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You can't be all things to all people, or so they say.
But apparently they forgot to say that to the folks at whimsically named Japanese game development studio Clap Hanz, who have followed up their wonderful Hot Shots Golf series with a turn on the tennis court that's both cute and capable.
Hot Shots Tennis: Get a Grip is the PlayStation Portable version of 2007's Hot Shots Tennis for the PlayStation 2, which was likely overlooked by a lot of gamers who had already moved onto the snazzier graphics of the PlayStation 3. But like its golf cousin, this is a game that's more at home on a handheld anyway.
It's perfect for playing in bite-sized chunks on the bus or plane, and the controls and overall experience work just fine on the PSP -- a rarity for games that make the transition from home console to handheld.
Hot Shots Tennis puts you in the sneakers of a globetrotting student of of the sport, whose goal, somewhat weirdly, is to win new tennis-playing friends around the world.
This is achieved by going from city to city and beating people at tennis, because what says "friendship" better than getting humiliated in your chosen sport by some random dude who showed up on your doorstep?
The odd storyline aside, Hot Shots Tennis is similar to Hot Shots Golf in that it balances a lighthearted, cartoony vibe with a spot-on and surprisingly technical game of tennis.
You can take to the court wearing a full traditional Dutch costume (complete with wooden shoes), a pumpkin head and a Santa Claus sack if you so choose, but the actual tennis requires just enough tactical smarts and reflexes to make it challenging without being frustrating.
The only real problem with Hot Shots Tennis: Get a Grip, other than the way it beats players over the head with overt Adidas product placement, is that there's simply not a ton of variety in tennis as a sport.
Unlike Hot Shots Golf, in which every new course presents a new challenge to be mastered, Hot Shots Tennis doesn't evolve dramatically from game to game, other than the slow and steady introduction of new tennis skills and the odd doubles match.
Still, it's a lot of fun to play, even moreso now that it's on the PSP. A winner in straight sets.
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BottomLine
Although tennis video games aren't typically too engrossing, Hot Shots Tennis offers a nice mix of a cartoony vibe with a finely honed game of tennis, if you can overlook the goofy storyline.
HOT SHOTS TENNIS: GET A GRIP
3.5 stars
Rating: Everyone
CLAP HANZ/SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT
for the PSP
steve.tilley@sunmedia.ca