Hot Shots Tennis gets a grip on PSP June 29

Clap Hanz first applied its cute-but-challenging gameplay approach to tennis in 2007's Hot Shots Tennis for the PlayStation 2. While that title was not well received by critics, the Hot Shots Golf developer is taking a mulligan next month with a PSP edition of the game.

Sony today announced a June 29 North American release date for Hot Shots Tennis: Get a Grip on the PSP. Released earlier this year in Japan, Hot Shots Tennis takes the same approach to its sport as Clap Hanz took to the links with Hot Shots Golf. The game features an assortment of bright-eyed, big-headed cartoon characters and an approachable aesthetic, but attempts to balance that with more simulation-minded depth for fans of the sport.

As with the Hot Shots Golf series, character customization will be a big part of the game's draw. Players will be able to unlock hundreds of clothing and accessory options, as well as additional courts and characters. And much like Kratos took to the links in Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds on the PS3, Hot Shots Tennis will feature at least one other iconic Sony character in the form of a sinister Hellghast soldier straight out of Killzone.

For more on Hot Shots Tennis: Get a Grip, check out GameSpot's previous coverage.