Sonic Pinball Party for GBA is sweet because Sega combined three of its best franchises (Sonic, NiGHTS and Samba de Amigo) into an enjoyable pinball game. Last week, the company upped the ante with Sega Superstars Tennis, a gorgeous Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 sports game that blends a plethora of Sega characters and themes. Much like Pinball Party, however, Tennis lacks depth, making it a rental at best.

Our main gripe revolves around the lack of modes. Sega's previous tennis game, Virtua Tennis 3, has a career mode that lets you travel the world and square off against other players. Sega Superstars Tennis instead throws you into Planet Superstars, a mish mash of easy tournaments and mini games. Adding insult to injury, there's also no options for customizing your character or enhancing their skills. Sega keeps things interesting with some entertaining mini games and tons of unlockable goodies, but we need something meatier to grab onto, especially since the developers reuse the same courts and music. That, of course, grows repetitive quickly.

We're also a bit puzzled by the controls, which are more complex than the realistic Virtua Tennis 3. For example, to lob the ball in VT3, you simply tap the Y button. Sega Superstars Tennis, on the other hand, forces you to hit A and then X. That's not a huge request, and it's something you'll get used to. It just doesn't make any sense.

Despite these gripes, there's a lot to like about this game, especially if you love Sega. There are 16 characters from various franchises, including Sonic the Hedgehog, Amigo from the Samba de Amigo series, NiGHTs, AiAi from Super Monkey Ball, Ulala from Space Channel Five, Gilius from Golden Axe and Beat from Jet Set Radio. Each possesses a Superstar move that, when executed, displays a mini cut scene of the character charging up. From there, Amigo's maneuver, for example, causes maracas to fall onto the opposite side of the court, making it difficult to return the ball. AiAi's drops bananas, causing other players to slip, while NiGHTS' makes the ball zigzag and teleports the opponent to another side of the court. Tennis purists will balk at such distractions, especially since all of the special effects make it difficult to see the ball, but the moves add something extra to the standard tennis experience.

Then there are the courses, a myriad of Sega themed stages complete with signature music. Sonic's takes place in the Green Hill Zone, with Knuckles and Chao critters cheering him on. The House of the Dead stage, renamed Curien Mansion, has zombies surrounding the court. Ulala plays in space, her court a reflective surface set against the stars.

Despite the aforementioned lack of depth, there's still lots to do. You'll compete in the standard issue tournaments, but Sega also includes plenty of slick mini games. Jet Set Radio has you picking up cans of spray paint, the goal to return the ball and tag the opposite end of the court. In Curien Mansion, you'll kill zombies with tennis balls, while Sonic's stage challenges you to pick up rings while dodging projectiles.

In addition, the game lets up to four players compete in singles/doubles matches off and online via Xbox Live/PlayStation Network, complete with leader boards and the ability to watch matches instead of play them. There's a bit of lag, but overall, the game runs smoothly, making it an ideal choice for gamers looking to challenge the world.

Visually, Sega Superstars Tennis is a very attractive game, sporting crisp looking and detailed characters and environments. The Jet Set Radio stage is especially gorgeous, with a sprawling city full of neon billboards and graffiti, but we also love the Sonic the Hedgehog, Space Channel Five and Samba de Amigo courts. Adding a little rhythm to the game, the soundtrack is a nice collection of various Sega tunes with the option to switch between them before starting a match.

Finally, this game spits out Xbox Achievements like crazy. We unlocked at least seven in an hour, so if anything, you'll pad your score with ease. But there's more to Sega Superstars Tennis and we encourage you to give it a chance. Sure, it's an ideal rental/purchase for Sega fans, but the addictive, back and forth gameplay will hook you for a little while, especially against others.

Related Links

Sega Superstars Tennis Xbox 360 Game Guide

Sega Superstars Tennis PS3 Game Guide