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You cannot be serious: another tennis game?! Yes, and every one seems to be viewed from a new angle. Starbyte's utilises a scrolling, Passing Shot-style overhead view with the ball getting bigger as it rises (Stiffy Innuendos Inc).

Matches can be singles (against one of sixteen computer opponents or another human) or doubles (allowing four players to complete using the Microdeal joystick adapter). The Tournament option allows you to play in several major international competitions including, of course, Wimbledon.

The World Tournament option has the sixteen players (computer or human) playing round robin.

The action is similar in some ways to Palace's International 3D Tennis, with the moving automatically towards the path of the ball. Pushing the joystick in one of four directions (for topspin, stop volley, lob or normal shot) causes the player to hold the racket back, ready to swing forward when the joystick is re-centred - timing determines the direction of the shot.

This reminds me a lot of Passing Shot, but with a few extras such as the tournaments. Some frustration is avoided by the automatically positioning for each shot, but you only have four shots at your disposal with little control over their strength.

The scrolling court is also a bit disorientating. Still, I managed to beat Phil with my superior tactics and found the game more playable against puny humans than the super-efficient computer players.

After winning about half a dozen points in a whole match against the computer I felt like smashing my joystick. This game is difficult.

Okay, getting to the ball is no problem but you need exact timing to play good shots: slicing the ball time and time again intothe net or out is so frustrating.

Thankfully, the two- and four-player modes are fun, and the sampled speech scoring adds atmosphere.

Presentation 80%
Plenty of options including fun four-player mode. Humorous cartoon piccies of computer opponents.

Graphics 63%
Bland, featureless scrolling court. Okay player sprites.

Sound 70%
Okay title tune. Good sampled umpire speech, crowd and hitting FX.

Hookability 70%
Good fun in the multi-player modes.

Lastability 61%
Computer opponents provide a tough, if frustrating, challenge.

Overall 67%
A fun but simplistic tennis sim.