can see how the licensing issues could be a major hurdle.
Tennis Elbow is the most realistic one around in terms of physics and tactics but I could never get into it due to how stiff the animations were. The players looked like they were skating across the court as opposed to running across it. That was a few years ago though, might be better now.
In tennis games, you need a markting and licensing deal with every single player. It's much easier licensing teams like in NFL.
I disagree that tennis is smaller than most of the sports listed here. It's still one of the biggest global sports, clearly behind soccer obviously.
Bummer that the new games both look so shitty :/ I am a tennis player myself and this is noewhere close to reality. I will keep on playing the excellent Tennis Elbow 2013 (check out the ITST mod), and recommend it to everybody...
I disagree that tennis is smaller than most of the sports listed here. It's still one of the biggest global sports, clearly behind soccer obviously.
Bummer that the new games both look so shitty :/ I am a tennis player myself and this is noewhere close to reality. I will keep on playing the excellent Tennis Elbow 2013 (check out the ITST mod), and recommend it to everybody...
You're in luck, OP.
Thank you for that reminder! But yeah, i think the popularity of tennis has fallen and the costs of creating games has risen, therefore thats why you see a lack of them.
I was incredibly hyped for World Tour Tennis when it was announced. Finally a tennis game for my PS4? With Federer too? Great. The trailers always put me off, but I wanted to be optimistic. Then yesterday they released a gameplay video with Agassi and McEnroe (both preorder bonuses). It was probably the best looking gameplay up until now... except McEnroe was playing right-handed. I know it's not that big of deal, something that can be fixed easily, but it's still huge for someone who loves details in these kind of games. Obviously there was a shitstorm and they had to stealth remove the video a few minutes later, finally acknowledging the mistake a few moments ago while I was typing this.
Thanks to this thread I just ordered Virtua Tennis 3 at Amazon for the high (but fair) price of 0.50€.
I always kept forgetting about this, I played the demo a lot back then and it's imo one of the best games, not just "tennis games" ever made. The graphics and gameplay were breathtaking back then and I'm sure they still hold up.
As for why I didn't buy it back then? Well, I had the demo so I didn't really need it, but now I'm more into collecting games I like so thanks for the reminder OP.
I always kept forgetting about this, I played the demo a lot back then and it's imo one of the best games, not just "tennis games" ever made. The graphics and gameplay were breathtaking back then and I'm sure they still hold up.
As for why I didn't buy it back then? Well, I had the demo so I didn't really need it, but now I'm more into collecting games I like so thanks for the reminder OP.
VT3 was 1080p60fps on 360 which is why it looked so good. Make sure you pick Tommy Haas, his backhand swing animation is pure sex in that game.
I remember playing a Tennis game that was so inaccessible to newcomers like myself that I couldn't even get past the fucking tutorial.
Smash Court Tennis 3 on Xbox 360 or something? Man that game was terrible.
Sega All stars Tennis was fucking amazing though, and as someone who has never played a console Mario Tennis title, I am mad excited for the new one.
Smash Court Tennis 3 on Xbox 360 or something? Man that game was terrible.
Sega All stars Tennis was fucking amazing though, and as someone who has never played a console Mario Tennis title, I am mad excited for the new one.
OP
OP
Yeah, they are. It is called Tennis World Tour, and it releases this May.
I still remember playing Wii Sports and having this exact same thought OP. I haven't tried Mario Tennis but the tennis game on the DC was the last realistic one that I played and it was great. I'd even settle for a remaster.
My friend loved playing top spin on the PS3 with the move controllers and I spent a ton of time on Virtua tennis on the vita. I really hope TWT is good cuz me and my buddy have been waiting for a nextgen tennis game.
Also the lack of roddick on these post, he was my favorite :/
Also the lack of roddick on these post, he was my favorite :/
OP
OP
You and me both, my friend.
Thanks to everyone who recommended Mario Tennis Ace, it looks promising, and I am glad to see many people looking forward to it. The last game was surely lackluster, so I hope that you can guys have a deeper and better experience this time around.
Sadly, I don't own a Switch
I think that the market is cyclical. Think about the fact that WWII games went out of favor in favor of "modern" themed shooters. Now they are coming back. Same with "mascot" platformers. They are coming back after a long absence. In both of those examples, developers have been rewarded because gamers missed them and wanted those types of games back. Depending on how these new tennis games perform will dictate whether or not there is a demand.
OP
OP
I really hope so there is a market for tennis games again, as I am almost sure that there is an audience for it. You pointed out some good examples. I am just hoping that Tennis World Tour delivers.
I don't get it. Tennis isn't exactly a niche sport even if it's not on the level of football, basketball, etc. It's not like there have been tennis games that just aren't very good, the two releasing this month are the first tennis sims on PS4, yet there have been Rugby games, Cycling games, Cricket games, even Handball games. I really hope Tennis World Tour is at least decent or even if it's not sells well enough for a bigger publisher to think about getting back into the tennis game.
Me too. I love tennis games. I am old enough to have owned a Magnavox Odyssey, where every game was basically a riff on Pong -- which is basically tennis. If you want to scratch an itch for tennis, you can get the PS2 version of Hot Shots Tennis for PS4. They up-rezed it and added trophies. I play it all the time and it is a crazy amount of fun.
Haven't bought a tennis game since Virtua Tennis at the Vita launch. Not because I don't want them, but I'm only buying if the game is fun focused.You're in luck, OP.
I can't wait to buy Mario Tennis next month.
Tennis World Tour comes out this month. Doesn't it?
I mean it doesn't look incredible presentation wise, but hopefully gameplay is great and they keep growing the roster with DLC and updates since liscensing ATP/WTP players is really tough.
Hopefully both Mario Tennis and TWT are awesome. I do believe it's the lack of marketing and licensing, the reason tennis games haven't performed better in the past. They are always like stealth releases.
I mean it doesn't look incredible presentation wise, but hopefully gameplay is great and they keep growing the roster with DLC and updates since liscensing ATP/WTP players is really tough.
Hopefully both Mario Tennis and TWT are awesome. I do believe it's the lack of marketing and licensing, the reason tennis games haven't performed better in the past. They are always like stealth releases.
OP
OP
That was my understanding too. I was kinda surprised by some posts here. I know that a lot of people are at least familiar with major names and major tournaments.
OP
OP
It is coming out on May 22.
I guess you're right, though. Apparently, the last two Top Spin games struggled with sales, especially 4, which is why they had to shelf it. On the other hand, both games reviewed really well.
OP
OP
I am not familiar with Hot Shots actually. I am gonna check it out, thanks.
