Tennis Games Roundup

Does all this Wimbledon chatter have you jonesing to pick up a racket yourself?

Skip the trip to your local tennis court and play in the comfort of your own home with one of our top-rated recommendations.

Check out our list and get into the spirit by watching the game trailers.

No matter what console you're into, we've got the goods.

WATCH TRAILER

PS3: Virtua Tennis 3

Sega's Virtua Tennis series is the big name in tennis games this year. In addition to the PS3 version, it's also available on Xbox 360 and PC. True to its arcade roots, it's an easy-to-learn game that focuses more on dynamic moves and excitement than overall realism. In other words, if your idea of Tennis Heaven is a carefully-timed lob or a sublime mid-court smash, you might want to look elsewhere. If, however, you're more excited by the thought of frantic footwork, side-to-side rallies, and dramatic dives, Virtua Tennis is your game. With its career mode offering the chance to level-up your customized tennis player through a series of creative tennis-themed mini-games, as well as the usual rounds of tournaments and other matches, Virtua Tennis 3 has lasting appeal to boot.

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Nintendo Wii: Wii Sports

Despite the Wii's motion-sensing controls being perfect for a tennis game, the only attempt we've seen so far is the one that every Wii owner is sure to have already tried: Wii Sports Tennis. It's a great game, but it does lack the depth of the other offerings on this list. If you're still jonesing for a more complete tennis experience, check out the Gamecube version of Mario Power Tennis -- it'll run fine on the Wii, although it'll probably cause real tennis fans to shudder. Retro fans should check out Tennis on the Wii's Virtual Console service, too. Be forewarned, however -- originally released in 1985, it's certainly showing its age.

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Xbox 360: Top Spin 2

Top Spin is the game for you if you're turned off by the Virtua Tennis excesses and yearn for something a little more lifelike. Top Spin 2 is particularly notable for its career mode, which centers around winning sponsorships as well as tournaments. You'll also acquire your own "rival," who shares your player's nationality and sends you nasty messages. Sounds just like playing on Xbox Live... which, of course, Top Spin 2 also features. The 360 is also home to Virtua Tennis 3, if that's your bag, and a Rockstar-developed table tennis game (called, unimaginatively, Table Tennis) that's surprisingly good.

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Nintendo DS

Wouldn't the touchscreen controls on the DS make it perfect for a casual tennis game? Yeah, you'd think, but only two exist and they're both dire. Sorry, but if the DS is your only console, you're better off watching Wimbledon on TV than bothering with any of its tennis games.

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PSP: Virtua Tennis: World Tour

With the DS out of the running, if it's tennis-on-the-go you're looking for, you can't do better than this PSP version of the popular Virtua Tennis series. Thankfully, it's remarkably good, sharing most of the features of its brothers on the larger consoles, like the stat-building minigames and support for up to four simultaneous players. Not bad for a portable, eh?

Game Page ... Screenshots ... Videos ... Cheats

PS2: Sega Sports Tennis 2K2

You might have to comb the racks of your local retailer to track it down, but Sega Sports Tennis 2K2 is the pick of the PS2 tennis games. Despite the name, it's actually part of the Virtua Tennis series, so it shares its easy-going approach and exciting gameplay. No, there's no online multiplayer (and no Anna Kournikova,) but just about everything else you might want from a tennis game is there.