kenshin-guy's Full Review: Sega Superstars Tennis no extra charges for Xbox 3...
If you're into the whole Virtua Tennis thing, good, then this game might be for you.
However, if you dislike a bland game overloaded with game modes that aren't enticing and feature lazy mechanics, steer clear of Sega Superstars Tennis.
I'm a big fan of Sonic the Hedgehog, I'll be the very first to admit it. I was enthralled to play as him in Super Smash Bros.: Brawl and I'm genuinely very excited for Sonic Unleashed. However, a tennis game with Sonic does not a good game make.
Sega Superstars Tennis has a bevy of play-modes. Ranging from exhibitions to tournaments to doubles and a variety of mini-games, but none are so engrossing that you feel a need to play them for more than ten minutes. The tournaments last no more than 5 matches at the maximum and can easily be negotiated by even the laziest of gamers. Most volleys can easily be slashed back with a simple touch of the X or A button (pressure sensitive of course). However, for my tastes, the controls just weren't deep enough. True, the game is similar to Mario Party in that it's not supposed to be incredibly deep, but when a game doesn't require a ton of concentration it just brings me out of it. Case in point: Sega Superstars Tennis.
So whatever the game doesn't have in depth, it must make up for in content, right? Well, once again, the game disappoints. You start off with 8 superstars, a nice amount, especially when you think there'll be plenty of unlockable characters.
Once again...the game disappoints.
There are only 8 unlockable characters, most of whom you encounter in game while playing so none of the newcomers arrive with much of a surprise. I would have loved to have unlocked Gum from JSRF or Shadow from the Sonic series, but all the excitement was lost after playing an exhibition match against them. Way to go, Sega. Just reveal all your tricks before the finale.
It’s no-one’s fault the game is bad; it wasn’t really made to be a huge-hit. The game wasn’t really hyped up all that much, and was developed much more quickly than other games out there. Whereas Mario Party can get by on its charm, this game doesn’t have a Mario, Luigi, or Bowser to sell copies. Since Sega doesn’t have such strong properties to draw on, it needs to be deeper than the rest of the others. It needs to have that certain shine that Mario Tennis has and go a step further. This game isn’t just a miss, it’s a missed opportunity.
The graphics are cute and bubble-gum, nothing too exciting, nothing over-the-top or dazzling. If anything, the graphics are the high point of the game; each stage has a discernable personality and feels alive. From Jet Set Radio Future to Nights: Journey into Dreams, each court feels different than the other, even if all you’re doing is just swapping the ball back and forth repeatedly.
Speaking of swatting the ball back and forth repeatedly, why is it that Sonic and Ulala (Space Channel 5) feel like they play exactly the same? Sure, all the characters have different “special tactics”, but I played matches with each and every character, only to figure out that they all feel and play the same. It’s very disappointing when characters can be rendered so nicely but play so bland.
In the end, this game (as stated above) comes off as a missed opportunity. Even the “Superstars” mode (where you play tennis minigames) offers little amusement. Perhaps with friends the game could be elevated to above what it was made to be, but I doubt you’ll find anyone else around who owns it. Xbox Live matches provide a little more excitement, but even then, I experienced severe lag when I logged on.
In my professional opinion, if you like Tennis so much, just pick up Top Spin or Virtua Tennis from your 360, it’s cheaper and plays better.
Fun-filled tennis party guaranteed to be a smashing good time for the whole family Hilarious cameos and comical guest umpires from SEGA¿s rich gami...More at Amazon
ESRB Rating: E - EveryoneGenre: SportsFeatures: SEGA Superstars Tennis includes over 15 playable SEGA characters – like Sonic The Hedgehog AiAi fro...More at Newegg.com
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.