A low key entrance into the gaming world, the original Smash Court Tennis was for the most part ignored. This fate looks to be repeated on it's sequal despite the it being one of the greatest and very playable tennis games to date. Despite it's cartoonish look, this is a very competent game of tennis. Renamed Anna Kournikova's Smash Court Tennis in PAL regions with a picture of the lovely Anna on the cover, Namco admittedly tried to sell more copies of this game than unfortunately it did. This led to a change in direction when the series debuted on the PS2, however it is with this, Smash Court Tennis 2 that Namco are at it's finest. The characters are well fleshed out, and despite their look, it is evident that they each have their pros and cons, such as being a baseline or net player. Some are a mixture of the two, while others have weaknesses, or always try to lob the ball. The variety in the characters makes playing the game fun, and gives variety in the single player mode, which is a nice suprise. But it is with the 2-player modes that this will get it's most play. Of course there is single play, as well as doubles, and you can choose to play 1, 3 or 5 sets. There is also a mode called Tennis Bomb that has you hitting a bomb back and forth, while trying not to get caught in its explosion. Its a fun and well crafted diversion. The game does have its problems though. I found it really annoying when a character ran into a ball, causing an animation where they would be struck in the crotch, making them lose a point, and a few of your brain cells. This is a ridiculous addition to the game that adds nothing but frustration to the player. There is also people who get struck in the head while playing. Graphics have a cartoony and generally pleasing feel. The characters move and animate well and although the backgrounds are static, they are well drawn. Overall the game looks and plays like a fun and very japanese anime take on tennis. Sound is where the game really stands out. There is an infectious sound track, and rather hilarious sound effects. If the game's music were to be released on CD, I'm sure there would be many happy to buy, it sounds that great. Overall, this is a competent and generally fun title that will amuse you, more so if you have a friend. It has support for 4 players on a screen without having to split it, so this is a perfect party game, or something to have a quick go at while you have nothing else to play.
I quite like tennis, though I easily get bored just watching it. There have been plenty of nice tennis video games and Anna Kournikova Smash Court Tennis sure is promising. Despite sporting the name and cover of the form... Read Full Review
