Sega Superstars Tennis plays better on Wii?

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ADVANTAGE WII

sually when Sonic and friends get together, it’s for some bad futuristic racing. But it turns out that the blue hedgehog has some decent tennis skills. Developer Sumo Digital’s history with Virtua Tennis is on display with intense, precise volleys and easy to pull off lobs and drop shots on the Wii version.

Singles play against the AI is challenging, yet fair, but watch out for inconsistent partners in doubles matches. Sometimes they’ll kick ass up and down the court, while other times the ball will pass right through them. As per the mascot requirement, powered up Superstar shots result in plenty of zigzagging balls and status effects, but it’s nice to be able to toggle them off for more straightforward play.

Quick matches, multiplayer, tournaments, and minigames are all easily accessible, but the Superstars mode is where most of the depth is centered. Scrolling through various Sega franchise zones ranging from Samba de Amigo to Space Channel 5, there’s always a wide selection of tournaments, exhibitions, and minigames to beat at any given time. Challenges range from fun (a Hogan’s Alley inspired Virtua Cop game and PuyoPop Fever puzzles) to pesky (Sonic’s ring collection and House of the Dead’s zombie slaying). Overall, they aren’t too shabby. That is, until you have to repeat them 10 times. Despite the repetition, the constant barrage of unlockable characters, stages, and music will keep fans playing.

The 16-character roster is more than 30 percent Sonic characters and includes old-school surprises like Golden Axe’s Gilius and Alex Kidd. Unfortunately, rather than including as many franchises in the roster as possible, Sega added a bunch of lame sidekicks like MeeMee, Pudding, and Gum instead.

While the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions include online play and improved graphics, I surprisingly had a lot more fun on the Wii. The Wii Sports-style tennis controls feel great, especially when you add in a nunchuk to control character movement (players can also hold a remote sideways if they just want to press buttons). Each option works well, but it’s easy to accidentally press the camera change button during motion-controlled swings. It felt like there were a lot more randomly missed shots on PS3/360, and lobs and drop shots are much more of a pain to pull off.

Sega Superstars Tennis is by no means amazing, but it should manage to satisfy Sega and tennis fans alike.

-BRYAN VORE

 

7.5

 

CONCEPT: Take Mario Tennis and swap in Sega characters
GRAPHICS: The cartoony style works well even when scaled down for the Wii
SOUND: Loads of unlockable music from Sega history
PLAYABILITY: The Wii waggle controls feel better than the more traditional schemes
ENTERTAINMENT: Solid tennis gameplay mixed with generally amusing minigames
REPLAY: Moderate

MATT HELGESON 7.5 I’ve been pretty hard on Sonic and many of his compatriots in recent years. Okay, so the gang isn’t exactly on par with Super Smash Bros. in terms of star power. However, this new tennis title manages to present gamers with some solid, casual sports entertainment. While the minigames are a mixed bag, the tennis is surprisingly well done, if a bit shallow. It’s far from perfect; some of the computer AI is a little suspect at times, the minigames get fairly repetitive, and I found the power-up “superstar” shots for the characters are unbalanced. However, especially on the Wii (which I preferred), the game provides a lot of fun for those looking for a mix of tennis gameplay and Sega universe shenanigans.

Finally, something is better to be played on Wii, rather than X360 or PS3....