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SEGA Superstars Tennis Review

Chris Leyton

23/03/2008

Sonic and his SEGA associates finally take their turn on the tennis court...

Following their previous collaboration with SEGA on the Virtua Tennis 3 adaptations talented UK studio Sumo Digital returns to the tennis court with the release of SEGA Superstars Tennis. Developed for all popular platforms (explaining the PSP omission), it seems SEGA are hoping to emulate its success at the Olympics with an expanded entry on the Xbox 360, PlayStation3, Wii, PlayStation2, and Nintendo DS.

An unusual chance for the never camera-shy Sonic to be joined by some of his less celebrated chums, SEGA Superstars Tennis pitches itself as a title with casual appeal, but also one that will be impossible for the SEGA faithful to resist. SEGA's rich past illuminates every pixel on the screen, every menu, and every ever so slightly surreal tennis court that stage the action; a rare opportunity to reflect whimsically and share some of the success that Nintendo compilations enjoy. From Virtua Cop mini-games to the slightly strange and monumental appearance of Alex Kidd in 3D, SEGA Superstars Tennis is hard to fault as a compilation unashamedly glorifying the good old days - I defy any lifelong SEGA fan not to drop to the knees when Samba de Janeiro starts belting out the first time!

Beyond the mandatory selection of match and tournament modes for up to four players, the bulk of the game lies with the Superstars mode. Unlocking new stages, characters, and courts across an assortment of tennis and mini-game challenges grouped into themed challenges, Superstars finds the usual suspects out in force: the casts from Jet Set Radio, Samba de Amigo, Golden Axe, Space Channel 5, Nights, House of the Dead, and several more join Sonic and Tails on the courts.
"Two Easy"
Bounce your way through the menu screens, cameos and BGM that constantly assures you this is a SEGA game, it's somewhat upsetting that the game fails to capture the one thing that defined SEGA titles during the golden era: depth to please the hardcore. SEGA's past is littered with examples of this, but it seems they're happy for SEGA Superstars Tennis to sit alongside Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games - and who are we to argue if it can enjoy only a smidgeon of the 5+ million success that they had with that.

Opting for a simple two-button layout that SEGA would undoubtedly describe as "accessible", SEGA Superstars Tennis feels similar to the Mario Tennis series but falls somewhere short with a lack of any hidden sophistication. Different combinations of the fast and slow buttons perform drop and lob shots, which combined with the pace make for an entertaining and immediately appealing experience that anybody can enjoy. Unfortunately, that's it. The best tennis games out there, which include Mario Tennis and SEGA's own Virtua Tennis, mix simple, accessible control schemes with subtle layers of hidden depth; SEGA Superstars Tennis unfortunately has little to offer beyond what you see in the first five minutes.

Given the game's fantasy stance the lack of sheer lunacy, ala Mario Strikers Charged, also feels like a missed opportunity. The sole 'Special Move' comes from tapping a shoulder trigger when you've accumulated enough shots to fill the star underneath your character. Unleashing a barrage of madness associated to each individual character, the opportunity to develop this further as a gameplay mechanic feels sorely missed. Unfortunately, SEGA Superstars Tennis drops the depth and sophistication of Virtua Tennis, but fails to substitute it with the madcap antics of similar fantasy sports titles.

The deficiencies of the shallow control setup are constantly brought into the foreground due to the easy difficulty. As Sonic and many of the cast like to point out, it's "too easy"... far too easy. Beyond some of the slightly more infuriating mini-games, which are also the most addictive, the lack of any challenge soon destroys any illusion that this is a game for the fanatical SEGA follower. The various match and tournament challenges in the Superstars mode are woefully simple to finish, to the point of counting lost points on a single hand. Using a simple repertoire of wide angles and advancing to the net techniques, SEGA Superstars Tennis supreme lack of challenge is not only laughable in traditional gaming circles but would probably fail to cause a bead of sweat on even a casual gamer's brow.

It's Just Not Tennis!

It's hard to fault Sumo Digital for attempting to expand the longevity of a tennis game, and to that extent the Superstars various different boards typically house a considerable number of tasks, almost to the point of resignation. The variety and number on offer is a considerable testament to Sumo's creative talents: some make you play tennis while performing another task, others have no link to the rules of tennis beyond the character still clutching onto a tennis racquet such as Sonic collecting rings (which is still more enjoyable than Sonic the Hedgehog on 360/PS3)! Whether it's knocking back the onslaught of zombies in Curian's Mansion or playing the excellent Tag Attack in Jet Set Radio, many of the mini-games require the one thing that the actual tennis doesn't... skill. Obviously, certain mini-games feel similar to those slightly differently themed from the other boards, but generally, the games reach a high standard of addictive play and become the game's most surprisingly enjoyable aspect after the inadequacies of the actual tennis.

Fortunately (for Xbox 360 and PS3 owners at least) the online multiplayer options provide a little extra replay value that's expected from any sports game. The simple, accessible, fast-paced action translates well as a quick pick-up-and-play online game, although we feel an increase in the insanity would have helped. The inclusion of TV options showing Live footage and Highlights is noticeable, although as with every other example, it's hard to imagine too many people sitting down and deciding to watch other people play SEGA Superstars Tennis.