Playing tennis games on the Xbox One can be an enjoyable way to have fun. Whether a person wants to play against a computer, against someone else in person, or online, it can get pretty competitive with the right game.
What are the five best games on Xbox One right now? While not all of these games are specifically made for the Xbox One, they are all playable for those who want to give them a try. From realistic games to arcade options, there’s something for all types of tennis fans.
5. Smoots World Cup Tennis
If players want something very casual, Smoots World Cup Tennis has received favorable reviews. It’s a very inexpensive game that might not keep purists happy, but it’s fun and entertaining for all ages.
Players get the opportunity to customize their character and go on a single-player journey. There’s also online play, giving people a chance to test their skills against others.
Even though it doesn’t have the branding, it’s easy to compare this to any Mario tennis game in the past. The style of gameplay is similar, but it’s its own game as well that helps keep things entertaining.
Pros
- Easy to learn
- Great for all ages
- Surprisingly great physics and movement
Cons
- Finding an online match is difficult at times
- Fairly easy to be the computer
4. Super Tennis Blast
It can be argued that Super Tennis Blast is the best casual tennis game on Xbox One right now. It has that nostalgic, over-the-top feeling to gameplay that has made tennis popular on consoles for a very long time.
There’s no actual licensing in this game, as players must learn about all the different attributes characters bring to the table. Once jumping into an actual match, the ball performs as it should and the game feels pretty natural.
Variety can help give players an edge if they learn how to play the right shots. In fact, for a game that looks very casual, those who learn and are willing to evolve with the game will find it to be very useful.
There is a ton of depth to the game, but the different ways to play bring a new approach all the time. It might take a minute to master, but it takes a while to become really great.
Pros
- Realistic play in a casual setting
- Many different types of shots
- Easy to play against friends or online opponents
Cons
- No licensing
- Depth for single players isn’t quite there
3. Match Point
There was a lot of excitement surrounding Match Point tennis when it was first released. As the newest tennis games hit the market, people thought it would be the best on Xbox One. Despite having a little bit more time to develop the game, Match Point has been pretty lackluster overall.
It makes third place on this list as the worst of the big three simulations out there. It’s not that the game is awful, but it just lacks depth and doesn’t play the way tennis is supposed to be played.
Another frustrating thing is the lack of pros. The overall lack of licensing is extremely frustrating for a game to release like this. There’s always a chance of them adding more pros as time goes on, but it’s tough for a smaller studio to do that.
Match Point is worth it at a certain price point, but it’s probably not a good choice if a person already owns one or both options above them.
There just aren’t any improvements, despite this game being much newer. It feels like an older release for the Xbox 360, only to be ported to the new console as a way to try to make more money.
Pros
- Newest tennis simulation out
- Easy to learn controls
- Different game modes
Cons
- Lack of real pros
- Graphics are subpar
2. Tennis World Tour Two
The first version of Tennis World Tour was slightly behind AO Tennis. For the second version, the two franchises stayed the same. Although both have shown improvements, Tennis World Tour 2 isn’t quite what AO Tennis 2 provides.
Graphically, this might be the best game out there. Also included are some nice bonuses like commentary and pros who didn’t make it in AO Tennis 2. However, the gameplay is still frustrating, and it even gets pretty choppy at times so that is frustrating to play.
The company deserves credit for listening to all the feedback and making some changes so that it is a much better game.
Instead of completely passing on Tennis World Tour, the second version is a solid option to try out. Some people end up liking it better than AO Tennis 2.
A lot of it might come down to whether or not a person wants Roger Federer on the roster. He’s only in World Tour Tennis 2, as he’s a glaring omission for AO Tennis 2.
Pros
- The commentary makes the gameplay more immersive
- Better gameplay overall compared to the first version
- Roger Federer is in the game
Cons
- Gameplay gets choppy at times
- Lacks licensing in a lot of areas
1. AO Tennis 2
There isn’t a better game out on Xbox One than AO Tennis 2. It is the sequel to the AO Tennis original release by BigAnt Studios, including some very important tweaks to make the game more enjoyable.
The game plays a little bit more realistic than the original version. The graphics also received a slight improvement.
Adding a few licensed players to the mix makes it worth the upgrade for some people. Of course, where this shines as a game is that it allows people to customize everything to get the look they want.
Players can either make their friends or themselves, or they can go with real-life pro players only. While Rod Laver Arena and several pros are included, people online have created accurate representations of the top players of all time. Within a few downloads, it can seem like a much different game overall.
Pros
- Outstanding customization
- Added pros compared to AO Tennis
- Better physics for a more realistic game
Cons
- Netplay is still very tough to figure out
- AI hits some impossible shots at higher difficulties
Are More Tennis Games on the Way for the Xbox One?
The Xbox One is still relatively new as far as game console cycles are concerned. Some of the top companies are still trying to get used to developing games for it. As time goes on, more games inevitably start to hit the market.
As far as whether or not a quality tennis game will be released, it mostly comes down to how much effort a studio puts into it.
One of the challenging things about tennis is that there need to be individual licensing contracts figured out for players. There’s only so much budget smaller companies have, so it’s very difficult to get that licensing.
Tennis fans are still waiting for a true masterpiece to release and take advantage of the new technology. The Xbox One has a lot of capabilities, but companies haven’t maximized them just yet for this sport.
The best tennis games on other consoles: