Anyone else getting Tennis 2K2 on PS2? (1 Viewer)

[Brandon_H]

I thought Tennis 2K2 was pretty jaggy on my Dreamcast too, even in 480p mode. The net, in particular, stands out. But it's a great game.

Anyone who has the Dreamcast version care to weigh in on whether the PS2 version is worth the additional investment?

 

[JoshF]

Brandon:

I have both versions (well I *had* the DC version) and I like the control scheme on PS2 a bit better. Seems a bit more responsive, and I'm a big fan of the DS2. Graphics are a bit better on the PS2 version, too, IMO. It's worth it if you like the game.

 

[Chris Rock]

How do you beat the RED TANK?!!

(if you've played the World Circuit, you know what I mean!)

 

[Mitty]

I played this game for, like, a thousand hours yesterday.
The graphics are definitely jaggy at times, even on my 27" TV.
It's a great, incredibly addictive game. The World Tour mode is awesome.

How do you beat the RED TANK?!!

If you notice, each aspect of your game (serve, stroke, volley, footwork) has two different challenges you can use to increase your level. For instance, serving has that cool bowling game, plus the one where you serve at the goodies on the train track. Either one will work to increase you to higher levels. If you can't beat the tank, you can use the other one (I can't remember which one it is).
I noticed this because I have no idea how to beat the Othello game, and the bullseye game is just too damned hard. Also, the footwork game where you step on the cans is dead easy.

 

[Chris Rock]

Also, the footwork game where you step on the cans is dead easy.

Yes, it is. I beat it almost every time.

I noticed that you can get to the next level on those minigames without actually beating them.

 

[Mitty]

Yep, it just takes longer. A lot longer. Like baby steps instead of good, lengthy strides.
I like the volley game where you have to hit all the ball machines...Alien Invasion or something. I've gotten pretty good at that. An overhead smash can take out a whole row.
The toughest part of the World Tour mode is deciding what to do each "week." Which of your two players to improve, how to improve them, and deciding whether to play in the tournaments or not. After you get to a certain level, you can't increase your ranking by winning a level 1 tourney anymore, and it's all about money. For instance, if you decide to participate in a LV. 1 doubles tourney, you really only earn $10,000, cause you gotta pay a partner. Unless, of course, you can enter another doubles tourney before the contract runs out. There's a lot to think about.
Another tip: Maybe you've figured this out, but I didn't right away. If you buy a new racquet, both of your players can use it. You can even do with most (gender non-specific) apparel, shoes, etc. I wasted a fair amount of money upgrading racquets for both players.

 

[Ryan Peter]

Is there any different types of gameplay added to the game like new players or new tournaments or new mini games?

Someone said it wasn't a direct port, and the only two things they could back this up with is slightly better graphics and possibly more responsive controls. Anything other than that?

 

[Rob Varto]

I can't seem to put this game down either - it's taking quality time away from my Michigan Wolverine dynasty on NCAA 2K3. Im finally getting the hang of it and the better you are, the more fun it becomes. I've had some insane volleys with my opponent.

As far as the mini games go, the Red Tank isn't unbeatable, it just takes some leveling up before you do beat it. I truly don't understand the Othello game myself but I'll keep trying... and the bullseye game just basically requires you to stand at or near the net and try to slam the ball back into the center circle. I can beat that game just about every time. Most of the mini games require some leveling up in other areas.

 

[BrianB]

I truly don't understand the Othello game myself but I'll keep trying...

It's just that - Othello aka Reversi. You want to hit the ball at the four extreme corners - when you flip a tile to white, all the surrounding tiles will flip to white between it & the nearest white in all eight directions. If you flip a tile to black, the same will happen but with the nearest black in all directions.

 

[Rob Varto]

So is the goal of this particular mini-game to get all the tiles flipped to white or do you just need to achieve a score?

 

[BrianB]

The goal is to get all tiles flipped to white.

 

[Mitty]

I've managed to crack the top 100 in world tour mode (Male-71st, Female 82nd...or 71th and 82th as the game says ). I even got to play a singles tourney on level 4 (the Aussie Open, thinly disguised). I got my ass kicked. I think I managed about 2 winners in 6 games.
Even with the fair amount of progress, going out of the tour mode and playing an exhibition with a real player was quite a revelation. It was like driving a sports car after having spent a long time driving a riding lawnmower.

 

[BrianB]

So far, it sounds like it plays identical to Tennis2k2 on the DC... Apart from the extra control button, are there /any/ differences to the modes?

 

[Rob Varto]

I just gotta get this out there... when the games loads, it takes soooooo damn long. Did they have to give a 30 second spot to each developer that worked on the game???

Also that insane bastard who literally screams "SEGA SPORTS TENNIS " drives me up the f'ing wall! I almost want to turn on my PS2 and come back 10 minutes later when all that shit has passed me by.

 

[Scott Hine]

Hello All
I just started playing this game. Question in World mode how do I get money to play in the tournaments, or hire a doubles partner? I have been playing the mini games but want to get money to play in a tournaments?

- Scott

 

[Mitty]

Scott, you gotta win a singles match. One match will net you 10K., and that's really all you need to hire a partner. Doubles are easier of course, because your computerized partner does most of the work (you might say he/she takes over the game like a competition obsessed coworker at a staff picnic volleyball game ). Once you win your first singles match, the money will kinda snowball from there.
BrianB - I'm not ignoring you, I've just never played the DC version, so I can't answer your question.

 

[Rob Varto]

your computerized partner does most of the work (you might say he/she takes over the game like a competition obsessed coworker at a staff picnic volleyball game

You got that right! Basically, all you have to do is serve and wait. Your partner, much like Santa Claus, is omnipresent. You literally rarely get a chance to hit the ball on Level 1 matches. On level 2 matches, you might be able to weasel a hit here and there, but you almost have to steal your opportunities away from your COM partner.

For the record, how far have some of you gone so far? I was able to "unlock" the second Tennis Goods Store but Im not sure how long the game goes. Do you just try to achieve a #1 ranking and retire or do you play to a ripe old age and start to suck?

 

[BrianB]

Do you just try to achieve a #1 ranking and retire or do you play to a ripe old age and start to suck?

In the world tour in T2K2, the aim is to get to #1 I believe. I'm upto the 70/80 range of rankings with my pair.

 

[Mitty]

I've unlocked a few stores...three or four maybe. The most recent one is called "Statue."

Caribou (the default store)
Nomad
Iceberg
Statue

I think there might be another one as well, but I'm not sure.

 

[Mitty]

So, how are y'all doing on this?

I'm up to 8th with my male, and 14th with my female. I just have to win the U.S. open with the female (I've already failed at this twice), and then I'll qualify for the mixed doubles level 4, which after winning, I should be #1. At least that's the assumption, since there'll be no other tourneys to win.

I think I'm in year 25 or 26 (quite a career). I wasted a lot of time in the early years entering tourneys I'd already won just to amass money. I now have so much money, I couldn't possibly spend it all.

Having just picked up NFL 2K2, I haven't been playing this exclusively, but I'm still pretty hooked on it.

One note: some of the opponents are really easy to beat, even on level 4, as they seem unable to deal with service returns. If you smash their service into the back corner, they'll miss it quite often. At least they seem to have one direction they have difficulty going to get a return. Patrick Rafter is especially easy to beat because of this.