Hot Shots Tennis

The Video Game Critic (A)

Hot Shots Tennis is easy to overlook, but this throw-away title blows all of the other tennis games out of the water.

VicioJuegos.com / uVeJuegos.com (82 out of 100)

A pesar del grave defecto que supone su duración, nos encontramos ante un más que digno representante del tenis en PS2. A su favor tiene un control fantástico y un demoledor modo multijugador. Todos aquellos que disfrutan con los deportes en consola deberían probarlo, sobre todo con amigos.

Game Over Online (82 out of 100)

If you’re new to the series, or on the fence about tennis games in general, a rental is probably best. Thanks to its depth and ease of use, it can be greatly enjoyed even by folks who aren’t usually into tennis games, as it’s got an easy learn curve and even includes a training mode that concisely explains things for players who might feel overwhelmed by the intricacies of the game. Completing it won’t take up too much time, which leaves a lot of rental time left to enjoy the meat of the game. Long-time fans of either the series or tennis games can safely purchase this, as there’s a lot of fun to be had and a great deal of gameplay depth to keep you motivated to improve and eventually master the game.

Video Games Daily (8 out of 10)

Everybody's Tennis is a wonderful, light-hearted tennis game that anyone can enjoy - it starts off fairly slow but soon kicks off, leaving you hooked and in need of more. The ideal Everybody's formula translates perfectly to the sport, and I personally hope they keep this success up if they branch out into other areas. Lovely stuff.

AceGamez (8 out of 10)

Everybody's Tennis is an entertaining game and extremely good at what it does. It's not going to blow you away and it certainly isn't pushing the boundaries of what the PlayStation 2 is capable of, but it's not trying to. If you're a hard-core tennis fan then I doubt this is the game for you; save your money and get the latest instalment of Virtua Tennis, with its official endorsements and in-depth control system. Everybody's Tennis is almost an amazing game; with a little more variety and a few extra game modes, this would have been a real classic. However, for those of you looking for a very entertaining arcade game that's great fun alone or with a friend, this comes highly recommended.

GameZone (8 out of 10)

Hot Shots Tennis is a red-hot winner for Clap Hanz, but it’s an even bigger win for every gamer that plays it. There’s something for everyone to love, regardless of your gaming background. All that matters is that you like tennis games – then there’s no question as to whether or not you should make this game your next purchase.

Gamer 2.0 (7.9 out of 10)

Overall, Hot Shots Tennis is definitely a nice start to a new branch of the Hot Shots franchise. It’s not going to blow anyone away with the features, but Hot Shots fans should definitely check it out along with fans of tennis games in general. Your $30 isn’t going to get you a lot of single-player content like you’d expect from the Hot Shots Golf games, but it’s nice to see budget prices for these kinds of games, as it would definitely be a rip-off at full price.

Daily Game (7.8 out of 10)

Hot Shots brings its fantastic gameplay and cutesy characters to the tennis court. We would have liked more character customization, but the fun factor does not disappoint.

PGNx Media (7.8 out of 10)

Overall, Hot Shots Tennis does the job just fine for someone looking for a cheerful tennis game on the PS2. It doesn’t do anything exceptionally well, but is entertaining as long as you aren’t expecting anything deep.

Fragland.net (78 out of 100)

That's actually just one of the features that give away the target of this game, wich is mostly mainstream gamers (duh!) and also the children. Another feat are the translations that go together with the easy controls to make this game very accessable for children. And maybe they'll get inspired to go outside and play some tennis for real, who knows.

4Players.de (76 out of 100)

Everybody's Golf lebt von seinen zahlreichen Figuren, Kostümen, witzigen Ideen und dem einfach zu beherrschenden, aber fordernden Sport. Und dann tauscht Clap Handz nach fünf Fortsetzungen Fairway gegen Rasen, Bunker gegen Netz, Caddie gegen Schiedsrichter - aber vergisst die Extras. Es gibt vielleicht ein Dutzend Charaktere, ein paar Kostüme, einige Plätze und muntere, vielseitige Ballwechsel. Auch Everybody's Tennis spielt sich klasse! Doch der Spaß hat ein jähes Ende, sobald man feststellt, dass es abgesehen von Einzeln und gelegentlichen Doppeln auf der Karriereleiter weder viel zu tun noch viel zu sehen gibt. Ich werde jedenfalls das Gefühl nicht los, dass die Entwickler nur den Grundstein für eine neue Serie legen wollten. Immerhin: Damit könnte Teil zwei auf einer hervorragenden Basis aufbauen. Im Moment wirkt Everybody's Tennis allerdings wie ein Tennisplatz im Rohzustand. Ein grüner Rasen irgendwo im Niemandsland.

Game Freaks 365 (7.6 out of 10)

What then is my conclusion? If you are a fan of tennis, there is no logical reason not to at least consider picking this game up, and in all likelihood, little reason not to actually do so. Tennis games don’t come out nearly as often as games involving other sports, so when a good one like this one comes along, tennis fans should take it seriously and support the companies that make them. Even as someone who isn’t a tennis fan, however, you can still get entertainment value out of this game. I know I did. Therefore, I strongly recommend that anybody who is a fan of tennis or anyone who just likes fun sports games seriously consider adding this game to their collection.

Cheat Code Central (3.8 out of 5)

With the three different ways to play Hot Shots Tennis, including single player challenge mode, the co-op versus mode, and a training mode for those of us that need that extra little bit, the game brings the fun to the PS2. Tennis may not be the game of your dreams, of course golf may not be for others, but I am glad to see Clap Hanz stretch its style and sense of easy gameplay in another field of sports. Even with its faults, Hot Shots Tennis delivers on some of the fan favorite styles of the Hot Shots Golf series. Whether you just want to occasionally pick this game up to replace tennis on Wii-sports to give yourself a break or want to dive into the game to become a tennis master, this is the game for you. Put on your best white outfit and take a seat, because this requires no movement from you, well, except to maybe push aside your opponents as a distraction tactic in multiplayer.

IGN (7.6 out of 10)

I really like Hot Shots Tennis. It's a game that I'm going to keep playing even though I'm done with the review, but I'm short of being impressed. Granted, it's only $30, but when we get down to it, the title is asking its simple gameplay to be the sole reason you keep playing. You can't customize your character's appearance or stats, so it's going to come down to you beating the bejesus out of everyone in an attempt to unlock some umpires you're never going to use. Then, the game'll be over.

Game Revolution (B)

All in all, the Hot Shots have made a pretty good outing of it and I'd wish them luck if they ever decided to go further afield with, say, basketball. Hot Shots Tennis is a spunky game with enough depth to make things interesting, yet it still retains a goofy arcade charm. So much for getting fit.

GameTrailers (7.5 out of 10)

The Hot Shots series proves once again that it can serve up addictive, accessible gameplay with its first foray into the realm of tennis. This simple approach is fine, but the lack of modes, online multiplayer, and character customization leave Hot Shots Tennis stuck in the last generation of expectations.

Jeuxvideo.com (15 out of 20)

Jouissant maintenant d'une certaine popularité avec la série des Everybody's Golf, le studio Clap Hanz décline le principe à d'autres domaines, dont le tennis, avec toujours autant de brio. Même si l'approche se veut très grand public, la richesse du gameplay est indéniable et offre des parties passionnantes à condition d'y jouer à plusieurs.

The Game Hoard (5 out of 7)

Hot Shots Tennis is an accessible and fun take on the sport, its world colorful and its controls simple to make it inviting and easy to pick up. Hitting the ball how you want is easy to achieve but deciding how to do so and considering your opponent’s actions and positioning ensure there’s a degree of depth to how you line up your next return. The challenge mode structures its matches well and throws in a few unexpected variables to test your skill. Hot Shots Tennis is focused on honest tennis that is quick to learn but still has some extra layers to it so it’s not overly basic, so while it will mostly appeal to people who already have an interest in tennis, it provides a video game adaptation of the sport that does not require the training and self-discipline that can make the real world game harder to immediately get into and enjoy.

Wham! gaming (7 out of 10)

And on the whole it was a worthwhile experience. Sure, it maybe doesn't measure up in quality and look of the more professional sports title, such as Top Spin. But I could play as a little blonde girl who'd occasionally grunt when she went for a shot, so I could pretend she was Maria Sharapova.

GamePro (US) ( )

Hot Shots Golf is a convincing transformation of the Hot Shots Golf style of play. It's easy enough to pick up and play immediately. It's fast paced enough to keep you engaged for several matches. And, if you happen to dig simple games you will probably have a good time with Hot Shots Tennis. But, don't expect this game to be a pillar in your collection of games and don't expect to remember you own it after a few weeks. All in all Hot Shots is definitely worth a try; maybe not a purchase, but definitely a rental.

PlayFrance (7 out of 10)

Au final, après être parvenu à démocratiser le golf, les équipes de Clap Hanz ont pris le difficile pari de porter leur recette sur le tennis. Si l'idée pouvait rendre sceptique, le pari est finalement réussi sans atteindre toutefois l'excellence d'un Everybody's Golf, la faute à une concurrence déjà bien installée dans ce domaine. Mignon sur le plan graphique, bien que perfectible, très accessible, le titre de Sony est assurément un excellent jeu pour quiconque souhaite s'initier au tennis. Les joueurs assidus qui ont déjà plié en long, en large, et en travers les principaux autres jeux du genre risquent en revanche de rester sur leur faim !

Splashgames (7 out of 10)

Everybody's Tennis zielt ganz klar auf die Tennis-Einsteiger, und diese Zielgruppe bedient es auch recht gut. Wer ohne Profi-Ansprüche an das Spiel und sich selbst eine auf niedlich getrimmte Variante des weißen Sports erleben will, ohne dabei aber völlig auf herausfordernde Gegner zu verzichten, findet hier einen Titel, der seinen Wünschen genau entspricht. Vor allem im Multiplayer-Modus kann man mit dem Spiel viel partytauglichen Spaß erleben. Allerdings wird Everybody's Tennis zum Vollpreis verkauft, und dafür bietet es sowohl auf der Grafik- und Sound-Seite als auch vom Umfang her etwas zu wenig.

Worth Playing (7 out of 10)

I only saw a few minor flaws with Hot Shots Tennis, such as the uselessness of the unlockables, extremely annoying multiplayer, and even a harmless yet painfully obvious "hiccup." (You have the ability to unlock Suzuki as a umpire and as a player, so you can play as or against Suzuki, while still serving as umpire for the match.) So is Hot Shots Tennis worth a shot? If you're looking for a good tennis game in terms of gameplay, then definitely! With a $30 price, you really can't go wrong with Hot Shots Tennis, but if you're looking for sports title with good multiplayer support or a single-player mode with useful unlockables, you'd be better off with Hot Shots Golf.

GameSpy ( )

Whether Hot Shots Tennis holds your attention for a long time or a short time depends on how much you dig the game of tennis, because there's no great magical pot at the end of the rainbow other than more tennis. Still, even with its foibles, it's a darn good time. It makes you want to play again. It continually induces high-stress profanity. It forces you to improve -- and with time, you do. Perhaps best when played in doubles format with three of your friends, Hot Shots Tennis is lighthearted, accessible fun that simply can't be written off as too easy.

Gamers' Temple, The (68 out of 100)

Hot Shots Tennis is not really a bad game. Its simple brand of tennis is implemented well enough that it will certainly appeal to some people. The primary problem is that the Hot Shots model just doesn't work as well with tennis as it does with golf. There's a lot more variety of play in golf; every course is a new experience and no two rounds play out the same way. On the other hand, each tennis match will seem to be pretty much the same as the last because of the simplicity. You may as well go out and hit tennis balls against your garage door instead.

spieletipps (67 out of 100)

"Everybody's Tennis" macht Spaß. Allerdings nicht im Singleplayermodus, sondern nur wenn ihr zusammen mit anderen Leuten spielt. Es ist primär ein Spaßspiel, das die jüngere Generation sowie Familien anspricht. Grafisch und akustisch überzeugt es nicht wirklich. Die Steuerung ist allerdings positiv hervorzuheben. Wer von euch schon immer ein Tennis-Spiel der etwas anderen Art spielen wollte, ist mit diesem Spiel gut beraten. Wer lieber ernsthaft anspruchsvolles Tennis spielen möchte, der sucht sich besser ein anderes Spiel.

Game Shark (B-)

Hot Shots Tennis, as you'd expect, looks like a kid’s game, sounds like a kid’s game, has the depth of a kid’s game, but plays a very mature and fun game of tennis. Unfortunately, it's just not challenging enough and it doesn't have enough longevity for experienced sports gamers. Otherwise, those interested in a good family-style tennis game will find a lot of value in Hot Shots Tennis.

Gameswelt (64 out of 100)

'Everybody's Tennis' hat derzeit nur einen Vorteil gegenüber 'Virtua Tennis 3' und Co.: Es erscheint auf einer Konsole, die von den aktuellen Serien nicht mehr bedient wird. Sonst zieht der Titel in allen Belangen den Kürzeren. Besonders die viel zu kurze Spielzeit und der fehlende Online-Modus stören, die schreckliche Lokalisierung mit Erotik-Touch und der grausame Techno-Soundtrack geben dem enthusiastischen Spieler den Rest. Wer unbedingt Tennis auf der PS2 spielen will, sollte besser zum etwas betagten 'Virtua Tennis 2' greifen.

PAL Gaming Network (PALGN) (6 out of 10)

While Everybody’s Tennis is by no means a bad game, it lacks in a few key features which would make it stand out among other top sellers already available on the market. The game’s AI is less desirable and the graphics are somewhat dated. It will likely appeal to younger gamers due to its simplicity but otherwise, more experienced players would likely prefer something with more challenge. If you happen to be bored over a weekend however, it’s worth a rent.

InsideGamer (6 out of 10)

Everybody’s Tennis is een simpele en laagdrempelige tennis-game die eigenlijk alleen bedoeld is voor gamers die nog nooit eerder een tennisspel hebben aangeraakt. De regels van het aloude tennis worden meerdere malen op kinderlijke wijze uitgelegd en de moeilijkheidsgraad is volgens mij expres laag gehouden. Leuk dus als je een kind van acht bent (of hebt), maar de gemiddelde leeftijd van deze site ligt zover ik weet een stuk hoger. Voor ‘onze’ doelgroep is deze game simpelweg niet geschikt.

Eurogamer.net (UK) (6 out of 10)

On balance, Everybody's Tennis is a fun, air-headed game with no game breaking flaws, but the half-hearted single player mode and lack of any long-term challenge makes it feel like a contractual obligation than something designed to take the genre forward in any way whatsoever. All told, it's just a solid, by-the-numbers Virtua Tennis clone with a generic cast of Clap Hanz creations. If you really must have a tennis game on your PS2, the bargain basement will serve you far better than this rather apologetic 'will this do?' offering. Better still, ignore it entirely and get Virtua Tennis 3 on one of four different platforms.

GamersHell.com (6 out of 10)

Considering that developer Clap Hanz has conjured up a few different versions of their popular golf game, one can only assume that this is the first of several tennis titles to come. The plainness of this game reinforces that idea, as it leaves some room for improvement. All in all, if you are playing this game, then you obviously want to play a tennis game. Considering this, Hot Shots Tennis won't be a huge disappointment. Hey, it's hitting a ball back and forth, go nuts.

Gamesmania.de (59 out of 100)

Tennis ist eine der wenigen Sportarten, die mir im realen Leben ohnehin deutlich mehr Spaß machen als an einer Konsole, selbst die an sich tollen Filzballumsetzungen wie Top Spin 2 oder Virtua Tennis 3 bieten mir längst nicht das Schlagreportoire als wenn ich selbst auf dem Platz stehen würde. Mit seinen nur drei Grundschlägen versucht Everybody´s Tennis erst gar nicht, in Sachen Realismus zu glänzen. Allerdings verzichtet das Spiel auch auf witzige Spezialschläge im Stile von Mario Tennis, ohne die ein Funtennisspiel einfach nicht funktioniert. Von daher ist Everybody´s Tennis allein für junge Konsolenbesitzer ohne Nintendo Gamecube interessant, alle anderen bleiben bei Virtua Tennis 3 oder schwitzen sich lieber selbst auf dem Platz ab.

Game Chronicles (5.8 out of 10)

had high hopes for Hot Shots Tennis, especially given the legacy of their previous golf games. I still play Hot Shots Golf on my PSP, even today, and I’m anxiously awaiting the new Hot Shots Golf on PS3. Perhaps this tennis game might have fared better on the PSP, but then again, with Namco’s Smash Court Tennis 3 being released at the same time, and it being a far superior simulation of the sport, probably not.

PSX Extreme (5.7 out of 10)

Like I stated earlier, Hot Shots Tennis is a huge disappointment to me. I'm a big fan of the 'Golf games and I was truly surprised to find out just how generic and bland 'Tennis came out to be. For $30 it isn't offensive, but I don't think it's worth it. It's lack of feel and balance really hurts the appeal, and the entire package just isn't up to the Clap Hanz caliber that we've become accustomed to over the past ten years. I suggest tracking down a copy of Virtua Tennis/Sega Sports Tennis for the PlayStation 2 if you're looking for a solid tennis game. If you're a parent looking to purchase a mild tennis game for their child, rent this and see how much he/she enjoys it before purchasing it.

GameSpot (5 out of 10)

Hot Shots Tennis is a game that you'd play at a kiosk at some electronics store for 10 minutes and then walk away saying to yourself, "That wasn't so good." It's not the worst tennis game out there, but even if the PlayStation 2 isn't exactly a hotbed for tennis these days, there's little reason to pick up this game.

TotalPlayStation (5 out of 10)

Hot Shots Tennis is solid, but there's just nothing to it. If there had been a compelling use of the core gameplay, I might have been able to see this as anything more than a purely average tennis game, and it's getting a score to match.

Gaming Nexus (D+)

All in all, Hot Shots Tennis feels like a cheap imitation to games like Virtua Tennis or even Rockstar’s Table Tennis. With both of those games you had a better sense of control, and they both look better to boot. Granted that’s not what Clap Hanz is going for with this kind of a game. But with a weak AI, this game isn’t a whole lot of fun to play on your own. If you are desperate for some new tennis action then wait for this to go down in price or split it with a friend and make sure you play it together. Because with the way this game plays, you’ll both be over it before you even get a chance to play the multiplayer. Again I applaud Clap Hanz for trying to get out of their Hot Shots Golf mold. But they fell in to a trap when trying to use so many of their formulas that don’t translate well over to tennis.

1UP (D)

The market is flooded with simple tennis games (Mario Tennis and Wii Sports' Tennis come to mind), and this one is fun enough -- the way Pong is fun enough -- but it has no depth at all. The game's big win is its multiplayer, but aren't most games fun with friends? In the end, this one poses as a tennis game for beginners, but even tykes will only be mildly amused.