Virtua Tennis 3 (XBOX 360) 

We are a nation of fatties. And you can write to your local MP and start blaming sports games like this one from Sega. This multi-format release has a distinguished bloodline. The original Virtua Tennis was one of the most addictive – and eye catching – games on the Dreamcast and subsequent versions in the arcade, on PSP and PS2 have kept gamers happy with the same intuitive, frenetic action.

VT3 arrives, with animated versions of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal gracing high-definition gaming and the powerful consoles we must now call “current Gen” since Sony’s new box arrived.

Sumo Digital, who produced this version on the 360, know not to mess with a winning formula. The beauty of Virtua Tennis is not just skin deep; it’s being able to pick it up and start having great rallies within minutes. It has a super control system, where every shot in Tennis can be made; it’s just down to where you position your player, the timing of the button press (slice or top spin), and a little bit of direction to guide the shot. It plays beautifully. You’ll marvel as you nail a down-the-line backhand with power and precision. You’ll gasp as the CPU player slips on the dust and you ping a cross-court winner past him into the corner.

If anything the game plays a little bit harder than previous versions. You really have to think about positioning more, because your chances of hitting a good shot from a bad position are non existent (try and hit too early and the men in particular will dive, resulting in a shanked ball into the middle and a “gimme” for the other player).

Graphically, the high definition visuals are very easy on the eye. Nowadays the crowd don’t look like electrified dummies and the court side scene has an impressive sharpness to it; although you don’t see an eye-popping — generational — leap in quality. What you do get is fantastic player animation. If you’ve spent anytime watching Tennis in the last 18 months, you’ll instantly recognise the John Wayne style strutting of Rafa Nadal (and his bitch-slap ground strokes) and the beautiful swish of Federer’s back-hand.

Option wise the game is packed. Play the familiar tournament mode or an exhibition match against the computer (now with multiple sets if you like). The mainstay in single player mode is still the World Tour which has been revamped somewhat. You can now enter a Tennis academy; have a personal coach and practice with world class players, or Tim Henman*, on the way to bursting into the World top ten. Whilst this is absorbing fun, Virtual Tennis 3 really comes into its own in multi-player mode against friends, or on Xbox Live. Live implementation is first class (and shames the PS3 version which has none!) with a great interface, and the endless match-ups (singles, doubles, mixed-doubles) with other hooked-up fans.

VT3 is superb; it doesn’t reinvent the wheel but is incredible fun and a great analogue of the game itself. It’s so good in fact that hopefully it doesn’t keep anyone from playing the real thing with rackets and fresh air.

*Alright, Tim is actually world class.