Smash Court Tennis Pro Tournament (PlayStation 2)

By JON MINIFIE

(Herald rating: * * * )

This was a big hit at this year's Armageddon gaming event at Auckland's Aotea Centre a few months ago — which might have had something to do with the fact that it features the blonde Russian who can break hearts if not serves.

Surprisingly, Namco has played down Anna Kournikova's involvement — she's just one of many stars on show. Big names like Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras join recently retired Pat Rafter and "Swiss Miss" Martina Hingis.

Wimbledon champ and world No 1 Lleyton Hewitt is absent and there's not a Williams sister in sight (they're evidently tied up in other contracts) but it's still an impressive lineup.

The gameplay is reminiscent of Sega's notable Virtua Tennis series that has so far appeared only on the Dreamcast. Once the enthusiastic soundtrack is turned down, Namco shows off a characteristically stylish UI. In fact the entire game looks very sound. Even the character models are recognisable from a distance: Agassi is the bald one, Kournikova's the blonde one, Sampras looks like a chimp and so on.

The control is easy to pick up right away but things get noticeably trickier and faster. You'll win almost every point for the first few games with dynamic passing shots and sharp volleys.

Just when you're feeling good, a seeded player will blitz you off the court. The fall from hero to zero is dramatic, and although winning a tournament is not impossible, it requires a serious learning curve. Mercifully, only a few buttons are used during a match so the skill is in timing, placement and anticipation.

The game is constructed around the four Grand Slam tournaments but there are a variety of gameplay modes to choose from. Exhibition, Time Attack and Arcade let you get your timing sorted out. Challenge mode is essentially thinly disguised training. It offers a chance to hone your newfound skills with a series of mini-games such as hitting as many consecutive volleys or as many overhead smashes as you can.

Smash Court Tennis Pro Tournament is only an average single-player game but can be exceptional during multiplayer. Like Wimbledon, the tennis really comes into its own with two or four players, so get a few people over and dust off the multi-tap. And get in some strawberries and cream.

$119.95

jon@tenthplanet.co.nz