UPDATE: When initially posted, we erroneously stated Tennis League VR did not feature multiple accessibility and movement options, given how it actively promoted the usage of teleportation in its tutorial, as well as not featuring movement options in its pause menu settings screen. We eventually discovered an option for freeform movement via a small, poorly explained options icon in the main menu. Given how this was the reviewer’s main gripe, we have since then updated the score.

 

What a time to be a tennis fan who just so happens to love video games as well. This was my favorite sport to play growing up, but whenever you end up being moderately decent at the real life thing, you may end up not liking virtual recreations of the sport due to, well, not being the real life thing. For as much as we’ve been blessed with some truly great tennis games in recent years, there was something missing. I really wanted for a lovely soul to come up with a virtual reality tennis simulator. I started salivating when I found out about Tennis League VR. It was shaping up to be exactly that, exactly what I wanted. Well, it’s ALMOST that. So close to being a damn masterpiece.

Having played a ton of tennis back in my youth, I was actually going to put Tennis League VR‘s gameplay and physics under a lot of scrutiny. I had high hopes for both, and to be honest, I was blown away by them. Hitting a forehand or a backhand (in this case, only with one hand) felt natural, with the physics feeling impressively realistic. Serving also felt natural, though I recommend playing the game under a very high ceiling if you’re willing to go all in on the realism. If I wanted to do volleys, they felt realistic as well. Even the rumble features on the Quest 2’s controllers made my brain actually think a racket was hitting legit tennis balls. I was ready to commend Tennis League VR and call it the best tennis game I have ever played, for real. But then a massive issue crept up.

Said issue is the bane of most VR sports games: movement. Tennis League VR follows the now-dated old school tradition of VR games featuring teleportation as the main movement option. It really believes that teleportation is the best method of movement in such a game. That’s a massive issue. It just doesn’t feel natural. Tennis is known as one of the most physically demanding sports in the world because you are constantly moving around like a lunatic on your side of the court in order to both attack and defend.

“Tennis League VR doesn’t allow you to do that” was what I thought at first, because it buries an analog movement option in a poorly showcased settings menu only available in the main menu. Not available via the pause menu, not available via an initial “what’s your preferred method of movement” upon booting the game up fo the first time, nor is it acknowledged in the tutorial. At first I truly believed said movement option was absent because Tennis League VR acted like it was a redheaded stepchild. I don’t get why, because it’s much better than the teleportation option. Is it clunky? Yes, it is. But it is better than the default option, for sure.

I do find the underwhelming explanation to where the accessibility options were as baffling as not having them altogether, to be fair. But I digress: playing Tennis League VR with this option resulted in a vastly more enjoyable experience, especially when taking into account the health benefits a VR sports title brings to the table. I would have appreciated a few more modes, but what’s available here, minigames included, is good enough.

Tennis League VR is ALMOST the perfect tennis video game, let alone ALMOST the perfect VR tennis game. Its physics are fantastic. Its controls are juicy, responsive, enough to fool your brain into think you’re actually playing a match in Wimbledon. If it wasn’t for that freaking limited movement setup, as well as some poorly explained accessibility options, this could have easily been my favorite game on the Quest 2, for real. I am not overly disappointed, though. If anything, the developers at AnotheReality have a good foundation to build upon. If they can tinker with the freeform controls a bit more via a patch or a sequel, then I’ll be ready to bolt my visor onto my head for all eternity.

 

Graphics: 7.0 I do not like the fact this is one of those VR games featuring legless characters, but as far as Quest 2 games go, it looks decent enough.	Gameplay: 8.5 Serving and hitting the ball are what I have always wanted from a VR tennis game. The physics are sensational. Sadly, moving around the court does not feel natural in its default setting. It’s better with free movements, though they are hidden behind a convoluted menu option.
Sound: 6.5 Like any other tennis game, it just gets the job done by not featuring that much sound. What’s here is good enough, but don’t expect anything that exciting.	Fun Factor: 8.5 It’s almost great. It got so close to being the perfect VR recreation of tennis. There’s a lot of fun to be had in Tennis League VR, so long you get used to the movement controls and poor accessibility options.
Final Verdict: 8.0

Tennis League VR is available now on Meta Quest 2.

Reviewed on Quest 2.

A copy of Tennis League VR was provided by the publisher.