Having never played the acclaimed Virtua Tennis on Dreamcast, I'm not in a position to offer any comparison between the two games - what I can say, though, is that this is a graphically excellent, responsive and playable tennis game.

It's hard to know whether to describe this as arcade or simulation - I think it achieves the perfect balance between the two, with simple controls but incredible subtlety in the split second timing of when and how you hit the ball. The subtle nature of the controls will take a number of hours playing to really notice, so if you want to master the game you'll have to put in the time. This is no bad thing, however, an accessible and playable sports game with depth is the biggest success you can have.

Once settled into the control system, the game becomes tremendous fun. It's fast-paced and exciting, leaving you wanting more at the end of each match, whether for a rematch or to score another satisfying victory. The graphics, animation and speed of the game are superb - the players, courts and audiences are convincingly realistic, every move a tennis player can make has been faithfully reproduced and it plays exactly at the speed of the real thing. The likeness of the tennis pros included in the game are excellent and after a point is scored we are quickly shown the player celebrating, walking back into position or stretching and rubbing their arms, just like the real thing. This extra touch really makes you feel as though you're watching a tennis match, as well as playing in one. The audience is responsive too, going "oooo" when you dive for a ball and clapping as each point is won. The sounds of rackets hitting balls, squeaking of trainers on indoor courts and even the grunt of the tennis players are identical to the real thing. The matches are also accompanied by excellent arcade tunes that sit in the background and enhance the arcade vibe of the game.

There are three main modes to play in - Tournament puts you up against various players in a series of matches, Exhibition allows you to dive into any match type you like and World Tour is exactly what it says on the tin. In this you create your own male and female tennis player and tour the world taking part in matches and training sessions. At the beginning your players are inexperienced, but the various stats for serves, volleys, footwork and so on are increased as you train. A year's calendar is shown, beginning in the first week of January. Each match specifies what rank you must be as well as male/female and singles/doubles. To enter the doubles matches, you must pay for a contract with another player, making it essential to win a couple of matches early on so you can afford to hire a partner. You can also skip to the next week by resting (which refreshes your stamina) or entering one of about 10 training sessions.

Although these are quite good fun, they can also be very frustrating and are not much use for training the beginner - in fact it's these levels that I found tough to handle in the first place. There are games that include serving at a moving conveyor belt of prizes to knock off as many as you can with 10 serves, volleying balls at moving tanks to destroy them, returning balls to hit targets and avoiding multiple balls whilst running around the court grabbing flags. They definitely help you improve your game, but only after you've got used to the controls - the best place to learn that is in Exhibition or Tournament Mode.

The multiplayer aspect of this game is excellent, you can have 1-4 players in Tournament and Exhibition mode and you can also enter a match at any time. If you're having a 1 player game and someone else decides they want to join in, they can hit start to assume the role of a computer player at any point. As with all sports games, the multiplayer is the most fun, but because of the World Tour this game is also very addictive on your own. The only annoying thing about the World Tour is that if you fail to win most of the matches you enter, your rank and money don't increase enough to allow you to play for most of the year after that. This means that you're left to play endless training sessions, skip weeks or start a new tour, including having to recreate your players. A replay feature wouldn't have hurt so you can redo a match again, even if there's only a limited number of times you can use it, or being able to save your players if you decide to start the year again. It's this and the lack of useful training levels that prevent this game from achieving perfection.

Virtua Tennis 2 is a very accurate and addictive tennis game that looks and sounds marvelous, feels very authentic and is designed to allow your skills to develop as you master the controls and become a champion. Whether you want multiplayer fun, a quick match or a fight to become top rank, this is a supremely playable and enjoyable game.

Reviewed by Geoff Holland for AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).