In the end of Virtua Tennis 2, you come face to face with the "King". His stats are all maxed out, he hits great shots almost every time, and he's a good challenge after the cakewalk that will be the preceding match. The good thing is that by this point your stats aren't anything to scoff at either. You grinded out Tank Attack-perfectting your deadly stroke, you're fast after smashing through cans, and your serve is deadly.
Then the match starts. First rally is imminent. You hit a MAX Power Serve, inches away from an ace. King gives a fast top spin serve back. You counter, this goes on for 20-30 strokes.
This is the peak of Virtua Tennis 2. The constant back and forth, with the different shots at your disposal make it more than just a "pong clone". It's an actual good representation of Tennis, it makes the game interesting. Sure, it may be a bit arcadey- but it's to be expected. It's a perfect arcade port. Doesn't make it any less fun. Right?
You're now at the perfect spot, you hit a deadly slice shot to the opposite end of the net after a fierce battle near the net. It's hanging a little high but that's okay, it's not gonna be out. This is it. It may have been the first rally, but it's a mental victory. That Love 15 is finally gonna be in your hands. You got this. Then... BANG
The King returned that slice shot with a spike top spin and there's virtually no way to react to it. No problem, it'll be 15 all on the seond rally. You serve again, another great rally, and at the end, King hits you with two back to back smash points that conveniently land just in front of the baseline out-line. Did I mention he was in netplay?
Right...
Nevertheless, this frustrating end does not stop Virtua Tennis 2 from overall being a fun game. Learning the ins and outs of different players and mastering their sets is a joy with the nice stage scenery and great animations. Players twist, turn, contort, dive, and if your lucky, leap into the air to hit volleys, strokes, spins, and lobs that all prove their worth on 4 court types. Everyone gets their chance to shine here. The carpet courts showcase the lob shots (slow but high) but that doesn't make a great slice shots (fast and low-lying) any less viable. With the right player anything is possible, and it's that what which makes Virtua Tennis 2 so versatile. This can all be experienced in the Tournament mode, but the World Tour mode has it's own quirks too.
When you're tired of the court- the minigames are there 2 minigames for 4 skills. Each one of them pose unique challenges, with Tank Attack having you train your stroke by hitting tanks, or Pin Crasher which turns tennis serves into a bowling game. The personality each minigame has is varied, and by the end you'll be having some favorites that will also at the same time train specific skills for your playstyle. I liked working on Pin Crasher, Tank Attack, and Danger Flag so I was a fast player that best worked at the baseline throwing out powerful strokes. But that doesn't mean your experience will be the same. If you like bullseye training, you may end up with an excellent volley. The intuitiveness of integrating minigames, and your proficiency actually translating to better play- is nothing short of clever. But once you get really good at the minigames- perfectting them is a slog, and progression stalls. The requirements just become too high and require near perfect execution, which just isn't fun to me.
It's a recurring theme of Virtua Tennis 2- the game is great, but the endgame is just bleh.
This is all accompanied by a nice electronic soundtrack which may irk some of the progressive rock fans of the original. It can be heard in the background of the also great SFX on the court, but it's still pleasing to listen to. All-in-all i'd wager that this entry clears the original in almost every aspect. There's greater depth to the gameplay, with proper adjustments like diving recovery being made, in addition to females being playable and better overall visuals. I see little reason to play the original unless you're nostalgic.
It's a shame then that Virtua Tennis 2 is underlooked when it comes to Tennis game discourse, with most people in the Top Spin 4 or bust camp and some preferring Tennis Elbow. It's a sneaky good addition the also underrated Dreamcast. VT2's place in just shy of VT3 i'd say, but it's DNA is all over it's successors.
Maybe one day i'll come back and show the "King" how good I really am. But for now, i've had my fill of Tennis gaming. Since I did it with Virtua Tennis 2 i'd say that's time well spent.
Then the match starts. First rally is imminent. You hit a MAX Power Serve, inches away from an ace. King gives a fast top spin serve back. You counter, this goes on for 20-30 strokes.
This is the peak of Virtua Tennis 2. The constant back and forth, with the different shots at your disposal make it more than just a "pong clone". It's an actual good representation of Tennis, it makes the game interesting. Sure, it may be a bit arcadey- but it's to be expected. It's a perfect arcade port. Doesn't make it any less fun. Right?
You're now at the perfect spot, you hit a deadly slice shot to the opposite end of the net after a fierce battle near the net. It's hanging a little high but that's okay, it's not gonna be out. This is it. It may have been the first rally, but it's a mental victory. That Love 15 is finally gonna be in your hands. You got this. Then... BANG
The King returned that slice shot with a spike top spin and there's virtually no way to react to it. No problem, it'll be 15 all on the seond rally. You serve again, another great rally, and at the end, King hits you with two back to back smash points that conveniently land just in front of the baseline out-line. Did I mention he was in netplay?
Right...
Nevertheless, this frustrating end does not stop Virtua Tennis 2 from overall being a fun game. Learning the ins and outs of different players and mastering their sets is a joy with the nice stage scenery and great animations. Players twist, turn, contort, dive, and if your lucky, leap into the air to hit volleys, strokes, spins, and lobs that all prove their worth on 4 court types. Everyone gets their chance to shine here. The carpet courts showcase the lob shots (slow but high) but that doesn't make a great slice shots (fast and low-lying) any less viable. With the right player anything is possible, and it's that what which makes Virtua Tennis 2 so versatile. This can all be experienced in the Tournament mode, but the World Tour mode has it's own quirks too.
When you're tired of the court- the minigames are there 2 minigames for 4 skills. Each one of them pose unique challenges, with Tank Attack having you train your stroke by hitting tanks, or Pin Crasher which turns tennis serves into a bowling game. The personality each minigame has is varied, and by the end you'll be having some favorites that will also at the same time train specific skills for your playstyle. I liked working on Pin Crasher, Tank Attack, and Danger Flag so I was a fast player that best worked at the baseline throwing out powerful strokes. But that doesn't mean your experience will be the same. If you like bullseye training, you may end up with an excellent volley. The intuitiveness of integrating minigames, and your proficiency actually translating to better play- is nothing short of clever. But once you get really good at the minigames- perfectting them is a slog, and progression stalls. The requirements just become too high and require near perfect execution, which just isn't fun to me.
It's a recurring theme of Virtua Tennis 2- the game is great, but the endgame is just bleh.
This is all accompanied by a nice electronic soundtrack which may irk some of the progressive rock fans of the original. It can be heard in the background of the also great SFX on the court, but it's still pleasing to listen to. All-in-all i'd wager that this entry clears the original in almost every aspect. There's greater depth to the gameplay, with proper adjustments like diving recovery being made, in addition to females being playable and better overall visuals. I see little reason to play the original unless you're nostalgic.
It's a shame then that Virtua Tennis 2 is underlooked when it comes to Tennis game discourse, with most people in the Top Spin 4 or bust camp and some preferring Tennis Elbow. It's a sneaky good addition the also underrated Dreamcast. VT2's place in just shy of VT3 i'd say, but it's DNA is all over it's successors.
Maybe one day i'll come back and show the "King" how good I really am. But for now, i've had my fill of Tennis gaming. Since I did it with Virtua Tennis 2 i'd say that's time well spent.
whu
4 months ago