Virtua Tennis 3 demo on Live

By Tom Bramwell Published 16 March, 2007

Love game.

Virtua Tennis 3 is due out on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 next Friday, 23rd March, but those of you diving around with Microsoft's next-gen console needn't wait that long to see how good it is, as there's a demo of it up on Xbox Live Marketplace this morning.

It's 850-odd MB, according to the Major, although sadly there's no word on what you can actually do in it. We're guessing some tennis will feature. Probably an exhibition game.

We'd check, obviously, except I can't reach my Xbox 360 from here (it's about 40 miles to my left, in case you just thought I was being lazy). So if you're in a position to, why not grab it and let us all in on the big secret?

Oh, and besides 360 and PS3 releases, Virtua Tennis 3 is also due out on PC and PSP - with those landing a week later on the 30th. Look out for a review in the near future.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (39) Latest comment 5 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • JackyB #1 5 years ago

    is it really out next week on the 360? I always thought it was a week after the PS3 version, but now GAME has got me thinking otherwise. Can anyone clear this up?

  • quantumsheep #2 5 years ago

    No comments?

    blimey...

    Edit: That's better! =)
    Edited by 1 at 16/03/07 @ 11:16

  • JackyB #3 5 years ago

    but there was!

  • neilka #4 5 years ago

    Apparently there's no rumble in the demo... Thanks, PS3!

  • ram #5 5 years ago

    its single player, features 4 different players and is a best of 3 exhibition match, and various courts.

  • Tejstar #6 5 years ago

    Cool - will check this out in the weekend!

  • Overlush #7 5 years ago

    Isn't there a console coming out next Friday?

  • JackyB #8 5 years ago

    "Game have told me 30th, though Amazon says 23rd... "
    lol, the game website says 23rd, and till recently amazon said 30th!

  • JackyB #9 5 years ago

    overlush.... not that i know of

  • simo #10 5 years ago

    Heh!

  • simo #11 5 years ago

    Wish I had Live Gold. Then I wouldn't have to wait a week. Can't afford it at the minute though, so Silver will have to do.

  • Xerx3s #12 5 years ago

    Simo: you can't afford to spend 20 something €?

  • krudster #13 5 years ago

    Sega confirmed the other day that 360 and PS3 will definitely both come out next friday. Happy days...

  • Steroyd #14 5 years ago

    Isn't there a console coming out next Friday?

    Yeah I've been hearing rumors about that for months.

  • jonsaan #15 5 years ago

    Great!!

  • Darren #16 5 years ago

    I can't wait to try out the 360 demo later on but as I'm also buying a PS3 next week I can't help but wonder how they compare with each other, with the former having been ported by Sumo Digital and the latter developed inhouse by SEGA themselves?

    I know the 360 version has rumble support (you have to enable in the options first though) and online gameplay unlike the PS3 but I'm wondering if there are any differences technically; in the speed, smoothness, controls, animation and texture detail for example.

    Maybe EG could comment as I'm sure they've played both?

  • RMXtreme #17 5 years ago

    Any word on the PC demo?

  • Steve007 #18 5 years ago

    It plays just as well as VT ever did but players have a nasty habit of diving all over the place instead of staying on their feet. It plays a comical game of tennis at times

  • HazyUK #19 5 years ago

    I've had SuperSmash Tennis for the PS3 (virtua tennis 3) for a week now, it's good and thankfully it's completely in english.

  • Darren #20 5 years ago

    Well unless the excessive diving is unique only to the 360 version, it's clear that Virtua Tennis must be pretty good because Edge magazine gave the PS3 version 8/10.

  • LeSpank #21 5 years ago

    FAO people moaning about the diving

    Move in to position THEN take your shot. Once you have pressed a button in this game you are committed. That's the way VT has always worked.

  • siksik6 #22 5 years ago

    Do I just suck, or is it really very hard!?

  • MrTonyMontana #23 5 years ago

    After playing the demo, i got slaughtered first. but after a few more games, i won and i realised how awesome this game is. Its all about "reading" the next shot and therefore generating the most power from your strokes. Its not as arcady, and more of a sim compared to VT2.

    Overall, i am so gonna buy this. This and PES6.......Heaven. :)

    P.S You can mute the music in the full version btw.



  • krudster #24 5 years ago

    Reviewing the 360 version atm. Current World Tour ranking 14...

  • Darren #25 5 years ago

    Have you played the PS3 version, Krudster? If so, how do both versions compare?

  • krudster #26 5 years ago

    Pretty much identical from what I can tell. Obviously online is the big draw.

    More when the review goes up!

  • Bursk #27 5 years ago

    krudster, please don't forget to tell us how it compares play-wise to Virtua Tennis 2!

    *hugs Dreamcast*

  • Darren #28 5 years ago

    I remember being surprised when gamesTM gave the arcade version of VT3 a lowly 6 when they reviewed it last year so I expect EG to give the game... ooooooh... at least 7 and possibly an 8. I'd be surprised, nay shocked, if it got a 9 and it definitely won't get a 10 because it's a sports game.

  • Zash #29 5 years ago

    Hey guys,
    Really pleased you like the demo - If you're finding it hard, this is because AM3 have tweaked the gameplay, so your positioning on the court is key to achieving the best possible shot and power. You'll notice the better you get, the better your anticipation and positioning will be, resulting in better shots.

    Hope you enjoy!

  • BadBoyBonner #30 5 years ago

    ZASH - totally agree. However, even now I am winning about 85-90% percent of the time, I have yet to win a single point with a lob. So much so that I question the ability to do so in comparison to the other shots, and the consummate ease the CPU seems to be able to lob it [the ball] to the back of the court no problem.

  • krudster #31 5 years ago

    just got No.1 on World Tour.

    Wooo!

  • BadBoyBonner #32 5 years ago

    Can you turn off the trails in-game as an option? Can not find it in the demo.

  • Darren #33 5 years ago

    God, the VT3 demo is really awesome... absolutely love it. It took me about an hour's practice to actually win a game and I find I can play better with the woman than the men but once you get used to the speed and timing, it's fantastic fun. Only the music annoys (replaced by a custom soundtrack: sorted) along with the "ooohing" and "aaahing" crowd - shut up please I'm trying to concentrate!

    Can't wait to get the game next Thursday from Gameplay ahead of the PS3 launch! :)
    Edited by 1 at 19/03/07 @ 08:33

  • sajtion #34 5 years ago

    its crap!!

    thanks god there's top spin 2

  • Gnort #35 5 years ago

    If the demo lets me select Maria Sharapova and a low camera angle, then I see no reason why I'd need to buy the full game.

  • Dyason #36 5 years ago

    I'm sad because the demo definitely didn't live up to my expectations. As a huge fan of Tennis games, with VT2 being my favourite, I was just hugely underwhelmed by this. Maybe it's because the only games I've had in the past few years have been the Top Spin series.

    VT3 feels very basic as an actual tennis game. The shots you do and control over them seem to stem completely from just predicting the ball rather than spin you can put on, lobs you make etc. The graphics are nice and pretty, but I wouldn't say they're amazing. I'm going to give it more time, and even give the full game a chance as this was the game of 2007 I wanted. I can't say I'm hopeful that it will deliver the experiance I was looking for though.

  • DjWhizzkidd #37 5 years ago

    No way near as good as Top Spin 2. Arcade, unrealistic. They dive every other shot. This is for people who think Virtua Striker was a good football game.
    Edited by 1 at 18/03/07 @ 17:40

  • gamestester #38 5 years ago

    Anyone diving a lot is a bit rubbish. Granted demo is a bit tough but you have to position yourself before pressing the button to not to dive.

    Can't wait for this on Live.

  • Darren #39 5 years ago

    I thought the Virtua Tennis 3 demo was 'ace' (sorry about the pun) and far better than I expected it to be. I was expecting it to be a simplistic clone of Top Spin 2 with better mini-games and wasn't sure whether I'd like it after playing the more realistic Top Spin games for the past few years.

    Instead though, we have a game that feels much faster (thanks to running at 60 fps), thus it's more 'arcadey', but at the same time it requires more skillful timing to avoid diving all the time. The A.I. is also better than Top Spin 2's although I'm not sure what difficulty setting VT3 is on though. I found the game challenging and was losing all the time at first but the more I played it, the better I got, which is how it should be. That said, I only seem to be able to win as one of the women... LOL

    I love Top Spin 2 and I've a feeling I'm going to love Virtua Tennis 3 too from the demo and I feel they will compliment each other nicely. I can't wait to check out the Career mode and the mini-games, which were always great fun in the previous games.

  • magicpocket #40 5 years ago

    i 'love' VT3 it's 'ace'.

    What a 'smashing' game, it's 'served' up a great gameplay experience

  • Fatnick #41 5 years ago

    I have a feeling VT is the kind of game where you need to go through the training mode to get the timing right. Once again, we seem to have a demo on Xbox live which will only serve to put off the casuals.