Smash Court Tennis 3 has arrived on the PSP console, just in time for the French Open.By Glen Atwell
A work colleague’s question “has the French Open already started?” was what I had anticipated as I sat quietly in the lunch room, bashing the buttons of my PlayStation Portable to the tune of Namco’s newest sports simulation.
On first glance and perhaps with slightly squinted eyes, the dazzling graphics of Smash Court Tennis 3 do resemble a genuine grand slam television broadcast.
Top 10 players, boisterous crowds and even the ability to question the umpire’s decision with hawk-eye technology allow players to escape to a world usually confined to the sporting elite.
Roger Federer, his arch rival Rafael Nadal, Justine Henin and Maria Sharapova are just four of the stars gracing the newly laid courts for the PSP.
Smash Court Tennis 3 is a refreshing experience and far from the arcade-style play that has cursed so many PSP sport games.
Smash Court is a fully fledged sports simulation, based on an impressive cause and effect gameplay engine, that denies players the ability to simply smash winners from anywhere on the court.
Players must anticipate court position and choose to either rally or hit a more powerful shot and risk it going long or into the net.
The game features an in-depth and challenging professional tour mode, a plethora of mini-games and tutorials and ad-hoc wireless online play.
But where Smash Court shines is in its attention to detail.
From a Pac-Man branded mini-game, to slick menu animations and life-like professional players, the game is an ace in every department.
The learning curve is relatively steep and will be especially challenging for players expecting the smash and dash style of the Virtua Tennis series.
But perfecting the craft makes hitting dust-raising winners down the line all the more rewarding.
Pros: A challenging and realistic Pro Tour mode, Namco licensed mini-games and sleek presentation make Smash Court Tennis 3 the most complete game on the PSP to date.
Cons: For those new to the Smash Court series, the steep learning curve could be slightly daunting.
Score: 9.5/10
