Tennis 2K2 Impressions

As most of you already know, Tennis 2K2 is essentially an updated Virtua Tennis. Along with the options menu, there are 3 modes to choose from: Exhibition, Tournament, and World Tour. If you have played VT, then you already know what these modes are about for Tennis 2K2.

Exhibition mode is a regular tennis match. From 1 to 4 players can participate in this mode. The type of match is chosen (singles or doubles), players are chosen, number of games, which court to play on, etc. then the match begins. You know the drill here. Five tennis courts are availiable from the start, but other courts have to be obtained. The selection of tennis courts you have to choose from depends on your actions playing through the World Tour mode (more on this below). Oh, and you can still change the view with the 'Y' button while playing in 1-player mode.

Tournament mode is setup the same way as Exhibition mode, with the only difference being the tournament-style format of matches.

The World Tour for Tennis 2K2 is basically the same as it is in VT. This time around, however, you have to create a male AND female tennis player, then get both of 'em through the road to becoming #1 ranked player in the world in their respective genders. The training mini-games (I'm not going to tell you what they are since that would spoil some of the fun for you all), singles & doubles matches, shops, weekly schedule, etc... everything that was encountered in VT is also featured in Tennis 2K2. The tennis courts that you purchase in the shops will be available for you to play on in Exhibition and Tournament modes. The minor difference I notice so far in this mode for Tennis 2K2 is that stamina level for your created male and female tennis players is tracked down. When stamina gets low, you'll have to send your tennis players home to rest for a week to regain their stamina back. Also, a lot more abilities are tracked. The main categories and skills that rates the abilities are listed as follows:

Serve
Speed
Control

Footwork
Net
Side
Turn

Stroke
Power
Angle
Place

Volley
Power
Angle
Place

Participating in the mini-games will steadily increase the ability levels of these categories.

As far as options go, Tennis 2K2 is the same as VT: CPU AI level, number of games per match, and toggle tiebreaker rules on/off. So unfortunately, a significant option that was missing from VT is still missing from Tennis 2K2. Yes, I'm talking about choosing the number of sets per match. Although there is a unique tie-breaker format in Tennis 2K2, matches in this game consists of playing only ONE set. This omission is no doubt going to irk some tennis enthusiasts that were anticipating this option to be included for this game.

As for how Tennis 2K2 plays... it is very similar to VT from what I've witnessed so far. The way to serve is still the same at VT; press the 'A' to make a regular (flat) serve, and 'X' to make a slice serve. Lob is still the same as well ('B' button). The way to direct a shot is still the same (analog stick or D-pad). However, there is an addition of a slice shot for Tennis 2K2. With the press of the 'X' button, you can hit the ball that adds backspin, as opposed to the topspin that the ball does when doing a regular shot pressing the 'A' button. Drop shots are still done the same way as before. Shot power is again determined on the position of player and timing of swing. Lobs can still be smashed the same way. Players in Tennis 2K2 will not dive as often as they did in VT when attempting to strike a ball that's nearly out of their range, which I think is good. There appears to be some new animations for Tennis 2K2 as well, although my eyes may be deceiving me here.

Now keep in mind that I have only had this game for a day, so there is maybe a lot of nuances that I have yet to discover. I'll try to report any other intricacies that I find worth mentioning.

Kruza

 

Thanks for the impressions on Tennis 2k2 and NBA2k2, much appreciated on my end. Always appreciated.

Oh yeah, you gotta play F355 with the Ferrari Wheel by Thrustmaster. It just feels so right with that game! Unfortunately, the only game I have had problems with regarding the wheel is Sega Rally 2, which really pains me; it works but SR2's controls are exceptionally arcady so to speak, moreso than Daytona I'd say... It seems like the wheel mode engine in SR2 is basically just emulating a controller so it feels like there's a drastic dead zone for a good amount of arc in the wheel.

Anyways, back on topic... I take it that Tennis 2k2 (Power Smash 2) has the same shot-cancels and shot-recovery (S+L Hold)? Can you still cause the ball to make drastic side spins on serves, causing the oh-so drastic arc? Can you still manually apply backspin? Does faking shots (into lobs) have any real value in this game?

-Chanchai

 

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I take it that Tennis 2k2 (Power Smash 2) has the same shot-cancels and shot-recovery (S+L Hold)? Can you still cause the ball to make drastic side spins on serves, causing the oh-so drastic arc? Can you still manually apply backspin? Does faking shots (into lobs) have any real value in this game?

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I don't think faking shots and lobbing are very useful in Tennis 2K2 simply because the effectiveness of the lob itself is not as great in Tennis 2K2 as it was for Virtua Tennis. It's kind of tough to get the lob over the head of the opponent now unless your player and opponent is literally standing right in front of the net. It seems to me that lobs can be smashed by either your player or the opponent as long as one of the 2 players stand a few short feet away from the net.

I have yet to try shot cancel or shot recovery.

Yeah, it is still possible to do slice serves. And you sure can manually apply backspin to your serves.

Kruza

 

It doesn't sound right to me if the lob loses its effectiveness in Tennis 2K2 (ugh, the annual update thang). What made Virtua Tennis so great was its balance between hard and lob shots. There are countless times that I've psyched out opponents by whiffing a lob, over their heads, to the back corner. How then is the balance of game?

I never tried faking shots in VT; there wasn't really much need, since I'm pretty much unbeatable at the game . It's tragic that this year's version lacks online play; I'd love to see it in action.

Finally, the best serve in the game: lowest power possible, aim for the far side of the court. The ball barely gets over the net, and then sinks. Either you ace your opponent or they wind up stumbling around the side of the court.

 

Heh, well I'm not saying that lobs are totally useless in Tennis 2K2. It's just not a near automatic point anymore. The lobs don't travel as far in Tennis 2K2 as it did in Virtua Tennis, so this might have a lot to do with why it seems to be more difficult to get it over the opponent's head during a match. Like I said before, both tennis players have to be right near the net in order for lobs to work now unless you catch an opponent completely off-guard with one.

I would say that Tennis 2K2 is a more balanced game than VT -- even with the toned down lobs. Due to the limited effectiveness of the lobs, tennis players can attack the net on a more frequent basis... all of which can allow for more exciting play in my opinion. Tennis 2K2 promotes more of a close-to-intermediate net game where more volleys, and strong forehand & backhand shots can be exchanged. A well-timed cross court slice shot is a LETHAL weapon in this game. Sets up many possibilities.

Kruza

 

When I first heard that lobs weren't as high as before... It didn't sound good at first. In VT, if you were close to the net and your opponent lobbed when you predicted a volley and swung, you were screwed unless you performed a shot-cancel, and even when cancelling your shot you barely had time to run back and hit the ball.

However... now that I think about it. I guess limiting the effectiveness of lobs to the point where both players should be close to the net will indeed make the matches much more intense and promote an up close game. Sounds good to me/versus/images/icons/cool.gif

-Chanchai

 

What the hell?! (Tennis 2K2 World Tour spoiler)

You all see the subject line, so you have been warned.

Alright, with Ron and Yolanda (my created male and female
tennis players) ranked #6 in their respective genders, they
finally make it to the mixed doubles SPT Finals played at
the Sega court in Tokyo, Japan on the 3rd week of
December. Ron and Yolanda win the match 6-4. Now I'm
pumped up and ready to claim the title thinking I finally
finished the World Tour mode. After seeing this match as
the last one on the calendar left to play, I know I have to
be #1 now, right? WRONG! Ron and Yolanda are ranked
#2 in the world! What makes this really bad is that
another event pops up from out of nowhere and occurs right
on the 4th week of December! It's a mixed doubles Level 5
(not 4... 5!) match named "Super Exhibition". This
match is played on a turquoise hardcourt named "Court of a
King" that is located on a f'n cruise boat! And guess who
the opponents are? None other than the Royal Highnesses --
King and Queen! This is not a joke, people. I lost 6-3
playing against royalty, showing a stunned look on my face
during the entire match. I just couldn't believe the world
tour wasn't finished after the SPT Final match. Not to
mention that it was hard as hell to see the green tennis
ball moving at times since it blended in really well with
the turquoise-colored court. Heh, at least I know what is
the last (28th) tennis court left to uncover for play on
Exhibition mode.

Anyway, I was thrown completely off-guard with this "Super
Exhibition" match. Now I have to wait another 48 weeks to
get revenge. Grrr!

Kruza