Producer: Atlantis
Memory Required: 48K
Retail Price: £1.99
Language: Machine code
Author: T Adcock

The cover picture for this game shows a very irate tennis player eating a tennis ball. In the background there is a picture of the referee with a tennis racquet neatly placed around his neck. With a picture like that and a name like Super Brat the game seems to feature a well known tennis star, one who did not make Wimbledon this year. In fact Super Brat features tennis, and no tennis player in particular.

You view the game from the commentator's box, and your player is the one in the foreground. After entering your name you will be asked to select a 3 or 5 set game. That done, it will be your turn to serve. Position your player by moving him left or right along the base line and then use the 'P' key to toss the ball up in the air. To hit the ball you simply press 'P' again but the direction of the serve depends on the delay between the first press and the second. For example, if you want the serve to go to the left then allow only a very short delay between presses, for the ball to go to the right you must allow a longer delay. The game will enforce the rules as laid down by the Lawn Tennis Association. Calls for net, foot fault and the like are announced on the scoreboard. There are also two line judges and a net judge; if they report a fault you will see them raise a little hand.

The object of the game is to become the number one seed. To do this you must battle your way through three tournaments: the British, the European and World finals. Only then can you be allowed to act like Super Brat and still be applauded for it.

COMMENTS

Control keys: 1 /2 left/right, P to serve
Joystick: none
Keyboard play: fine
Use of colour: good but a bit garish
Graphics: acceptable
Sound: nasty tune, otherwise cast spot effects
Skill levels: three
Lives: N/A
Screens: N/A

Super Brat is probably the only 3D tennis game to emerge since Match Point. However, the two games are very different from one another. The players in Super Brat are not mere stick men, and have form and colour - but they do move rather jerkily and, unlike Match Point, you can only move along the baseline, Generally the game is much less complex than Match Point. Super Brat is both playable and mildly addictive. So it does stand up rather well against Match Point but don't forget that that game is getting a bit long in the tooth.

Super Brat took a bit of getting used to. It took about five game before I became proficient at serving. You have no control over the power of your shot, only the direction, but that does help to keep game play simple. My only criticism is that the ball is too small. I needed a telescope to see it! Overall this is a pretty acceptable game.

I found this game to be pretty easy to get into, as it manages to avoid the sort of complex key operations normally associated with ball games. Match Point automatically changes between forehand and backhand, often at the most inconvenient time. Super Brat, being a little more unsophisticated, manages to do without such complexities to the advantage of game play. The graphics are colourful but not very detailed. I loved the player's pink legs/socks. My only regret was that the bright colours tended to obscure the ball. As tennis games go it's very acceptable for the money, but perhaps not for the purist.

Rick: Atlantis they say disappeared below the waves without trace. Not unlike McEnroe at Wimbledon! And really this tennis simulation that promises so much, ends up a loser too. Play a few rallies on the opposition simulations before making your mind up.

Mind you, it does have some aces up its sleeve. All the basic facilities of singles tennis are on offer. Matches are of 3 or 5 sets and follow the score patterns of the real McCoy. You can actually toss the ball to serve - until you've mastered the art, its underarm - no wonder superbrat is so often the winner! - but an ace or two is still possible. Direction, curiously, depends on the speed you hit the ball - fast to the left, slow to the right. Combined with lateral movement angles and cross courts can be created - a step up from the old pit-pat over the net.

Master these movements and then progress through the three layers of difficulty - the British tournament (for beginners of course!), then European and World. Though would it've been so hard to actually name tournaments?

Unfortunately, you can't programme yourself or the omnipresent superbrat for different skills or variations in temperament or style so it can take on the monotony of the base-line basher. But it could while away the months until the strawberries and cream are fresh again.

Ross: Tennis? You cannot be serious, man... 5/10

Dougie: An unoriginal idea with an unchallenging game. This one scores no aces with me. 5/10

Publisher: Atlantis
Price: £1.99
Memory: 48K

The Brat struts around the court, psyching himself up. The crowd cheers and the score board announces first service.

Tap! The ball thuds gently into the opposite court and you return it down the side lines, the players moving with all the grace and agility of tortoises.

Deuce. Two advantage points and you win the match. The crowd goes wild in a restrained fashion and your illustrious opponent hurtles his racket to the ground.

There are three championships to win - British, European and World - I wonder what the Brat does when he loses the world championship title to a total unknown? Unfortunately, I didn't have the energy to get that far.

Atlantis cannot be serious. This game is the pits of the world. Super Brat is a poor travesty of that wonderful summer sport.

The players only serve forehands, bad ones at that. They cannot move from the baseline and the game is one great struggle to get to the ball. To make matters worse, the Brat hardly gives you time to cross the court before he begins serving.

There is no need for joystick control as only three keys are used. Two to move left and right and one for hitting the ball. A short delay before hitting the ball will take it to the right hand side of the court, no delay lakes it to the left. The player is slow to respond to your controls.

The court is probably the best thing in this tedious game. The screen is set out in a 3D representation of a tennis court. The score board, although small, scrolls well and the scoring is quite realistic.

If you want to play tennis, go for Psion's Match Point.