First Serve on Xbox 360

SEGA's Virtua games have always focused intensely on simulation. Even the Virtua Fighter series dismissed fireball attacks and flying uppercuts in favor of subtle combinations. Likewise, the Virtua Tennis series has kept its eye on the ball in a quest to capture the genuine feel and tactics of professional tennis, and Virtua Tennis™ 3 represents the next step in that evolution.

Practice makes perfect.

Precision Gameplay
The Virtua Tennis franchise has always been known for its authentic gameplay. Rocket-like forehands, slices to keep your opponent off balance, brutal serves, drop shots, and lobs, they're all here to be used and executed with flawless control. The basic shot mechanics are very simple. Once your body is lined up with the shot, hold down the shot button: A for top-spin, Y for a lob, and X or B for a slice. The longer you hold down the button, the harder you will hit the ball and the more it will spin.

When you hold down the shot button, you can change the angle of your shot with the left stick. The longer you press in that direction, the more extreme the angle of your shot. Execute a drop shot by holding the left stick away from the net when you hit a slicing shot.

Even the most casual player can pick it up
and be successful in a few short moments.

Of course, you can also find yourself executing overhand smashes, diving saves, and even nifty between-the-legs shots, all handled naturally and without complication based purely on the context of the situation.

Player Variety
Where Virtua Tennis 3 truly distinguishes itself is in the feel of each character. Whether you play as an elite pro like Roger Federer or your own custom character in the World Tour campaign, the strengths and weaknesses of each player really shine through.

Virtua Tennis 3 not only takes into account the power, angle, and control of both your ground and volley strokes, but differentiates between your backhand and forehand. It tracks your serving speed and control as well as your speed in rushing the net, lateral movement, and turning. The end result is that each player not only plays with their own unique style, but succeeding with them depends on playing to their strengths.

Beware Roddick's serve.

World Tour
The single-player campaign might have been perfectly adequate providing a stream of regular tournaments and challenges, but we don't have to find out. Virtua Tennis 3 simulates the life of a tennis professional, focusing as much on training and preparation as major tournaments.

Hit the Tennis Academy to work on your accuracy, switch up your outfits and upgrade your racquets at home. Take a vacation to give your body a break, or play a mini-game to build your specific skills. You may have as much fun playing the mini-games as you do the tournaments themselves. This represents SEGA's only departure from realism, embracing an approach much like miniature golf.

Build your serving power by knocking down bowling pins, or improve your footwork by picking up balls as you dodge giant rolling fruit. Keep alligators from feeding by hitting volley shots into fans, which pull a rope attached to an alligator, dragging it backwards. It's as wacky as it sounds.

The single-player career takes place over a ten-year span, taking a week for each activity. The end goal of your career is, of course, to become the number one ranked tennis player in the world and to hold it. Not every week holds a tournament, but make sure to use your downtime to train properly for when it counts.

Beautifully dominating.

Each tournament has a world ranking requirement, with level 300 tourneys being the least challenging and those level 50 and up boasting the world's elite tennis players. Your ranking increases depending on how challenging your opponents are.

Doubles Online
Of course you can play singles matches online over Xbox LIVE® as well, but the ability to team up with three buddies to play an authentic doubles match may be the most addictive new feature in Virtua Tennis 3. The constant communication required for good doubles strategy keeps thing interesting and entertaining.

For any tennis fan, Virtua Tennis 3 is a no-brainer addition to their Xbox 360™ library. With excellent and uncomplicated design, and devotion to authenticity, its most striking achievement may be the appeal to the casual gamer. Though layers of depth await, even the most casual player can pick it up and be successful in a few short moments.

Article by Ryan Treit