Software:Pro Tennis Tour 2

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Short description: 1991 video game
Pro Tennis Tour 2
Developer(s)Blue Byte Software
Publisher(s)Ubisoft
Platform(s)Amiga, Atari ST, MS-DOS
Release1991
Genre(s)Sports
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer, co-op

Pro Tennis Tour 2 (published as Great Courts 2 in France and Germany, and Jimmy Connors Pro Tennis Tour in North America[1]) is a sports video game developed by Blue Byte Software for the Amiga and published by Ubisoft in 1991.[2] It is the sequel to the 1989 game Pro Tennis Tour (also released as Great Courts).[3] Pro Tennis Tour 2 was ported to MS-DOS compatible operating systems and the Atari ST. A sequel, Jimmy Connors Pro Tennis Tour (1992), was released for the Super Nintendo.

Gameplay

A singles game on a clay court.

Players have three different game modes to play; "practice", "ball machine", and "tournament". "Practice" is a quick start mode, where the player can play single matches against the computer. "Ball machine" features the player returning balls from a motorized tennis serving machine. "Tournament" lets the player proceed through generated tournaments, and eventually Grand Slams.[4] The player can also sign up to play doubles during each tournament and even compete in the Davis Cup.[4] Players can also see statistics of match wins, tournament wins, and also prize money earned over the career.

Matches and tournaments can be played on many different surfaces. Matches can take place on grass (textured green) for a fast-paced game, clay (textured brown) which has a significantly slower pace, and asphalt (textured grey) with the fastest play speed of all of the courts. The game is controlled with a joypad and keyboard combination on all consoles.[4] The game can be played by one or two players, either controlling a player or a team each, and can also be played co-cooperatively, with players forming a doubles pair.[5] Each of the individual player characters have different strengths, and weaknesses, with variables such as forehand, backhand and fitness.[6][7]

Development

Pro Tennis Tour 2 was created by a team of five at Blue Byte Software. This team included coding by Lothar Schmitt, graphics by János Tóth, Thorsten Knop & Uwe Meier, and score by Haiko Ruttmann. Lothar Schmitt was also involved with the project. The game was released entirely in English, but the manual was also released in German, and French.[8]

The Amiga game was published by Ubisoft in 1991 in the United Kingdom , and the United States, and was later released in France, and Germany in 1993. The game was also released in Italy by distribution company "Leader",[8] and Spain by Spanish publisher "Dro Soft". The game was also self-published for DOS in 1991.[9]

The game would later have an unofficial sequel in Game, Net & Match! also released by Blue Byte Software in 1998 for Windows.[10] The game's features expand on those in Pro Tennis Tour 2, and add internet play.[11] Due to the game's differing name, and move to 3D, the game was never officially released as a sequel to the Pro Tennis Tour series.[11] Its working title however was Great Courts 3'.[10]

Reception

Review Score
Review scores
PublicationScore
The One for ST90% (Atari ST)[12]
The One for Amiga Games90% (Amiga)[13]
Computer and Video Games80% (Amiga)[14]
Amiga PowerStarStarStarStar (Amiga)[2]
Amiga Format82% (Amiga)[15]

Reviews for the game were almost universally positive. Amiga Power reviewed the game as 4/5 stars, claiming "possibly the most realistic sports sim to grace the Amiga, with features galore".[2] The One for ST magazine agreed, giving the game 90%, stating the game was "simply the best tennis sim that money could buy".[12]

The One for Amiga Games reviewed the Amiga version of Pro Tennis Tour 2 in 1991, giving it an overall score of 90%, beginning their review by expressing that it improves upon its predecessor, stating that "the original Pro Tennis Tour was a quality simulation of tennis but it had a few significant drawbacks, all of which have been rectified in this sequel. Two players can now compete at tournament level, there is a doubles option (including the unusual doubles verus single player mode), and you now have a choice of male or female players". The One praises Pro Tennis Tour 2's gameplay as "satisfying", calling its controls "much more user friendly", and furthermore states that "the quality and range of computer opponents is superb. It's changes like this that make this sequel totally different from its predecessor". The One praises the ability to edit player statistics as "an excellent additional feature" that "genuinely affects your [abilities]", and praises the graphics as having "subtle" and "mostly smooth" animation and expresses that the sound effects are "just about spot on". Despite this, The One expresses that "it's much more difficult serving down than up the screen, and more pre-match selection screens could be more aesthetically presented". The One acknowledges these criticisms as "minor" and concludes by calling Pro Tennis Tour 2 "a brilliant tennis simulation that is as close to being definitive as you are likely to get".[13]

However, Computer and Video Games magazine wrote that "the problem with Pro Tennis Tour 2, is that underneath the flashy exterior, lies a pretty basic game", but still gave the game 80/100.[14] Amiga Format said the game was difficult saying "it does take a lot of learning if you want to be able to play and beat the computer opposition", and scored the game 82%.[15]

Pro Tennis Tour would be ranked number 42 in Amiga Power's list of 100 all-time best Amiga games in 1991.[16]

The series sold 513,000 copies worldwide.[17]

References

  1. ↑ "Jimmy Connors Pro Tennis Tour box covers". Atari SA. https://www.mobygames.com/game/5873/jimmy-connors-pro-tennis-tour/covers/. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Amiga Power - Issue 01 (1991-05) (Future Publishing) (GB)". Amiga Power. May 1, 1991. Archived from the original on June 4, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160604214105/http://archive.org/stream/Amiga_Power_Issue_01_1991-05_Future_Publishing_GB#page/n107/mode/1up. Retrieved October 17, 2017. 
  3. ↑ "Pro Tennis Tour - World of Spectrum". World of Spectrum. Archived from the original on October 18, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171018133810/http://www.worldofspectrum.org/infoseekid.cgi?id=0003891. Retrieved October 18, 2017. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "Pro Tennis Tour 2 - Manual". Lemon Amiga. Archived from the original on March 20, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180320143828/http://www.lemonamiga.com/games/docs.php?id=1292. Retrieved October 17, 2017. 
  5. ↑ "Pro Tennis Tour 2 - Amiga Game/ Games". Lemon Amiga. Archived from the original on July 14, 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20070714181545/http://www.lemonamiga.com/games/details.php?id=868. Retrieved December 29, 2017. 
  6. ↑ Lunkeit, Kai (August 3, 2008). "Great Courts II AKA Pro Tennis Tour 2". Retro Gamer. Archived from the original on March 20, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180320143828/https://www.retrogamer.net/retro_games90/great-courts-ii-aka-pro-tennis-tour-2/. Retrieved December 29, 2017. 
  7. ↑ "Great Courts 2 for Amiga". MobyGames. Archived from the original on December 29, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171229231740/http://www.mobygames.com/game/great-courts-2. Retrieved December 29, 2017. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Pro Tennis Tour 2: Hall of Light". Hall Of Light. Archived from the original on October 18, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171018191300/http://hol.abime.net/1160. Retrieved October 18, 2017. 
  9. ↑ "Great Courts 2 (1991) Amiga Release dates". MobyGames. Archived from the original on December 30, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171230060126/http://www.mobygames.com/game/great-courts-2/release-info. Retrieved December 29, 2017. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Game, Net and Match! for Windows". MobyGames. Archived from the original on December 30, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171230060202/http://www.mobygames.com/game/game-net-match. Retrieved December 29, 2017. 
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Game, Net & Match! for Windows (1998) Ad Blurb". MobyGames. Archived from the original on December 29, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171229231952/http://www.mobygames.com/game/windows/game-net-match/adblurbs. Retrieved December 29, 2017. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 "One for ST Games issue 033". June 1, 1991. https://archive.org/stream/One_for_ST_Games_The_Issue_033_1991-06_EMAP_Images_GB#page/n69/mode/2up. Retrieved October 17, 2017. 
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Houghton, Gordon (February 1991). "Pro Tennis Tour II Amiga Review". The One (emap Images) (29): 64–65. https://archive.org/details/theone-magazine-29/page/n63. 
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 "Computer+Video Game Review". Computer+Video Game. Archived from the original on October 18, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171018012902/http://amr.abime.net/review_27469. Retrieved October 17, 2017. 
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 "Amiga Format Review". Amiga Format. May 1, 1991. Archived from the original on October 18, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171018013013/http://amr.abime.net/review_2123. Retrieved October 17, 2017. 
  16. ↑ "Amiga Power Issue #00". Amiga Power: 12. 1991. Archived from the original on January 9, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140109182246/http://amr.abime.net/issue_419_pages. 
  17. ↑ "July 1997 News - Blue Byte Software Announce New 'Tennis Game". July 1997. Archived from the original on January 21, 1998. https://web.archive.org/web/19980121103709/http://www.game-over.co.uk:80/news/july.htm. Retrieved December 14, 2023. 
  • MobyGames is a commercial database website that catalogs information on video games and the people and companies behind them via crowdsourcing. This includes over 300,000 games for hundreds of platforms.[1] Founded in 1999, ownership of the site has changed hands several times. It has been owned by Atari SA since 2022.

Features

Edits and submissions to the site (including screenshots, box art, developer information, game summaries, and more) go through a verification process of fact-checking by volunteer "approvers".[2] This lengthy approval process after submission can range from minutes to days or months.[3] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copy-editing.[4] A ranking system allows users to earn points for contributing accurate information.[5]

Registered users can rate and review games. Users can create private or public "have" and "want" lists, which can generate a list of games available for trade with other registered users. The site contains an integrated forum. Each listed game can have its own sub-forum.

History

Logo used until March 2014

MobyGames was founded on March 1, 1999, by Jim Leonard and Brian Hirt, and joined by David Berk 18 months later, the three of which had been friends since high school.[6][7] Leonard had the idea of sharing information about computer games with a larger audience. The database began with information about games for IBM PC compatibles, relying on the founders' personal collections. Eventually, the site was opened up to allow general users to contribute information.[5] In a 2003 interview, Berk emphasized MobyGames' dedication to taking video games more seriously than broader society and to preserving games for their important cultural influence.[5]

In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[8] This was announced to the community post factum , and the site's interface was given an unpopular redesign.[7] A few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025} On December 18, 2013, MobyGames was acquired by Jeremiah Freyholtz, owner of Blue Flame Labs (a San Francisco-based game and web development company) and VGBoxArt (a site for fan-made video game box art).[9] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel,[10] and for the next eight years, the site was run by Freyholtz and Independent Games Festival organizer Simon Carless.[7]

On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[11] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[12][13][14] Over the next year, the financial boost given by Atari led to a rework of the site being built from scratch with a new backend codebase, as well as updates improving the mobile and desktop user interface.[1] This was accomplished by investing in full-time development of the site instead of its previously part-time development.[15]

In 2024, MobyGames began offering a paid "Pro" membership option for the site to generate additional revenue.[16] Previously, the site had generated income exclusively through banner ads and (from March 2014 onward) a small number of patrons via the Patreon website.[17]

See also

  • IGDB – game database used by Twitch for its search and discovery functions

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sheehan, Gavin (2023-02-22). "Atari Relaunches The Fully Rebuilt & Optimized MobyGames Website". https://bleedingcool.com/games/atari-relaunches-the-fully-rebuilt-optimized-mobygames-website/. 
  2. ↑ Litchfield, Ted (2021-11-26). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". https://www.pcgamer.com/zombie-company-atari-to-devour-mobygames/. 
  3. ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1. 
  4. ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Miller, Stanley A. (2003-04-22). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 
  6. ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Plunkett, Luke (2022-03-10). "Atari Buys MobyGames For $1.5 Million". https://kotaku.com/mobygames-retro-credits-database-imdb-atari-freyholtz-b-1848638521. 
  8. ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/report-mobygames-acquired-by-gamefly-media. 
  9. ↑ Corriea, Alexa Ray (December 31, 2013). "MobyGames purchased from GameFly, improvements planned". http://www.polygon.com/2013/12/31/5261414/mobygames-purchased-from-gamefly-improvements-planned. 
  10. ↑ Wawro, Alex (31 December 2013). "Game dev database MobyGames getting some TLC under new owner". Gamasutra. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/game-dev-database-mobygames-getting-some-tlc-under-new-owner. 
  11. ↑ "Atari invests in Anstream, may buy MobyGames". November 24, 2021. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-24-atari-invests-in-anstream-may-buy-mobygames. 
  12. ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (2022-03-09). "Atari purchases Moby Games". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-purchases-moby-games. 
  13. ↑ "Atari Completes MobyGames Acquisition, Details Plans for the Site's Continued Support". March 8, 2022. https://www.atari.com/atari-completes-mobygames-acquisition-details-plans-for-the-sites-continued-support/. 
  14. ↑ "Atari has acquired game database MobyGames for $1.5 million" (in en-GB). 2022-03-09. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/atari-has-acquired-game-database-mobygames-for-1-5-million/. 
  15. ↑ Stanton, Rich (2022-03-10). "Atari buys videogame database MobyGames for $1.5 million". https://www.pcgamer.com/atari-buys-videogame-database-mobygames-for-dollar15-million/. 
  16. ↑ Harris, John (2024-03-09). "MobyGames Offering “Pro” Membership". https://setsideb.com/mobygames-offering-pro-membership/. 
  17. ↑ "MobyGames on Patreon". http://www.patreon.com/mobygames. 
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