ST Format


International 3D Tennis
By GBH
Atari ST

 
Published in ST Format #40

International 3D Tennis

Now this is silly. Ostensibly a straightforward tennis game, International 3D Tennis is, in fact, a showcase for animated 3D triangle people to strut their stuff and stomp around like very thin Arnie Schwarzeneggers. You can view both court and players from any of ten different angles while you battle it out in a full game of lawn tennis. As usual, there is a plethora of options as tough opponents line up to thrash you - in the not-naughty sense of the word - in various famous tournaments. But that's not all.

Apart from the 3D perspective, the game's other gimmick is the variable level of control you have over both player and ball. At the most basic level your ST automatically moves your player to intercept the ball, while, at the other extreme, it gives you total control of everything then stands back and waits for your nervous breakdown. At vast expense, Sensible Software, the game's programmers, have secured the services of a very famous tennis umpire - his crisply-sampled tones call out the scores after each shot. But that's not all!

Actually, yes it is.

Verdict

Underneath the smartly executed graphics lies a highly playable, though not very addictive, game. The joystick controls help the game flow along and your ST opponents vary from the good to the terrible. If you're playing against a friend, the tricky 3D graphics can create a few problems - the perspective gets confused when the ball approaches a player and it's all too easy to think you've returned a devastating volley when you've actually missed the ball.

This is not a game you can play for long. But, as a quick half-hour's entertainment, it's far superior to licking a cube of salt.

Andy Lowe

Other Atari ST Game Reviews By Andy Lowe


  • G-Loc Front Cover
    G-Loc
  • Pushover Front Cover
    Pushover
  • Magic Worlds Front Cover
    Magic Worlds
  • The Carl Lewis Challenge Front Cover
    The Carl Lewis Challenge
  • Popeye 2 Front Cover
    Popeye 2
  • Crazy Cars III Front Cover
    Crazy Cars III
  • Elvira II: The Jaws Of Cerberus Front Cover
    Elvira II: The Jaws Of Cerberus
  • Air Bucks Front Cover
    Air Bucks
  • España: The Games' 92 Front Cover
    España: The Games' 92
  • Discovery: In the Steps of Columbus Front Cover
    Discovery: In the Steps of Columbus