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Fun and accessible, though nagging flaws make it imperfect.

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 18 / 21
Date: August 08, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I'm a big fan of tennis games as well as the sport, so this release is right up my alley. It helps inspire confidence that the producer of this game is Namco, which has consistently given us quality gameplay and design -- witness the Tekken, Soul Calibur, and Time Crisis game franchises.

Smash Court Tennis 2 Pro Tournament gets most of its pieces right. There are a couple of problems in the game, but I can also say fairly that most tennis games have the same problems.

The pros:

- Good controls; you don't ever feel disconnected from your character.
- Decent graphics. Obviously there's a limit as to how much eye candy you can put into this kind of game, and this game's looks are neither deficient nor excessive.
- Excellent breadth. You get a complete tutorial so you can feel out the controls, 16 stock characters with their own quirks (for example, they throw the ball differently when they serve) plus the ability to create your own; hundreds of unlockables such as tips from the stars, sound tests, tournament histories and so on; and a fascinating Pro Tour mode (see below).
- The Pro Tour mode lets you play through your own character through a calendar-based system, going into training sessions with your coach, playing tournaments, and accepting training matches from players usually much more powerful than yourself. The great thing about the system is that it's so close to real life -- for example, if you train for three weeks non-stop before a tournament, you'll get more points and make your characters stronger, but your stamina goes down and you'll move slower and hit less hard.

The downsides of the game:

- Serving is a pain in the neck. This is the one complaint I have about the controls -- it's too easy for your player to serve faults, and so I'm forced to avoid the corners.
- The enemy never flunks a serve, nor does he/she ever fail to return your serve. I'm not looking for enemies who are sitting ducks, but how about making a tiny mistake once in a while? After about a hundred serves on my end, you would think they'd miss just one. Nope. And to have low-level enemies hit 110mph serves that go for the corner every time, while your character barely nicks 90mph even if you execute the serve perfectly, is a drag.
- The enemy can do things you can never do, such as run from one side of the court to the other and then hit a perfect cross-court shot. I've tried this -- when you attempt it, you would only ever get it to the middle of the court no matter how early you get to the ball. So it feels like you're not 100 per cent able to direct the ball where you want.
- The tutorial levels and training missions are useful -- but could have been more so. The game doesn't tell you what you're doing wrong when you fail a training mission, so it doesn't always help you improve your playing.
- The instant replays are so quick that you might as well not have them. Also, the camera tends to be at a bad spot for capturing the move.
- The interface of some of the menus is a little confusing. The designs look good, but could have been simplified. There is some clutter in the layout.
- Long loading times. And there are too many little presentations (such as that Dolby logo in the beginning) you have to wait out without being able to skip them.

The flaws are minor but enough to take a little out of the enjoyment. I'd still call this a quality game, and to give Namco credit, I've never played a tennis game that doesn't have most of the above problems (eg. enemies who never fail to return a serve, problems aiming your serve, and mechanical inability to hit cross-court shots). As far as tennis games go, this is still one of the best I've ever played.

Better than TopSpin???

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 11 / 12
Date: July 06, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I was wary at first to shell out $40 for Smash Court Tennis 2, but now I am overjoyed that I did. The game is addictive and not hard to master. The 16 players you can play as are Andy Roddick, Juan Carlos Ferrero, Tommy Haas, Richard Gasquet, Tim Henman, James Blake, Marat Safin, Lleyton Hewitt, Justine Henin-Hardenne, Kim Clijsters, Serena Williams, Amelie Mauresmo, Lindsay Davenport, Jennifer Capriati, Daniela Hantuchova, and Anna Kournikova. This selection overall is excellent, but I wish they had excluded Kournikova, Hantuchova, and Gasquet and instead chosen Sharapova, Venus, and maybe Roger Federer. These choices are definitely better than TopSpin's, though, which features too many boring American players like Shaughnessy and Harkleroad. In the pro tour mode, my only complaint is that the computer decides what the score is for you based on your playing of a few points in what are called "turning points" of the match. For instance, you may enter a tournament and be playing a higher ranked player, and before you even start the score might be 1(you)-5 (them) in games for the first set, and it will set the score at 30-40, set point for the computer opponent. Then it will tell you that your goal is to win the game. This happened to me and I did win the game, but after the game was over the computer gave the first set 6-3 to my opponent, before I even played another point!!! Still, the pros definitely outweight the cons for Smash Court Tennis Pro Tournament II. The players are incredibly realistic, as are the courts. Clijsters and Roddick even use their Babolat racquets, while Capriati uses her black Prince and Serena uses her black and white Wilson and even wears her cat suit. Most of the clothes they wear are items the pros actually wear in real life, and all the players use their actual racquets. However, another con (though not as important) is that the grunts are completely unrealistic. All this aside, you should definitely buy this game, as it is probably more fun than TopSpin and cheaper!!!

Probably The Best Tennis Game Out There

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 6 / 7
Date: June 28, 2004
Author: Amazon User

OK, the title may be too long but the game itself is very good. I have played all of the major tennis games out there: Topspin, Sega Sports Tennis, Smash Court I, WTA Tour Tennis, etc. This game is my favorite of the bunch. For starters, it has the best player lineup, including men and women. The gameplay is all about timing and is a good balance between arcade style and simulation. Unlike other tennis games, you can actually make errors in this one. What a novel concept! If you try to hit a flat shot and miss-hit it badly, the ball will go out. The serve takes some getting used to. You can place it pretty well but the controls are very sensitive. The graphics are not quite as good as Topspin but very much adequate. The grand slam courts are recreated very realistically. The AI is fairly balanced. In most tennis games, on normal it is too easy and on hard it is nearly impossible to win. I have been playing this game for a couple of weeks and win most matches against the computer on normal mode but i also still lose at times. Netplay could have been a little better, it is not to your advantage to come to the net unless it is behind a spectacular shot. The running shot that has been incorporated into the game is a neat idea and fun when you can pull one off. Overall I would recomment this game to anyone. The balance between simulation and arcade style gameplay make this game a lot of fun for tennis fans and non-tennis fans alike.

Best Tennis Game

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 10
Date: July 08, 2004
Author: Amazon User

This game is just brilliant. It's the most realistic tennis sim out there, but it's still accessible, fun and incredibly addictive. The gameplay is very deep due to the huge ball control at your disposal.

In Pro Tour mode you can choose BETWEEN Mission Mode (where you have to achieve certain objectives, e.g. come back from 0-40 down) *OR* Normal Mode. Some people don't realise you can turn off Mission Mode and just play the game in the normal way. In Normal Mode, you just play the tennis games as you'd expect, e.g. You serve, then the computer etc. until you win.

The gameplay is just great, you get involved in the most absorbing and realistic tennis rallies ever. It's such a pleasure to play. It does require skill though. It's not as simple or 'arcadey' as Sega's Tennis or Top Spin, but it is more rewarding and challenging. Smash Court Tennis 2 feels much more like a real game of tennis.

If you play tennis for real, enjoy the sport or just want to try something different then I would definitely recommend this game.

can't actually play a match in tour mode

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 8 / 13
Date: January 23, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I just bought this game, relying on other reviews here on the site, explaining that in tour mode, you can switch off mission play and play 'normal' mode, which means you can play as you'd expect.

Well, I have to disagree, as I'd actually expect to play a FULL MATCH. You never get to play a match in tour mode...the maximum you get to play is a set (6 games). In the qualifying rounds, you only get to play TWO GAMES! (you never even get to play a whole set until the final match in a tournament!).

The gameplay and physics are amazing...just beware that you don't actually get to play a set....there will be no dramatics, like squeaking through a set, dropping one, and then coming back to win the third, at least not in Pro Tour mode (the only mode I'm interested in playing).

"Best Game so far Until Top Spin Comes Out"

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 5 / 7
Date: July 01, 2005
Author: Amazon User

First off, this game was a little better than average like other games were.

Pros: Many Players , feels like you're playing a real tennis game, graphics.

Cons: blake? Why not Federer or Nalbandion. At Times Pro Tour Mode. Spectator Match. Why would a person waste their time watching two computer players play each other when you can play as often as you want. In the pro tour mode when you end a season ranked number one, you career is over.

By the way serves are easy you just have to aim them right. Pro Tour can be frustrating because you don't have a talented player but you'll get the hang of it. My two players are ranked 1 and 72 (the 72nd ranked player is in his second season and the number one ranked player retired after five seasons.

Fabulous Tennis Game!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: January 26, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I started playing this game about a month ago and am hugely addicted to it! The best part is the gameplay, which is amazingly realistic. As a tennis player and big fan of the sport, it is a pleasure to have total control over all aspects of gameplay. Contrary to what some reviewers have written, serving is not hard. If you use the directional pad instead of the analog stick, you can place your serve ANYWHERE in the box (down the middle, out wide, deep, shallow). And depending on what button you use, you can hit a power, topspin/kick, slice or slow-ball serve. You should be able to ace the computer even on the hardest level.

As in real tennis, the keys to playing well are movement and timing. You need to position yourself in the right spot to strike the ball, and you need to time your swing. Swing at the right time, and you maximize your power and accuracy; swing a little early or late, and your power and accuracy go down; swing WAY early or late, and you will miss the ball completely. Unlike in other tennis games, where power comes from activating an external meter, power in SCTPT2 comes from hitting the ball at the right time and from the right position.

Another realistic feature of the game is how significantly play changes from surface to surface. On grass, the ball stays low and skids, making it easier to hit aces and harder to return serve. On clay, the ball makes marks on the court, and the slipping and sliding of the players is both visible and audible. The music is a bit annoying, though it can be turned off. I like to play with just the sound effects (grunting, shoe squeaking, ball striking, etc.). Extra features, like a cellphone going off in the crowd and the umpire then asking for silence, are also much appreciated!

The graphics and array of tour professionals are really impressive, though no Federer is dissapointing. The pro tour mode is also pretty cool. With extensive training excercises, a full tournament shedule, pratice matches against top pros, a pro shop where you can buy clothing and racquets, and fan mail, you really feel like you are on tour. And yea, while it would be nice to play more than 3 games per match (you actually do this in the late rounds of big tournaments--up to 6 games in the championship match of a major), that would take too long. If you want to go the distance in an epic 5 set match, feel free in exhibition mode against the computer or a friend.

Playing with friends is a ton of fun. Unfortunately, one of you always needs to play upside down on the far court, which is VERY hard, unintuitive and a little frustrating. Having some sort of split screen, or allowing for two different systems to hook up to each other, would be a big improvement. There is no online play, which too is obviously disappointing.

All in all, SCTPT2 is a great game that can be fun for everyone but is tailor-made for the hard-core tennis fan out there. If that is you, BUY THIS GAME! You won't regret it.

Good Game(read for more)

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: March 13, 2007
Author: Amazon User

This game is very fun and addicting. I;m not very good at it yet and it takes a min to master the controls, but its very easy to pick up and play. Graphics are very good and the game play is tough. This is not an easy game. You'll definalty find this game easier if you've played previous tennis titles and the wide range of characters that it has is amazing. The one thing i didn't like about this title is the create your own tennis star. For me this is the bread and butter of a game. I don't know about you, but i like to put myself in the action. There wasn't a whole lot of options to choose from. Once you created yourself and put on your spiffy tennis gear thats all you can wear till you win some torneys and then your able to purchase stuff that you don't really want anyways. Overall though it has little flaws and is a very fun game. Warning if you have high blood pressure this game will shoot it through the roof. Have fun with this one!

My 2 cents on serves

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 7 / 14
Date: November 16, 2004
Author: Amazon User

There are some complaints about serves in this game. I have some experiences. I get at least 1 aces every game. For some weak opponents, I score a game by 4 straight aces. The trick is to use the direction buttons instead of left stick to control your serves! To receive a serve, remember to react early. So when I played against Andy Roddick in US Open, I never let him serve an ace. Instead, I served two aces to knock him out!

Hope this is useful for someone.

FOR HARDCORE TENNIS FANS ONLY

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 4 / 6
Date: August 26, 2006
Author: Amazon User

THIS GAME IS EXCELLENT BUT ITS NOT FOR THE CASUAL TENNIS FANS.GET TOPSPIN IF YOU DONT EAT AND SLEEP TENNIS.SMASHCOURT IS MORE REALISTIC WHICH MAKES IT A LITTLE HARDER THAN TOPSPIN BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO BE RIGHT IN POSITION TO MAKE A VOLLEY OR RETURN SERVES AND YOU NOTICE THIS A GREAT DEAL IF YOU BEEN PLAYING TOPSPIN AND THEN TRY AND PLAY SMASHCOURT.THIS ISNT A BAD THING IT JUST MEANS THE GAME IS MORE REALISTIC TO ACTUAL TENNIS GAME PLAY AND NOT SO MUCH ARCADE STYLE LIKE TOPSPIN IS.PRO TOUR MODE ISNT HARD LIKE SOME REVIEWERS SAY THEY MUST BE CASUAL TENNIS FANS BECAUSE I BEAT THE TOP 1 RANKED PLAYERS EASILY IN MY FIRST YEAR ON THE TOUR.I MADE IT ALL THE WAY TO THE FINALS OF THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN IN MY FIRST YEAR BEFORE LOSING IN THE FINAL AND THAT WAS MY PLAYER WITHOUT ANY POINTS OR ANY SKILLS ADDED YET.ONLY REASON I DONT GIVE THIS GAME 5 STARS IS BECAUSE IT DOESNT LET YOU PLAY MORE THAN 1 SET ON THE TOUR MODE,AND IT ONLY GOES UP TO 6 GAMES IF YOU REACH THE FINALS.YOU CAN HOWEVER PLAY UP TO 5 SETS AND 6 GAMES IF YOU WANT ON EXIBITION MODE,IT JUST WONT COUNT FOR WINNING A TOURNAMENT.ONLY TENNIS GAME THAT IS AS GOOD AS THIS IN MY OPINION IS SUPER TENNIS FOR SNES BUT THIS ONE GETS THE EDGE BECAUSE OF THE GRAPHICS.

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