Elias
2001
A textbook example of a mediocre game paired with a beloved IP. Snoopy Tennis should work on paper. Tennis games are usually at least decent and people love Peanuts. And yet, this is one of the worst tennis games I've played.
The mechanics feel janky and almost RNG-based at times rather than skill-based. Snoopy himself can barely even volley compared to other players because his attributes are so low. Matches are way too long, requiring at least a full set of 6 games in exhibitions and 3 sets (18 games!) in the game's Championship mode.
Perhaps its biggest crime is that there is no Peanuts music (or any music at all) in the entire game. It all just feels kind of soulless. Mario Tennis GBC still holds up surprisingly well after all these years and is a much better option.
The mechanics feel janky and almost RNG-based at times rather than skill-based. Snoopy himself can barely even volley compared to other players because his attributes are so low. Matches are way too long, requiring at least a full set of 6 games in exhibitions and 3 sets (18 games!) in the game's Championship mode.
Perhaps its biggest crime is that there is no Peanuts music (or any music at all) in the entire game. It all just feels kind of soulless. Mario Tennis GBC still holds up surprisingly well after all these years and is a much better option.
A joyful and creative platformer. I was initially skeptical about the touchscreen portions of the game, but surprisingly, these sections usually added to the game rather than subtracted from it. The story mode is relatively short, and the community levels are no longer available. Overall, it's a real showcase for what the Vita could have been had it been more popular.
2014
One of the more uninspired and bland versions of Tetris that has been published in modern times. It's especially disappointing given it's the only English Tetris game on Vita.
NBA Jam was great in the 90s but has been improved upon several times since. Uniforms are generic and the game is missing the biggest stars of the era due to licensing issues. I would choose NBA Showtime (1999) or NBA Jam 2010 if I was looking to play a 2-on-2 arcade hoops game today.
2006
Somehow NHL 07 for PSP, released 18 years ago(!), is the last good handheld hockey game. Neither Vita nor Switch ever got an NHL game. Like many PSP ports, this isn't as good as its PS2 big brother, but it gets surprisingly close and is a quality hockey game.
2008
The MLB licensed version of Power Pros plays a solid game of baseball on the field with strong pitching and hitting mechanics. Off the field is where problems begin to arise.
While there are a surprising number of other modes here on offer, none of them totally work as expected. Success Mode is a career mode turned RPG but is too cryptic and strict on requirements to play through without a guide. I thought I was doing well until I got a surprising "Game Over" screen, so I booted up my last save. After trying alternative paths, it appeared I had been soft-locked and would be forced to start over. After searching online, apparently this is a common criticism with the mode. It just really soured me on the game.
Season mode is here but doesn't offer enough customization. You can't change the number or games or innings, so you will be simulating a lot to get through it.
Finally, the art style. I'm not a big fan of the player models, but the game is nice and bright and the stadiums look good. Other baseball games from the era look a bit drab in comparison.
I wanted to like this game and series more than I did. It's not bad, but with some tweaks, it could have been one of the PS2's great sports games. Instead, it's just average.
While there are a surprising number of other modes here on offer, none of them totally work as expected. Success Mode is a career mode turned RPG but is too cryptic and strict on requirements to play through without a guide. I thought I was doing well until I got a surprising "Game Over" screen, so I booted up my last save. After trying alternative paths, it appeared I had been soft-locked and would be forced to start over. After searching online, apparently this is a common criticism with the mode. It just really soured me on the game.
Season mode is here but doesn't offer enough customization. You can't change the number or games or innings, so you will be simulating a lot to get through it.
Finally, the art style. I'm not a big fan of the player models, but the game is nice and bright and the stadiums look good. Other baseball games from the era look a bit drab in comparison.
I wanted to like this game and series more than I did. It's not bad, but with some tweaks, it could have been one of the PS2's great sports games. Instead, it's just average.
Holy pop-in, Batman. The PS1 version is playable, but it can't hold a candle to its PS2 big brother, which not only looks better, but also feels much better to control.
THPS is one of my favorite series of all-time, and while 2 felt great when it released, in retrospect they were still ironing out some of the kinks. This doesn't feel nearly as good to play as the PS2 games or the remaster.
The GBA version of the game was hailed as being a technical achievement at the time of release. Playing it today, it's still solid but hard to recommend now that there are quality 3D handheld Tony Hawk games out there.
I acknowledge this is a legendary game for many, but the fielding is bad in this game. The camera angle just makes it way too hard to track the ball. If you just want to pitch and hit with auto-fielding on, it's fine enough for a 16-bit sports game.
1992
The sprite art is great, but almost everything else is lacking. Like most arcade ports, there's a lack of modes and options. Its biggest flaw is the pace of play - games take longer than they need to considering the simplicity of the gameplay.
2024
We need to outlaw bright white menu backgrounds. Trying to play this before bed without feeling like I'm staring at the sun.
(otherwise this seems mostly the same as 23, which is still good but could use some innovation)
(otherwise this seems mostly the same as 23, which is still good but could use some innovation)
2011
This is one of the better tennis games I've played and arguably the best in the excellent Virtua Tennis series.
Visually, it's the best looking Virtua Tennis by far. The roster here is mostly good for the era despite missing Serena Williams. If plays like previous Virtua Tennis games with one notable addition: a Super Shot meter. Initially I was unsure if this would interfere with the balance of the game, but it's implemented in a way that makes it feel fair and is ultimately a good addition.
I really enjoyed the twist on Career Mode this time, which takes a dice roll/board game approach to progression. I was also relieved to find you could choose a set difficulty at the start. Prior Virtua Tennis game Career Modes had a single ramping difficulty that would usually lead to a frustrating difficulty spike before reaching the end. It's not without its flaws, however. It's easy to miss tournaments you want to play in and only lasts one calendar year. With a few tweaks I think this could have been really great.
Finally, it's worth noting VT4 plays very well on Vita. While most sports games struggled with frame rates and features on Vita, VT4 never feels compromised.
Visually, it's the best looking Virtua Tennis by far. The roster here is mostly good for the era despite missing Serena Williams. If plays like previous Virtua Tennis games with one notable addition: a Super Shot meter. Initially I was unsure if this would interfere with the balance of the game, but it's implemented in a way that makes it feel fair and is ultimately a good addition.
I really enjoyed the twist on Career Mode this time, which takes a dice roll/board game approach to progression. I was also relieved to find you could choose a set difficulty at the start. Prior Virtua Tennis game Career Modes had a single ramping difficulty that would usually lead to a frustrating difficulty spike before reaching the end. It's not without its flaws, however. It's easy to miss tournaments you want to play in and only lasts one calendar year. With a few tweaks I think this could have been really great.
Finally, it's worth noting VT4 plays very well on Vita. While most sports games struggled with frame rates and features on Vita, VT4 never feels compromised.
A decent golf game, nice to have on the go with the Vita. The timing window on swings is smaller and less forgiving than I would prefer, so the difficulty can feel a bit punishing at times, but I found I could usually succeed by playing smart and safe.
While the character designs are still a bit goofy, they are an improvement over previous Hot Shots games. Unfortunately, there's just not that many of them, and they are slow to unlock. It's the same story with the courses, and even the ones that are included don't feel noticably different from one another apart from music and set dressing. It's a missed opportunity for a game titled World Invitational.
While the character designs are still a bit goofy, they are an improvement over previous Hot Shots games. Unfortunately, there's just not that many of them, and they are slow to unlock. It's the same story with the courses, and even the ones that are included don't feel noticably different from one another apart from music and set dressing. It's a missed opportunity for a game titled World Invitational.
2022
An enjoyable puzzle game. Gets more complex than I was anticipating and is pretty clever at times. Really nice illustration work and music throughout.