The characters and environments really look great, and are reminiscent of the SEGA titles upon which they’re based. The backgrounds in both the tennis courts and the challenges are colorful, vibrant, and full of atmosphere in the form of the immediate surroundings and animated objects that sometimes flyby during the game play. The main problem is that when the screen gets really busy, there is some stutter and slowdown. It doesn’t really affect the game play, but it’s a bit distracting and really inexcusable on a mature platform like the PS2.

Many of the synthesized songs from the catalog of games represented encompass the soundtrack. Some of the characters have signature sayings and other noises consistent with their associated title. The combination of the faithful and colorful sounds and graphics really gives the game a feeling of a nostalgia for the “good old days” of SEGA gaming.

Like most memories, though, the memory of the event is better than the event really was. Most of us wouldn’t trade today’s games for the games of years gone by, yet we still love those games and tend to focus on the good feeling we got when we played them. This title is really all based upon that concept and upon the tried-and-true formula of winning tournaments or completing challenges, unlocking new characters/environments/challenges/soundtrack songs, and rinse and repeat. Fans of the SEGA Company and its signature franchises will feel right at home among the environments and with the characters from the company’s most successful titles. Gamers looking for a good tennis game will find some decent and wacky game play, but would be better served to look elsewhere for a more complete and deeper tennis fix. If you want to take a walk down the memory lane of video gaming and enjoy playing in short spurts, SEGA Superstars Tennis fits the bill. Otherwise, try before you buy.

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