PREVIEW : Tennis Fighters (PC)
Tennis and computer gaming have never been more in sync, thanks to a new generation of players and spectators who are equally at home on the court as they are in front of a screen. Tennishead decided to take a detailed look at the most recent tennis video game release, Tennis Fighters.
Tennis and fighting aren’t two things you typically see together (at least, we hope not! ), but they make perfect sense in eSports. Fans of classic ‘beat ’em up’ games will recognise how the basic qualities of a fighting game can seamlessly transition into the technical and coordination parts of a tennis video game. Tennis Fighters, developed by TDO Games (an independent Spanish game company), has attempted to do just that with this early access launch, which is still under development but is playable right now.
A recent history of the tennis video game market
Tennis World Tour (Breakpoint Studios, 2018) and AO International Tennis (Big Ant Studios, 2018) have not fared as well as classics like Virtua Tennis (1999, SEGA), Top Spin (2003, 2k), and Mario Tennis (2000, Nintendo), which were hugely popular due to their ability to entertain large groups of tennis fans. Furthermore, the requirement to deal directly with individual tennis professional players for image rights will have turned off many game creators who do not have the same problem when creating football or basketball games.
Tennis and fighting
Tennis Fighters is aimed at tennis fans and players who like an immersive game experience. The attention to detail, especially with the gameplay, is incredible, and the developer has some real tennis knowledge on their team!
Tennis Fighters also for the first time offers health as a new aspect in the tennis video game genre (that we are aware of).
As a tennis player, you understand that your success or failure on the court is largely influenced by elements such as concentration and motivation. This game combines all of these components into a health score that increases or lowers during the game based on your performance. In Tennis Fighters, you can defeat your opponent by either winning the match by scoring or by depleting their health to zero.
Gameplay
When you first start playing this game, you realise how technical the mechanics of hitting the ball are. Every shot begins with a decent position, but with the easy control shot system, you can also select the strength, direction, and curve of your shot. The multiplicity of varied parameters that determine the success of your shot is what makes the gameplay so exciting. Just like a real tennis match.
The creator has placed a strong emphasis on the ball’s behaviour, which is fantastic. Few tennis games have adopted this feature as crucial to the game’s authenticity when compared to the real thing. Tennis Fighters simulate the sensation of striking a tennis ball as accurately as possible, with the elements of power and spin influencing the trajectory of the ball and thus the degree of difficulty that your opponent has in returning your strokes. The ‘Check Ball’ technology, similar to Hawkeye, lets players watch replays and determine whether the ball landed in or out.
At the top of the screen, we can see each player’s “Health,” the scoreboard, and the player characteristics. Then we come across two small green and yellow bars. The green bar represents the player’s “running” energy, which will steadily decrease as you move until you stop and rest to allow the bar to charge up again. The yellow bar is interesting because it fills up as you earn points through aggressive play, allowing you to use your ‘Super shots.’ This “Super Shot” is a powerful shot/serve that is nearly impossible to return. You only get one super shot’ before the power bar runs out.
Game Sound
This game contains a “dynamic shot sound system,” which produces a distinct sound depending on the power of the shot. The developer has worked hard to incorporate a usefully immersive sound feature into the game. Crowd reactions and music also contribute to the sense of being part of a live tournament, which enhances the gameplay experience.
Academy: Learn how to play
Tennis Fighters’ ‘Academy’ mode is quite helpful because it takes time to grasp the various controls and factors that go into a successful shot and player. The ‘Academy’ section contains various video tutorials and classes that will teach you how to run, serve, and play the basic strokes. We recommend spending time here so that you feel secure when you get into the Tennis Fighters match court.
Game Modes: Play solo or with your friends, at home or online
Tennis fights offer several modes for different players. In the Training mode, you can play against the “computer” (AI) to hone your abilities, or you can enter the Global Tour mode to compete against all players in the game for the world trophy. If you want to play multiplayer, you can do it at home with two controllers versus a friend. If you wish to compete online and become the best player in the world, you can enter the Online Multiplayer mode, where you will play against other players and earn or lose points that will affect your overall Tennis Fighters rating.
Personalize your experience
You can customise numerous parts of the game to create a “tailor-made” experience. For example, you can experiment with different camera angles. Each camera has its angle and perspective. You can play using a TV camera perspective or the “court view,” which simulates being on the court. In terms of user experience, you can also tweak the joystick’s sensitivity to finding the ideal option for the “aim” mechanism. Finally, you may customise the AI’s difficulty, music settings, and pad vibration.
Our conclusion
Simply give it a shot since this game deserves to be played! Once you’ve mastered the controls, you’ll be able to feel the effort, concentration, and passion of a tennis match.
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