First Released: 1999 (arcade)

Now Available On: PC

Before Andy Murray's recent success, the closest thing us Britons got to tennis glory was securing virtual trophies in the world of video games.

With the Scot's Wimbledon title defence in full swing, we've been reminiscing about some of the greatest tennis games ever released, and Sega's Virtua Tennis is one that immediately sprung to mind.

Developed by Sega-AM3, Virtua Tennis made its debut in arcades in 1999 before being ported to Dreamcast the following year and PC shortly after that.



The game's blend of blistering on-court action and intuitive controls made it an instant hit among coin-op enthusiasts, and the Dreamcast edition built on this early success.

Virtua Tennis' gentle learning curve made it a great fit for the arcade, with the game's five-match tournaments being the optimum length for solo play sessions and its multiplayer an instant smash.

More substance was required when it came to the console market, so the development team added a World Circuit mode for the Dreamcast release, challenging players to climb the world rankings.

Players progressed by defeating low-level opponents to unlock matches against more testing ones, as well as taking part in training exercises, which were designed to be fun rather than realistic.



Virtua Tennis wasn't backed up by the kind of extensive licensing agreement that games from the EA Sports stable boast, but it did feature more than a dozen ATP players.

Tim Henman represented Great Britain and producing volleys was his speciality. Other real-life players to make the cut included Mark Philippoussis, Carlos Moya and Tommy Haas.

Each player was strong in one particular area, be it serving, running, backhands or forehands, making them more effective against some competitors than others.

There were also a handful of bonus fictitious players to unlock, and these came with their own unique abilities. For instance, Davor Tesla was an expert in wide-angle shots and Pieter Tinbergen was adept in both serving and volleys.



Furthermore, the game featured two unlockable bosses in the form of King and Master, a formidable duo that tested players to their very limits.

Grand slam tournaments like Wimbledon and the US Open did not lend their licenses to Virtua Tennis, but they were represented in all but name.

Grass, clay and hard court slam events featured in the game, in addition to a variety of special competitions, such as the Germany Men's Indoor tournament and a Sega-branded event in LA.

Virtua Tennis is rightly regarded as one of the best games ever to appear on the ill-fated Dreamcast, proving a big hit with fans and critics alike.



It was one of just 17 games on the platform to be inducted into the Sega All Stars range, a line of budget reissues in the spirit of the Platinum Hits, Greatest Hits, and Player's Choice ranges.

The title's success on Dreamcast paved the way for a handheld port on Game Boy Advance, which earned plaudits for capturing the playability of its home console predecessor.

This was followed by an utterly forgettable version for the Nokia N-Gage that failed to deliver the essence of the Virtual Tennis experience at every turn, let down by atrocious controls and snail-paced matches.

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Sega has resisted the temptation to deliver a new Virtual Tennis game each year, but the series has managed seven instalments to date, including 2012's mobile offering Virtua Tennis Challenge.

Its latest console iteration, Virtua Tennis 4, didn't generate the same level of acclaim as its predecessors when it touched down in 2011, but we're hoping the franchise will endure since there are few other places to turn for arcadey tennis thrills.

Do you have any fond memories of Virtua Tennis? Post a comment below!

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