Super Tennis Blast Review
Game Details
Title: Super Tennis Blast
Developer: Unfinished Pixel
Publisher: Unfinished Pixel
Website: http://supertennisblast.com/
Genre: Sports, Arcade, Party
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Audience: PEGI 3
Release Date: 24/05/19
Price: £13.49 – Rapid Reviews UK were very kindly provided with a review code for this title. Currently on offer for £10.79 until 07/06/19
What the Developers say
Start your professional career in the World Tour mode, train your skills and become a tennis legend playing on courts around the world.
https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Nintendo-Switch-download-software/Super-Tennis-Blast-1567038.html
Host couch parties playing tournaments in singles or doubles with classic rules or the awesome Super Blast modes.
5 minigames and a powerful avatar editor complete the best tennis experience out there.
Introduction
Pardon the pun, but Tennis games have been hit and miss over the past couple of years. It’s usually apparent after a couple of sets if the game is going to be an enjoyable experience or not. Does Super Tennis Blast ace it or is it another foot fault? Read my Rapid Review to find out.
Audio & Visual
Right from the getgo, it’s apparent that Unfinished Pixel doesn’t take themselves too seriously, and I don’t mean that in a harsh or derogatory way. It’s evident that the team at Unfinished Pixel had a focus on fun first. Having said that, though, I liked the art style and presentation of Super Tennis Blast.
The soundtrack to the game is the usual repetitive lift music style affair. After a while, you stop noticing it. What I did enjoy though were the sound effects. The ‘thwack’ of the ball, the cheers of the crowds and the Chair Umpire and Line Judge calls, all add to make it a realistic experience.
The different styles of court (clay, hard court and grass) are all present in the game, and the Arenas change depending on where you happen to be playing in the World. The fans react fairly generically, jumping up and down at the end of a point. I did appreciate the fact that the arenas fill up with more fans as you progress further into a tournament.
I did notice the occasional lag at certain times during a rally. For example, when charging up for a powerful return. This happened very few and far between though and didn’t harm the overall experience.
Gameplay & Replayability
Alongside the arcade aesthetics of the game, the gameplay is in a similar vein. The game is so easy to pick up and play. There are only a couple of commands you need to learn. You can do this through the specially tailored tutorial mode, or like me, you can jump right into a game. It won’t take you long to be smashing, lobbing, slicing and dropping the ball all over the court. Timing is key when charging your serve and it is very satisfying to get a perfect serve.
Built into the game is a fantastic avatar editor. You can change any aspect of your character, from top to toe. You’re able to change the colours of everything, including your racquet. I had lots of fun creating my virtual self, and the icing on the cake saw the Welsh Flag, forgotten in a lot of games, proudly displayed alongside my character’s name.
In regards to replayability, Super Tennis Blast has it in spades. There are multiple game modes and fun minigames to play. My personal favourite was the Super Blast Mode’s Crazy Court, which you can see in the video below. As you play, the court shrinks and grows in size. This adds a fun, challenging element to the game and will be a huge hit when you play with a group of friends.
My favourite mini game was Freekicks. Your challenge is to serve the ball into the moving goal while avoiding the blocks (defenders).
Furthermore, the more competitive player will want to work through the tour to become the number 1 ranked player in the world.
Super Tennis Blast tackles tennis in a light-hearted and accessible way, unlike the current AAA sports games. Super Tennis Blast is inspired by the old-school arcade classics like Super Tennis for SNES or the same named title for Sega Master System.
Unfinished pixel
Another aspect of Super Tennis Blast that I enjoyed was the slight sports sim aspect of the game. During the Tour, if you play too much, your player’s stamina decreases, which can lead to injury. This has the consequence of missing out on Tournaments and potential ranking points. To counteract this, you will need to give your player some rest days. Training your player in certain skills based games will also reward you with skill points.
Furthermore, regarding replayability, completionists will want to complete all of the Challenges the game has to offer.
The only game mode missing from the game was online multiplayer. This could be something that the Developers could add in the future. In my opinion, though, the focus is on party play and playing with friends in the comfort of your own home.
Conclusion
Super Tennis Blast is, without doubt, the most fun tennis game I have played since the days of Virtua Tennis. While the cartoony art style might not suit the more serious tennis fans, for the casual fan like me, Super Tennis Blast has well and truly scratched that tennis game itch. Inclusions of an avatar editor, the many mini-games and game modes, means that Super Blast Tennis well and truly deserves to be a part of your games library! Game, set and match!
Rapid Reviews UK Rating
You can purchase Super Tennis Blast from the Nintendo eShop at the following link, https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Nintendo-Switch-download-software/Super-Tennis-Blast-1567038.html
Back in 1995 Review
One Comment
Wayne
Its a fun game. Some how, I experience some lag issue during playing. No matter is TV mode or not. Does anyone have the same problem?