Sega slams back with Virtua Tennis 3 [update 1]
by Alan Rose 
{ Apr 25th 2006 at 12:55PM }
Top Spin and Smash Court take note, the first king of the court is back in the draw. Sega has announced Virtua Tennis 3 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, set to arrive in Spring 2007. This will be Sega's first console entry in the series since the excellent Tennis 2K2 on the Dreamcast four years ago. Advanced career and player creation modes return, along with the popular mini-games.
And don't forget the next gen graphics. According to Sega creative director Matt Woodley, the graphics quality is "so sharp and clear you can even see the veins on the players necks!” So we've gone from the cloth physics and simulated sweat of NBA 2K6's Crisco-coated player models to vein-popping tennis players. Virtua Tennis 3 will be on display at Sega's E3 booth so you can see for yourself.
Update: Yes, it was Tennis 2K2, thanks for pointing this out!
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
jason @ Apr 25th 2006 12:59PM
umm... is it just me or is the idea of playing a realistic video game of tennis not that appealing?
Ron Smith @ Apr 25th 2006 1:02PM
umm..... Revolution?
Spencer @ Apr 25th 2006 1:02PM
Ahhh fond memories... I wonder if it will stack up to Top Spin?
sqweak @ Apr 25th 2006 1:08PM
don't you mean Virtual Tennis 3 will be on display? ;)
phl0w @ Apr 25th 2006 1:08PM
"[...]Tennis 2K3 on the Dreamcast four years ago."
Actually, Virtua Tennis 2 was called Tennis 2K2, not 2K3, which is the newest, forthcoming iteration of the series. Guess it's only a typo, but still... ^^
sqweak @ Apr 25th 2006 1:09PM
Err, Virtua Tennis 3, sheesh, typo central! ;D
murph @ Apr 25th 2006 1:10PM
Top Spin 2 was laaaaaaaame. All that X360 processing power and what did we get? Lame "replays" of players cursing at their rackets, or shaking their fist? Don't even get me started on online play - you had to put some serious time into career mode to "power up" your player before you had any chance in a ranked game. Virtua Tennis on the PSP was more fun than Top Spin 2. VT to the rescue!!
jimmy_c @ Apr 25th 2006 1:11PM
Sega's last tennis game was awesome, but will this one be as good as Top Spin?
Wonder what kind of professionals they licensed.
push2flush @ Apr 25th 2006 1:12PM
"2. umm..... Revolution?"
wouldn't a tennis game be great on revolution? you can't get more realistic than actually swinging to hit the ball every time.
Joe @ Apr 25th 2006 1:13PM
Soon they will be releasing a game where you take control of a character who is taking control of a character in a game. I mean....seriously. Tennis?
kvn @ Apr 25th 2006 1:15PM
Jason i agree playing a tennis game on the rev is way more appealing than playing a super realistic one with the same controls as the last gen(in this case two gens ago).
kvn @ Apr 25th 2006 1:26PM
It's like what matt from ign said developers for some insane reason are not considering the rev as a nextgen system if you look at some of the announced games you'll see Nrev,ps2,xbox not Nrev,PS3,XBOX360.I really hope this is not a sign of things to come because i think the rev has alot of potential of really changing the way we play videogames.
Brandon @ Apr 25th 2006 1:28PM
Tennis sucks, but mario tennis was fun. No one will make these games for revo too becausethen you have to code a completely different game to use the control, which is why the revo is going to get screwed just like the gamecube, which is a shame since i want one to match my 360.
O'Neill @ Apr 25th 2006 1:30PM
Sega seems to be a very promising developer for next gen consoles. I have been with Sega since young and I'm big supporter of their products.
Look at Chromehounds...just outstanding and truly next gen......since I own Virtua Tennis for my DC, this is a must buy for me. I'm happy to see they continue with VT3.
O'Neill::
Ian Bowden @ Apr 25th 2006 1:30PM
This looks pretty promising & I look forward to seeing it at E3. In regard to the Revolution comment, while the controller offers 'more realistic' controls, I'd simply rather just play tennis. This game offers a lazy approach to playing tennis.
It will be interesting to see how they resolve certain problems that I can see using the Revo controller for such a game. For instance running. The analogue stick could be used for it, but if you are trying to smash with the gyroscope, then won't the wires be flying everywhere?
gaz @ Apr 25th 2006 1:31PM
what they really need to port is virtua fighter 5 not this, they would get much more interest in that as virtua fighter 4 is still the best fighting game ever made well from reviews anyway
Prof-KOS @ Apr 25th 2006 1:31PM
Ah Sports games. The holy grail of in-game advertising. The sport itself is so permeated that the games look better with the advertising. Did you look at these screenshots. I can count at least a half dozen bits of paid advertising in just one. That's an impressive revenue stream. May Kutaragi was right when he speculated that in-game advertising was the future, but I'm gonna feel mighty disallusioned the first time Donkey Kong shows off his 'Chiquita' banana.
dsub @ Apr 25th 2006 1:46PM
Sega's Virtual Tennis games are the king of realistc tennis games. Top Spin was fun, especially online, but I havent played the new one yet on 360. I'll be holding out for this though. The original Virtual Tennis was awesome in the arcade. I remember going to chuck e cheese to play it.
gaz: Virtua Fighter 5 has already been confirmed as coming to the PS3. Rumors are that it will be exclusive, but I have heard some more recent rumors that it's going to be cross-platform and on 360 as well.
Entropy Effect @ Apr 25th 2006 1:47PM
That is not particularly unlikely Prof-KOS, considering Super Monkey Ball has Dole licensed bananas.
MaX PL and the 360 r4pe Tr4iN @ Apr 25th 2006 1:55PM
#2
they said Next Gen graphics...
O_O @ Apr 25th 2006 2:05PM
provide a nude sharapova cheat code and I'd buy
LongshotX @ Apr 25th 2006 2:22PM
Actually Soul Calibur is the best fighting game. Not only is it the most appealing visually but it has a very deep fighting engine.
moomer @ Apr 25th 2006 2:35PM
You get the feeling that developers just don't make sense? Or at least Sega don't? I'll bet 10 pence the new Sonic game is released for PS3 and 360, will have a huge development budget and not sell very well on either. Then several months later they'll release a completely separate Sonic game for the revolution that they put no development effort into that sells incredibly. Then they'll port that game to PS3 and 360 with upgraded graphics and downgraded control, which will subsequently not sell.
In fact, I'll bet the next 10 pence that the next original Virtua Cop game hits PS3 before Revolution.
Imagine how brilliant a Jet Set Radio game for Revolution would be. Now imagine it's a 360 exclusive.
Don't mind me, I'm bitter.
Prof-KOS @ Apr 25th 2006 3:00PM
moomer,
I've noticed that trend myself. But with the Sega support of the Virtual Console, I bet we see a little more in the way of Revolution support. We'll probably see most major third-party support in the second wave of games for the Revolution after the developers see what's possible in terms of gameplay and graphics (which will be pretty good since all that horsepower won't be necessary for HD output). Then we'll see the top games coming to the Revolution.
Sonic needs a serious overhaul anyways. Those games have started to really get dull.
moomer @ Apr 25th 2006 7:16PM
No Prof-KOS, you know what will happen? the same thing as everytime:
Most developers will say, "Hmm, we'll half ass a port or two for the revolution to begin with, test the waters and see how gullible they are".
Then when none of their releases sell in the midst of our beloved Nintendo actually taking time to make DECENT games they'll say, "It wasn't really worth it, we'll pass, they're just kids after all and that market doesn't "mesh" with us."
Think the developers are forced into new ways of making games by the control? Think again. Witness the hilarity that is 3rd party development for DS. They have a system more powerful than N64, with 2 screens, touch interface, Wifi and a microphone and they're STILL essentially making SNES games. No one can deny that despite the startling difference in hardware sales, software sales, inventivness and top game quality, most 3rd parties STILL bring their development A-GAME to PSP (witness Capcom) in terms of team sizes, franchise and marketing development, development time etc. Meanwhile they task their GBA groups with their next DS movie tie-in.
As I said I'm bitter, and while I have great hopes for Ubisoft and one or two others, I'm almost convinced most (like EA) will make Shit ports, no ports at all, or cheap development original games.. Like monkeyball.. which will then be ported.. using the eyetoy.. with extra levels.. and be shit.
They call original revolution games a risk (internally), but don't mind spending another 30 million on another mind numbing, spirit crushing FPS graphics whore fest in a market with 30 similar competitors for systems that don't play them that well.
All I'm saying is Revolution will be great and may sell extremely well thanks to Nintendo, but it won't be on the backs of the larger 3rd parties, not even if they're talented. They can rot for all I care. Because they're idiots. Talented yes. Smart, no. Guess what, all their income predictions were down. And they wonder why.
As an aside, lets make a list of all the potential games that should be on the Revolution because they'd play better, but won't be.
I start with the ping pong rockstar game.
To be followed by a 3rd Bushido Blade.
For the DS we can start with lemmings.
And follow with Carol Vorderman's Sudoku.
Anyone care to follow? (I'm bitter, alright!)
Jeff @ Apr 25th 2006 10:22PM
I'm gonna go back up in the list of comments a bit and reply to those calling this a "realistic" tennis game...
Apparently, some of you guys have not been around long enough to understand what the "Virtua" line of games is all about. Do you honestly think "Virtua Cop" is intended to be a realistic simulation of being a police officer? Is "Virtua Racing" supposed to be a realistic simulation of racing? Of all the Virtua titles, Virtua Fighter is probably the most realistic - but it's realistic in a fantastical way that very few people could ever hope to attain in any era, and some of those fighting styles haven't been actively practiced for hundreds of years.
The Virtua line of games are all arcade games designed to take a real activity and make it fun in short bursts. There's nothing "sim" about them. And there's nothing realistic about Virtua Tennis - at least no more than there is realistic about Hot Shots Golf. The physics are basically right (though sped up) and yeah, you're playing on what amounts to a regulation court, but otherwise, this is an arcade game through and through.
There's also a reason why Tennis 2K2 was not called Virtua Tennis 2 - because it was not an arcade game and it did have a lot more sim elements. The core gameplay was still basically the same, though.
The name "Virtua Tennis 3" suggests that the series will be returning to its lighter arcade roots. Anyone looking for a real sim will likely be pretty disappointed. The Top Spin series is probably more what you're after, but Top Spin suffers quite a bit for that, if you ask me - its controls are not intuitive and there is too much to think about during the fast action of a match. Virtua Tennis is tennis boiled down to its basic elements - it is the most successful and addictive modern update to Pong ever.
and btw, Sega Sports Tennis on the PS2 was the last tennis game for consoles from Sega, not Tennis 2K2. (It was based on Tennis 2K2, but had a few differences, including different characters.)
The way some of you are talking (gaz, for example), I have to think that not only are you too young to understand what a Virtua game is really all about, but it sounds like some of you are too young to have ever even played the original Virtua Tennis at all. Go back and try it. Just because you're 13 shouldn't mean you can't appreciate pure fun.
Jeff @ Apr 25th 2006 10:30PM
btw, moomer, Sega was one of the biggest supporters of the GameCube initially, and they supported it with the Virtua line as well (Beach Spikers, one of the most underappreciated Sega titles ever, is subtitled "Virtua Beach Volleyball"). They also had Super Monkey Ball as a GameCube exclusive for a while, the Sonic titles before they moved to PS2 and Xbox, and the Sonic classic compilation. They did quite well with most of these titles as well, but no developer can now ignore the fact that the GameCube is behind the PS2 in Japan and the PS2 and Xbox in America.
I wouldn't worry about Sega's Revolution support; it'll be there in some fashion.
Questworld @ Apr 25th 2006 11:36PM
Sega WILL support the Rev, but what games are going to the Rev is the question. Frankly, I think it'll be more "kiddy" titles like Monkey Ball or Sonic (aesthetically speaking as well as theme-wise). We all know this from the Cube. While the Xbox and PS3 got games like Panzer Dragoon Orta, Sega GT, Virtua Fighter, and whatever kind of "mature" looking games with generous amount of detail, the Cube got games like Monkey Ball, Sonic, Billy Hatcher, as well as PORTS of rather lackluster looking games like Skies of Arcadia (which IMO is like a step up from N64 quality). This of course doesn't mean they're bad games but I think many see the kind of contrast between the games that go on Nintendo's machines from third-parties vs. those that go on competing platforms. So now 360 and PS3 are getting games like Chrome Hounds, Gears of War, etc. announced and you get this perception that they seem to have all these games targeted for so-called "mature" crowd while the Rev, as of now, has what? So far Joystiq's list doesn't exactly overwhelm me (at least with regards to third-parties). Red Steel looks okay but that feels like a hand out after all the things coming out on other platforms. It's a drop of water. Any games of interest like those by NIBRIS or Crossbeam are still basically concepts only. No guarantee of actually happening and essentially just vaporware. Anyone looking at the Rev for news always seem to get rumors and more rumors. Sometimes I think Nintendo fans only seem to get jokes. They get hyped up of the possibility and then it's all confirmed fake. I don't know if this is all Nintendo NDA's fault or are developers really are just not pushing resources on the Rev. From what I've seen more resources were put into the PS3 and Xbox360's mock-up projection demos and videos from last year's E3 than they have for the Rev. I mean c'mon Metal Gear Solid 4? Resident Evil 5? Final Fantasy VII? Talk about pushing the craft as high as it can go. It almost seems like money's no object to them when they make games for those systems. As someone who really believes in the potential of the FHC, I'm annoyed that the Rev gets all these praises from developers which are about as valuable as gamers praising it (i.e. Sure they're excited and want to try it out but then "hello?" you're the ones making the games remember? You're not suppose to be sitting with the crowd anticipating the system too. You're suppose to make the games and furthermore give it all you've got!). Where's the effort? Where're the engines designed to push the system to its peak? Unreal3 Engine seems designed for the 360 but still got worked on to work on the PS3 but then Epic's going like "that's it, we can't spare anymore to bother make it work on the Rev, just give the Unreal 2.5 or something." Supposedly the perfect controller for FPS games and I'm still being herded towards systems that still used dual analog control because developers keep insisting on those systems. I really hate that. I wanted to play those types of games on consoles but couldn't and apparently still won't. How annoying. Hopefully Valve has something 'cause neither Epic nor iD are doing anything.
moomer @ Apr 26th 2006 7:48AM
Actually Jeff, no. It's true Sega supported Gamecube with several games (I forgot Beach Volleyball), but if you think about the games released when they went "Platform Agnostic", the gave them a PORT of a dreamcast game (Sonic Adventure 2) and Supermonkeyball, which clearly didn't cost very much to make, despite how good it may be. Of course both sold very well, which is why Sonic didn't remain exclusive for his 3rd adventure (and now the new Sonic doesn't even look to be coming out for revoultion), and monkeyball 1&2 got ported, so PS2 and Xbox owners didn't have to buy the games twice.
Compare that to some of their Xbox releases:
Jet Set Radio Future
Gun Valkerie
Panzer Dragoon Orta
etc.
All were made by their premier dev teams. All cost a lot to make. All of them were great. All had dissapointing sales. None were ported.
Similar things happened with PS2, but of course they didn't port any of their PS2 succeses either.
Anyway, is anyone gonna add to my list or what?
I thought of another one; Katamari on Revolution AND DS. We'll see if Fight Night gets a port for revolution.
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