Genre: Sports
Publisher: SCEA
Developer: Clap Hanz
Release Date: July 17, 2007

You know, not every sports game has to be photo-realistic and have every aspect of the sport built into it. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not putting down the Madden franchise or anything like that, but sometimes, you want something a bit more forgiving and relaxing. Franchises like the Super Mario sports titles do a good job of creating games that are a mixture of realistic sports and arcade-like gameplay, making them easy to pick up and play for any age group. Sadly, the PlayStation 2 has been lacking these more fanciful versions of sports titles, and the ones that do exist are rather unsatisfying when compared to the offerings available on other systems. One of the few franchises that really stood out was the Hot Shots Golf series, which mixed together simple controls and amusing characters in a straightforward and way that was easy to play. Luckily for those fans getting a bit tired of golf, Clap Hanz is branching out into another sport with Hot Shots Tennis.

The controls in Hot Shots Tennis are nice and simple. The analog stick moves your character around the tennis court. The X button adds some topspin to your hit, the Circle adds some slice, and the Triangle button is a lob. Those basic controls are all you really need to hop right into a match. However, even the more complex options, such as aiming your shots, are easy to pick up and learn. To aim your shot, you press a direction on the analog stick just as you hit the ball. Each of the eight directions on the analog stick corresponds to an area on the court, and whatever direction you're pressing when you hit the ball will launch it to the matching area on the opponent's side of the field. Everything about the controls in this game are built so that people can instantly jump in and play without worrying about not knowing what to do.

The interesting thing about Hot Shots Tennis is that power is almost a nonentity. There is no power bar or charging shots at all; instead, everything is built around timing. When you hit the ball influences its accuracy, not how hard you hit it. Surprisingly, judging the timing isn't too difficult at all, especially since Hot Shots Tennis gives you a welcome indicator of the accuracy of your shots. Whenever you hit the ball, a tiny thought bubble will appear above your character's head, showing just how solid your timing was. A musical note means a perfect shot, a rabbit means solid but a bit fast, a turtle means a bit slow, and a dark bubble with a lightning bolt indicates that it was a terrible shot. While these icons are cute, they also do a lot to help you adapt your playing style and learn the sweet spots that you have to hit. As you play more and more, these icons will make it much easier to learn exactly when you need to hit the tennis ball for maximum efficiency.

Like the accuracy meter, Hot Shots Tennis also offers assistance on your footwork. When a volley is being returned to your side of the net, a bright red circle appears, which indicates the best place to stand to meet the oncoming ball. It's not always perfect, since your player isn't always fast enough to go and meet the oncoming ball, but it gives you a rough indicator of where you need to be, which is very helpful for less-practiced players. The game even helps you out when a particularly opportune shot comes along! If a chance for a smash hit appears, a bright yellow circle will appear near the red circle, giving you a chance to launch a devastating countershot toward the enemy and almost certainly scoring a point.

One of the most amusing aspects of Hot Shots Tennis is the silly characters. Rather than being based on any real sports stars, all of the Hot Shots Tennis characters are based on various stereotypes, clichés, accents and personalities. My personal favorite is Ashley, just because of how odd she is; she's one of the very first players you get, and she is a valley girl to the core, from her outfits to her bright blonde hair. The thing that really makes her stand out, however, is her insane victory cries. When she scores a point, she'll occasionally yell "Ponies!" and victory in a match will cause her to cry, "That was unicorn!" No, I don't get it either, but it brings a smile to my face anyway because of how inanely cheerful it is.

Of course, the characters are not the only things open to customization in Hot Shots Tennis. Before a match, you can pick the stage, the umpire, and even set various rules for the match. The different stages have different effects on the ball; the ground is bouncier on some stages than others, and some stages just look different. The umpires all have different voices, so if a particular one annoys you or grows tiresome after a while, you can just switch them to a less annoying one. The custom rules, also known as "oddball rules," allow you to do things like activate slow motion or weird bouncing. While competitive players probably won't want these options turned on, I can see them being a quick and easy way to add a lot of fun to a party.

While all this may sound a bit easy, the real charm of Hot Shots Tennis is in the simplicity of the gameplay. Like its sister golf games, Hot Shots Tennis is a sports title that anyone can pick up and play without worrying about the intricacies and complexities of the sport. You can grab some friends, sit down and have a roaring game going in under five minutes. It may not be enough to satisfy those who demand perfect realism in every aspect of their games, but Hot Shots Tennis is shaping up to be an excellent multiplayer experience, not unlike the Mario Tennis franchise or the older Hot Shots Golf games. Those tennis fans willing to sit down and have some fun with their favorite sport will want to keep their eyes out for Hot Shots Tennis when it is released later this month.