Gamble under the Christmas tree: The three best tennis games for the Playstation 5
In a small series we present you the best tennis video games that are currently available for purchase. Neatly sorted by platform. The last part is dedicated to the industry leader Sony.
by Stefan Bergmann
last edit: Dec 18, 2022, 04:48 pm
In 1995, entertainment electronics giant Sony caused a small revolution in the living room at home. While the manufacturers Nintendo and SEGA had already enjoyed great success with TV game consoles in the mid-1980s, it was the Playstation brand that made gaming on the couch the norm. The Playstation 2 in particular broke almost every sales record and consolidated Sony's position as market leader. The fourth incarnation of the Japanese toy box was similarly successful in 2013, while the current fifth generation has suffered from delivery problems and a reasonable number of gambling system sellers since it was launched. Sony's current gaming machine also has room for improvement when it comes to tennis games. It's amazing that the rather hapless Playstation 3 brought the finest tennis games to light - all gamers with an affinity for the yellow felt ball still dream of a continuation of the two great game series Top Spin and Virtua Tennis. Be that as it may, you have to make the best of the current situation, and even if there aren't any mega hits among the candidates presented here, they're all great for passing the time. Curtain up on the best tennis games for Playstation 5.
3rd place: Tennis World Tour 2 (manufacturer: Nacon; price: approx. 20 euros)
The predecessor Tennis World Tour was a small catastrophe. No double games, players who seemed to be floating across the field and controls straight from hell made the 2018 title a real non-starter. Two years and one developer later, the sequel still doesn't deliver everything that was promised in the trailers and preliminary reports, but you can still have fun with the game. As far as career mode goes, Tennis World Tour 2 does absolutely nothing wrong. All important tournaments - albeit without an official license - can be found in the tour planner. Training sessions can be scheduled between events to improve skills such as forehand, backhand or serve. With Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, two of the most popular tennis artists of all time are also part of the player repertoire. On the negative side, the opponent's AI is quite weak and nips exciting games in the bud. And the controls and the remaining gameplay elements can also be further improved. Graphically, Tennis World Tour 2 is the most beautiful title of our round of introductions - but don't expect miracles here either. Conclusion: satisfactory
2nd place: AO Tennis 2 (manufacturer: Nacon; price: approx. 25 euros)
AO (Australian Open) Tennis 2 is the second installment in a series of games that also originated in 2018. Part one still suffered from stiff animations, strange ball physics and notchy controls, in the sequel almost all gameplay problems have been eliminated, except for the still annoying net game. Graphically, the game from Nacon still doesn't really look ready for the top ten, since the competing title Tennis World Tour 2 - programmed by the same developer by the way - is a few world ranking points ahead. At a higher level of difficulty you really have to master all stroke variants such as top spin, slice or stop in order to be able to counter the good strategies of the AI opponents with something decisive. The detailed career mode with tournament calendar and management functions also adds something to the good package for longer-lasting gaming fun. In addition, a few official professional licenses are on board - the 3D models are not too reminiscent of the originals, however. Conclusion: good
1st place: Matchpoint: Tennis Championships (manufacturer: kalypso Media; price: approx. 30 euros)
The latest addition to the rather modest range of tennis games on the Sony console is Matchpoint: Tennis Championships from kalypso Media. The games developer from Worms, Germany, has always been on the chin when it comes to the budget for today's horrendous development costs for video games. One becomes aware of this fact at the first sight of the player models, since they got better at it eleven years ago in Virtua Tennis 4 and players like Kei Nishikori look ridiculously dissimilar to their real counterparts. Also, the fact that there are no footprints on sandy terrain is anything but state of the art in 2022. However, Matchpoint shows its strengths in the gameplay. Nobody can fool the extensive career mode with exciting tournament planning and the management part is rudimentary but pleasant. The controls are precise and easy to handle after a short familiarization phase. In no other tennis game on the Playstation does one have the feeling of having all stroke variants fully under control. The AI is also in a class of its own. Exciting, tough baseline duels like crisp net attacks are the order of the day. So if you don't want to wait for the never-ending day when Top Spin 5 or Virtua Tennis 5 will be released, grab it here without hesitation. Conclusion: good
Bonus tip: Playstation 3 with Top Spin 4 and Virtua Tennis 4 (manufacturer: Sony/2K/SEGA; total price: 130 euros)
Anyone who still owns a Playstation 3 has a clear advantage when it comes to tennis games on Sony's consoles. But thanks to the flea market or second-hand goods dealers, everyone else has the opportunity to set their hardware clocks back by more than a decade. Although the valuable space at the TV table is even smaller with an additional device, you are rewarded with the two best tennis games of the last 30 years. While in Top Spin 4 you can marvel at the gameplay dream of a simulation-loving tennis player that has come true, Virtua Tennis 4 does practically nothing wrong with the more action-packed rally game. Career modes and other long-term motivation guarantees are also available for both candidates. The titles are also graphically - if not better than the current tennis games - at least on the same level. So if you can afford it, this variant is the most fun way to play tennis on a Sony console. Conclusion: very good