Graphics
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Stunning graphics, animation and use of colours. 16-bit standard although a little bit blocky in places.
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Music
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An OK title tune, although nothing else.
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Sounds
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As expected lots thwacks, cracks and beeps for an out of court ball. No crowd noise oddly.
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Presentation
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Quite a few options available especially for practicing, but rather lackluster menus and info screens - just yellow text against black background. Poor effort until you get to go in game and wow! Some work and care has gone into this, I even like the spinning tennis ball on the score board at the end of a game. Still, the menu/info screens let the side down leaving a less than engrossing game lacking the atmospher and immersion that you're in an exciting tournament...
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Programming
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Probably the fastest and smoothest tennis game on the Amstrad as a whole, very well done. However the decision to use the 'hold fire / release fire' method and lack of shots lets this down.
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Playability
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The style of play is position and timing based otherwise you have no control over your shots. Very simple. Its a nice gameplay gimmick for a while, where the direction of the ball is determined by your position and speed by when you relase the fire button - it is rather simplistic and wish they'd utilised the 2nd fire button to do something different like a 'lob shot'.
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Lastability
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Whether you get bored of the simplicity and want to persue the game further is up to you - personally I got rather bored after a while. More fun in 2 player mode.
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Concept
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It's tennis - usually fertile ground for a good computer game ever since Pong appeared. All good fun. Can't go wrong with the basis, and nice they have included some training sessions for serving and returning.
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AI & Challenge
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Nicely pitched difficulty and response from your opponents. Good to see they try random stuff like charging the net.
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GX4000 Features
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It's an update of an existing tape/disk game, but this time they've made a real effort. The graphics have been majorly souped up and looks wicked.
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Summary
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Hard to decide which is the best tennis game - this or Tennis Cup 2 - but this certainly is the fastest and smoothest, and quickest to get into. But it is rather limited so interest may wane fairly quickly. A blast in 2 player mode though!
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Final Score
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80%
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