Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

All Star Tennis 2000 adapts the fast-paced action of full-console tennis titles to the compact Game Boy Color, delivering tight controls and responsive movement. Whether you’re lining up a powerful serve or countering a lightning-fast volley, the game’s button mapping feels intuitive on the handheld. The inclusion of Tournament, Smash Tennis, Arcade, and Bomb Tennis modes ensures replayability, offering both traditional and quirky twists on standard matches.

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In Tournament mode, you work your way through bracketed competitions, facing increasingly skilled opponents such as Krajicek, Chang, Philippoussis, and Novotná. Each victory brings new challenges, from adapting to an opponent’s preferred court surface—grass, dirt, or tarmac—to managing stamina over multiple rounds. The AI, while occasionally predictable on easier settings, ramps up nicely in later rounds, forcing you to mix lobs, slices, and drop shots to stay ahead.

Bomb Tennis stands out as the game’s most inventive novelty. Each bounce plants a ticking bomb that explodes after a few seconds, sending your player flying backward and forcing you to dash back into position. This mode demands constant awareness of ball placement and timing, turning a simple rally into a frantic race against both time and the clock. It’s a fun diversion from traditional tennis and adds a layer of frantic intensity rarely seen in handheld sports titles.

Graphics

Given the Game Boy Color’s hardware constraints, All Star Tennis 2000 produces surprisingly clear, colorful sprites and court layouts. Each of the eight courts is rendered with distinct background palettes—emerald green for grass, golden brown for dirt, and slate gray for tarmac—making it easy to spot your player and the ball even during fast volleys. Courtside details, like a faint audience silhouette or scoreboard in the distance, lend extra polish to the presentation.

Player animations are smooth, with different frames for forehands, backhands, serves, and dives. While resolution limitations mean characters appear slightly blocky, the developers did a commendable job of differentiating each tennis pro’s stance and movement style. Subtle touches, like a player wiping sweat from their brow or adjusting their cap between points, add personality and break up the action.

Transitions between menus, court selection, and match loading are quick and efficient, minimizing downtime and keeping the focus on gameplay. A brief racket-swoosh sound effect accompanies each shot, complemented by crowd cheers on aces and error tones on unforced mistakes. The audio package is simple but effective, ensuring that players remain immersed in the match without burdening the handheld’s limited speaker capabilities.

Story

While All Star Tennis 2000 does not feature a traditional narrative campaign, it builds its own sense of progression through Arcade and Tournament modes. In Arcade mode, you challenge each star in rapid succession, mapping out a “tourney within a tourney” that rewards consistency and adaptation. Beating a string of pros back-to-back feels like climbing a mountain ladder, with each summit introducing fresh playing styles and shot preferences.

The loose “story” emerges from your personal rivalry with the in-game stars. For example, defeating a serve-and-volley specialist like Jan Krajicek on grass feels distinctly different from outlasting Monica Novotná’s baseline consistency on dirt. Each court and opponent presents a mini-narrative of strategy versus skill, ensuring that your journey from relative novice to all-star contender remains engaging.

Bomb Tennis, though lighthearted, writes its own comedic subplot: can you survive a ten-point explosion frenzy and still keep your composure? The tension of avoiding blasts adds cinematic flair to what might otherwise be a straightforward score-chasing exercise. Imagining yourself as the underdog who upsets the field by mastering chaos can feel just as rewarding as any scripted storyline.

Overall Experience

All Star Tennis 2000 succeeds in distilling the essence of console tennis games into a portable format without sacrificing depth or fun. Between its varied game modes, roster of real-life tennis icons, and clever gimmicks like Bomb Tennis, there’s ample reason to keep returning. Casual players can enjoy quick singles matches, while more dedicated fans will appreciate the lure of unlocking every trophy in Tournament and mastering Arcade mode.

The two-player Multi-Link Cable support elevates the replay factor, allowing you to challenge friends head-to-head in classic or bomb-laden matches. Competitive handheld play remains rare, and this title seizes the opportunity, making long car rides or schoolyard breaks more exciting. Note that both players must have their own copy of the game, but for tennis enthusiasts, it’s a small investment for high entertainment value.

In sum, All Star Tennis 2000 stands out as one of the Game Boy Color’s more robust sports offerings. Its tight controls, varied modes, and charming audiovisual presentation create a well-rounded package that tennis fans and casual gamers alike can enjoy. If you’re looking for a handheld sports title that balances competitive depth with playful innovation, this cart is well worth a serve-and-volley.

Retro Replay Score

null/10