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Super Tennis
The circuit mode that ate our weekends.
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PRESS START
An Introduction To Today’s Game
Every summer, I end up watching Wimbledon. It is still the gold standard of tennis, the one tournament that makes me stop and pay attention every year. As a kid, I was glued to the TV whenever Ivan Lendl stepped onto the court.
He was my favorite player, and watching him battle through Wimbledon is one of those sports memories that has stuck with me ever since. He never won it, but I still have found memories of those early summers.
So with Wimbledon in full swing once again, it feels like the perfect excuse to revisit my favorite tennis game of all time: Super Tennis on the SNES.
It may not have the licenses or the flashy presentation of modern sports games, but few have captured the feel of tennis quite as well. More than three decades later, it is still the one I keep coming back to.
BEHIND THE PIXELS
Let’s Dive Into The Game
Super Tennis is simple: pick one of twenty characters, each with their own strengths, then head to a court and start swinging. That's it.
That's the pitch. It's a straightforward sports sim, but the depth hides underneath the simplicity.
There’s no tutorial and it does take some time to learn the timing, but once you do, the hours will fly by.
The game splits into three modes. Singles and Doubles let you jump into quick matches against a friend or the computer, in any combination of human and CPU pairings.
The real meat, though, is World Circuit mode, where you travel to eight tournaments, four majors and four minor stops, each played on one of three surfaces.
Clay, grass, and hardcourt all affect how the ball bounces, just like real tennis, and climbing the rankings takes a full season of consistent wins.
You're expected to experiment and figure out shot types and character quirks through trial and error. It can feel unforgiving early on, and honestly, I spent my first few matches getting embarrassed by the CPU before anything clicked. But again, once it clicks, I get addicted to this game all over again.
The character sprites are expressive for their size, animating with real personality as they scramble across the court. The soundtrack is catchy without overstaying its welcome, and the sound effects sell every serve and return.
It's not flashy by today's standards, but it holds together as a legitimate sports sim rather than a licensed cash grab.
It’s one of my all time favorites and a retro game I go back to frequently.
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GAME INFORMATION
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WHERE TO PLAY
Nintendo Switch Online - SNES app.
Original Copies of the Game (All prices in USD)
Loose: $9
Complete: $25
New/Sealed: $45
COVER ART
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GAME OVER
Why You Should Play This
If you've got Nintendo Switch Online, this one's sitting right there in the SNES library, free to try with your subscription. That alone makes it an easy recommendation, no additional purchase needed, no hunting down a cartridge.
The best case for playing it today is the same case that worked in 1991: it's simply solid tennis. The circuit mode gives you a real reason to keep playing beyond a single match, and the surface variety adds more strategy than you'd expect from a launch-era sports game. Just brace yourself for a rough first hour while you figure out the controls without any help from the game itself.
It won't dethrone your favorite modern sports title, and it's not trying to. Tennis Elbow 4 is my modern go to tennis game, but sometimes I go for this classic instead.
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RETRO HARDWARE
Miyoo Flip V2 Retro Handheld Game Console
The Miyoo Flip V2 is a tiny clamshell retro handheld that lets you carry a whole library of classic games in your pocket. With a bright screen, solid controls, and the nostalgic flip design we all remember, it’s perfect for quick gaming sessions anywhere. Click the picture to check it out. My readers can use the following code for a 12% discount: NY12
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