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Summer Games
Summer Games
Summer Games
The temperature is going up, the warm clothes are coming off and the suntan lotion is going on. The great British summer is here, but this year, there's a bumper sporting bonanza added to the mix. England may no longer be in Euro 2004 thanks to a certain Swiss referee (grrr) and Tiger Tim is currently licking his wounds. But the Olympic games returns to its Athens birthplace in August, and us Brits are quite good at winning a medal or two at running and jumping. But if our sporting heroes fail to perform there's a way of taking matters into your own hands. Tiscali games takes a look at the best summer sports titles to take your mind off Beckham & Co.
Tennis:
Top Spin: Xbox
It may be a little old but many still consider Top Spin to be the benchmark console tennis game. Why? Playability by the bucketload, excellent graphics and a great online experience thanks to Xbox Live. The game is just begging to be picked up and played, but over time the intricacies of shot variation and the excellent AI of computer opponents means that it's a toughie to master. The inventive inclusion of a Risk Shot function means you can pull off some spectacular shots - provided you have the hand/eye co-ordination of Wimbledon champion. A classic game.
Smash Court Tennis Pro Tournament 2: PS2
Smash Court 2 is a quality game that's just hit the shelves. One of the finest features of this title is the excellent single player campaign. Forget playing as an established superstar, this game is about taking a rookie and turning them into a master. You'll play week by week through a whole season of tennis, completing training exercises when you aren't playing matches. There are 250 players ranked ahead of you and you'll need to get into the top 100 before you can play in any major tournaments. A great game for solo players.
Virtua Tennis: GBA
With Mario Tennis Advance still some time away, the best portable tennis action comes in the guise of Virtua Tennis %u2013 the GBA version of the classic Dreamcast game. There%u2019s 16 characters to unlock, 14 courts to play through and three gameplay modes including an RPG-style option where you can create your own character, play minigames, purchase upgrades, and participate in more than 20 tournaments. The graphics are above average for the dated GBA and with a decent control system that incorporates all the necessary shots, there's a whole lot of game in the palm of your hand.
Athletics:
Athens 2004: PS2
In the world of athletic videogames (a misnomer if ever there was one) no title has ever lived up to the furore that surrounded the original - Track and Field. The Summer Games series was good back in the day, but since then there really hasn't been much to shout about. Until now that is, with the release of Athens 2004 to coincide with the Olympics. There are four Arcade and eight Competition Game Modes, ranging from Practice to the Official Decathlon and Heptathlon combined events. Players can choose from one of 64 countries and 800 different characters. There are over 25 events to test your mettle on including Track and Field, Swimming, Gymnastics, Shooting, Archery, Weightlifting and Equestrian. To top it off the graphics really do look impressive, with some great motion-captured animation on display.
