This game is probably my only chance to play top class tennis, to serve and volley and smash and lob just like Bjorn Borg. Well, almost like Bjorn Borg. Atari's tennis game is a remarkable feat of games design, as far from the old pub ping pang as the Space Shuttle is from Sputnik.

The court is displayed giving you a view similar to the one you get on TV from Wimbledon. It is a rich green colour, but the notes do not specify what kind of surface it is. From the way it plays it seems to be grass rather than carpet.

There are many options available: singles against another player, singles against the computer or doubles against another player. Controlling your player with the joystick takes some practice, but once you've got the hang of it you have a command over his actions which is probably better than your control over your own limbs.

The simplest way to play is just to move the man to the ball; in this case he will always hit it back to the opponent's centre court. But if you get to the ball quickly enough you can, by manipulating the joystick, hit the ball just about anywhere you like. The trick, as in the real thing, is to catch your opponent out of position.

The main thing about this game is that you can play nearly every shot that you can in the outside game. And there's no sweat, no expensive equipment and no error-prone umpire.

Overall, Tennis cannot fail to impress. From the shadow the ball casts to the variety of shots available, it shows itself to be one of the cleverest simulations around.