Hot Shots Tennis provides a fun, family-friendly, low-intensity, pick-up-and-play tennis game with a variety of players, locales, and other unlockables. Despite its casual, kid game appearance, it plays a pretty serious game of tennis.
The graphics are standard quality for a PS2 game. The players are very cartoon-like, and come with a unique look and quirky personality--it fits in with the Hot Shots theme. The courts are well done, with lush environments and extra details, like school bells at the North Academy Ground or trains crossing the bridge at the Nakagawa River courts on regular intervals. It's a pity that many of these details fall from view once the game play begins, although some visuals and ambient sounds are still present. In addition to those ambient sounds, there's not much else in terms of audio, save a few catch phrases for each player as they succeed or fail, the calls from the umpire, the applause from the scant crowd, and a generic techno-bebop soundtrack that's turned off by default. The graphics and sound are appropriate for the atmosphere Hot Shots Tennis is trying to create, though, which is more light-hearted.
The game is easy to learn, but more challenging to master. There are three types of serves: topspin, slice, and underhand, and three types of shots - topspin, slice (which you can use for drop shots), and lob. Also, if an opponent lobs a shot back at you, you have the opportunity to execute an overhand smash. The strokes are easy to execute, but the sophistication of the game lies in positioning and shot making. You have to position yourself correctly to receive the ball, aim to the desired location with the stick, and time the button-press accurately to stroke the ball with the desired pace to the desired location. If you fail on any of the aforementioned duties, your shot will hit the net, go out, or go somewhere other than where you want it. Failure leads to weaker shots (if the ball remains in play), and your opponents are talented enough at all levels to subsequently take control of the point.
Not only is the shot making sophisticated, but the strategy involved is sophisticated as well. Each player has a certain style such as a baseliner, net player, or an all-around player. Players are rated on the ability to serve, volley, stroke, cover the court, and hit with power, and they play to their strengths. Strong net players will serve and volley, so you'll need to either hit strong passing shots, hit deeper balls to keep them back, or lob when they approach to win the point. Baseliners will stay back and try to move you side-to-side to win the point, as you battle to do the same to them, or hit a strong approach shot and follow up with a volley. Computer opponents are smart in their strategy and shot making, yet make enough mistakes to keep it realistic. Fatigue plays a factor, too, so if you're opponent is successful in controlling the point by moving you back and forth to return shots, you'll run out of gas and lack the speed needed to cover a shot on the other side of the court.
Overall, the actual tennis played in Hot Shots is very realistic, with the exception of almost no double-faults by the computer opponents, and not enough balls going into the net. That appears to be a design decision to focus more on the action and earning points, as opposed to a realistic number of errors. The biggest detractor is that it's just a little too easy for veteran sports gamers to win, even on the Pro Level, once you master the shots and the serve to frequently get your opponent out of position.
The other main fault in the game is the lack of depth. There are only three modes to speak of: Training, Hot Shots Challenge, and Fun Time Tennis. The Training mode pits you against a ball machine in an effort to teach how to make and locate all of the shot types, and how to serve. After spending a bit of time in Training mode, you're prepared to take on the Hot Shots Challenge.
The Challenge mode pits you against different players, including singles and doubles matches, in an effort to rise in level and unlock all of the extras in the game. There are four levels to complete: Beginner, Amateur, Semi-Pro, and Professional. Each level requires you to win a certain number of matches to advance, and each match unlocks something for you to use in any mode in the game, like new courts, players, clothes, or umpires. The matches are pre-created, and sometimes only certain variables can be changed. In addition, certain conditions may apply, like turning off the shot indicators, or keeping the camera constant, so you're not always at the bottom of the screen when you switch sides. Curiously, if you lose the match, in the rematch those conditions don't apply. All matches are one set to four games, and since you only have to win a grand total of just over 20 matches to complete the Challenge, it doesn't take long to progress.
Fun Time Tennis mode allows you to select the players, the court, whether it's a singles or doubles match, the number of games, the number of sets, the outfits the players wear, the umpire, and set any conditions for the game, like allowing for crazy bounces. You can also play with a handicap that slows your player down. As you unlock different things in the Hot Shots Challenge mode, they become available to use in Fun Time mode.
