Tennis 2K2 Preview
We take a look at the next Sega Tennis game for the Dreamcast.
Hitmaker has made it a habit of living up to its name, with high-profile games such as Crazy Taxi and Virtua Tennis, its surprise hit tennis game for the Sega Dreamcast. The game did so well for Sega that the company decided to include its sequel, Tennis 2K2, in its Sega Sports line. But while the other games in the Sega Sports line religiously pursue perfection in sports simulation, Hitmaker's tennis game is more about lighthearted, arcade-style gameplay. Although Tennis 2K2 has improved upon its predecessor in a variety of areas, judging from our near-complete build of the game, it is essentially a more polished version of Virtua Tennis and retains its fast-paced play mechanics.
Tennis 2K2, although a bit faster than last year's game, controls virtually the same. A two-button configuration is used to control standard swings and lobs. Pushing back on the analog stick performs a drop shot, while pushing forward while striking the ball results in scorching ground strokes. The player's proximity to the ball and the angle at which the racket makes contact with the ball can also yield a variety of shots. This year's game also features improved animations. For example, players reach and dive for the ball, shift their weight more realistically when changing direction, and hit the ball between the legs with their back turned toward their opponent. The quicker gameplay and the smoother, more realistic animation combine to create a more robust visual presentation.
Further in the graphics department, the player models are truer to their real-life counterparts in Tennis 2K2. Gone are the zombielike player faces. The 3D facial models in this year's game are much more emotive, as their eyes and mouths move to articulate a variety of expressions. 2K2 features a lineup of eight female players, joining the returning eight male pros. Each one is easily identifiable. For example, Lindsay Davenport stands tall and has her signature serve windup, while Serena and Venus Williams sport their stylish tennis gear. Several high-profile pros, such as Anna Kournikova and Martina Hingis on the women's side and Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras on the men's side, aren't in the game. However, the player creator, which lets players customize a variety of physical characteristics, is always available to create replicas of the missing pros.
The courts themselves have also received a substantial makeover in this year's game. Because the courts are fictional, Hitmaker was able to put its collective imagination to work in creating some outrageously elaborate venues. For example, the Tokyo-based tennis tournament is placed on top of a skyscraper, with helicopters circling overhead and searchlights illuminating the night sky. The general look of the game, considering the more realistic player models and ornate tournament venues, is much more impressive compared with last year's.
You can play Tennis 2K2 in three different modes--exhibition, tournament, and world-circuit. World-circuit is the most robust and involved of the three basic modes of play, like in Virtua Tennis. It is also the gameplay mode that has changed most dramatically in the sequel. Also like in Virtua Tennis, a large world map, which features singles and doubles tournaments, tennis pro shops, and training locations, serves as the primary interface for the world-circuit mode. However, unlike in last year's game, you must create both a male and female tennis pro--this mode no longer lets you select one of the existing pros--to begin your run for the world number one ranking.
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