Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

From the moment you pick up the controller in Jimmy Connors Tennis, the action is immediate and intuitive. With three distinct skill levels—Beginner, Medium, and Advanced—you can tailor the experience to your own pace, whether you’re just learning the ropes or looking for a serious challenge. The controls are simple: move your player, time your swing, and position yourself for volleys. Despite the NES’s limitations, the game nails that satisfying back-and-forth rhythm of real tennis.

One of the standout features is the dedicated practice mode. Here you can face a ball machine that serves 100, 200, or even 300 balls in succession. It’s a clever way to build timing and precision, letting you work out your strokes before stepping into the high-stakes environment of the professional tour. The steady stream of practice serves gradually increases in speed, so you’ll feel your skills sharpen as you adapt to faster deliveries.

Once you’re ready to compete, you enter the International Tennis Tour, comprised of the top 16 tournaments around the globe. Each event—from the U.S. Open to Wimbledon—is faithfully recreated, complete with realistic court surfaces and a rising level of opponent difficulty. Winning matches not only advances you through the draw but also earns you prize money ranging from $26,000 to $58,000. This creates a rewarding loop: perform better, earn more, upgrade your status, and unlock the toughest brackets.

Graphics

Graphically, Jimmy Connors Tennis is a textbook example of what the NES can do when developers focus on clarity over flash. Player sprites are small but distinct, with enough color and animation frames to convey different shot types—lobs, slices, and powerful drives. On-screen text and scoreboards are crisp, ensuring you always know the match situation without any confusion.

What truly sets the visuals apart is the treatment of different court surfaces. Whether you’re playing on hard court, grass, or clay, the background palette and court markings change accordingly. These subtle shifts might not seem groundbreaking today, but in the 8-bit era, they added a welcome layer of immersion. You actually feel the “slipperiness” of grass or the slower pace of clay just by watching the ball’s bounce animation.

Animations for the ball machine in practice mode are also well done: you see the machine’s arms move, and the ball’s trajectory is always clear against the court. While there aren’t any flashy pre-match cutscenes or detailed crowd sprites, the steady frame rate and smooth transitions between points keep the action flowing without a hitch.

Story

As a traditional sports title, Jimmy Connors Tennis doesn’t present a narrative-driven storyline in the way RPGs or adventure games do. Instead, the “story” unfolds through your progression on the world tour. You begin as an underdog on the Beginner circuit and fight your way up through tougher opponents, culminating in championship matches at the sport’s most prestigious venues.

The real-life endorsement by Jimmy Connors injects an element of authenticity, making you feel like you’re stepping into the shoes of a future tennis legend. While Connors himself doesn’t appear in lengthy dialogue or cutscenes, his name on the title screen and his stylized likeness during player introductions help maintain a connection to the pro tennis world.

Ultimately, the narrative hook is your personal journey: track your win-loss record, watch your earnings grow, and input passwords to resume your campaign later. The story emerges organically through each match you play, each upset you cause, and every final you reach. It’s minimalist, but it’s effective in giving your career a sense of direction and purpose.

Overall Experience

Jimmy Connors Tennis may not have the bells and whistles of modern sports titles, but it delivers a compelling package that stands the test of time. The combination of accessible controls, varying difficulty levels, and a full slate of major tournaments provides hours of replayability. Whether you’re a tennis fan or simply enjoy tight, skill-based gameplay, there’s plenty to love here.

The password feature is a welcome addition, allowing you to save your progress without needing a battery-backed cartridge. It’s a small convenience that goes a long way in maintaining momentum on the long road to Grand Slam glory. Watching your total prize money climb adds a tangible sense of achievement each time you return to the court.

Overall, Jimmy Connors Tennis is a solid retro sports sim that captures the thrill of professional tennis in all its surface-specific nuances. Its straightforward presentation and strategic depth make it an engaging pick for collectors and newcomers alike. If you’re looking for a classic NES title that balances challenge with approachability, this one serves up a winning match every time.

Retro Replay Score

6.5/10