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Anna Kournikova's Smash Court Tennis for PlayStation 1
In Anna Kournikova's Smash Court Tennis for PlayStation 1, you move a cartoon tennis player around the court and try to pull the opponent out of position. You choose between a gentle shot, a powerful ball and a riskier super shot. A lob passes someone standing too close to the net. The direction and timing of your stroke determine where the ball lands. Reaching the ball in time remains at least as important as the power of your racket.
You can play an individual match, practise or enter a tournament. Street Tournament takes tennis to unusual locations, while Grand Slam uses a series of more familiar tennis settings. Victories earn ranking points and extra characters or equipment. The humorous cartoon style matches the special contests: in Smash Blast, you play with a ball that can explode. There you try to eliminate the other team.
You play alone or locally with others on the same console. In Exhibition, you can choose singles or doubles; three or four human players require a PlayStation Multitap and one controller each. In Tournament doubles, your partner is computer-controlled. You move with the directional buttons and choose your stroke with the action buttons. A PlayStation memory card uses one block to retain game data; the options include Save and Load for tournament progress. A DualShock can vibrate during play.
Region and language
Our PlayStation 1 games are PAL editions and come with a Dutch or English box, unless stated otherwise. By default, you receive the version for the European market. We note it in the product details if the region is different or the box is in another language. In almost all cases, the game is playable at least in English, and often in the other five common European languages too.
Manual
Anna Kournikova's Smash Court Tennis for PlayStation 1 includes the manual unless the product title states otherwise. If the booklet is missing, the title says “No Manual”. This lets you see before ordering whether the game comes with a manual.
The manuals included with our games usually contain at least English and often around six European languages. The exact languages vary by edition, so Dutch is not always included. The booklet explains the controls and the main rules. You can use it to check how to control the game, which actions are available and how its different features work.
The history of Anna Kournikova's Smash Court Tennis
Namco released Smash Court 2 for the Japanese PlayStation in 1998. The European edition appeared in 1999 as Anna Kournikova's Smash Court Tennis, featuring the Russian tennis star’s name and likeness. Behind that regional title is a sequel to Namco’s earlier Smash Court. Sony Computer Entertainment Europe released the European version. The characters retained their exaggerated cartoon appearance, so the collaboration with a real athlete did not turn into a complete line-up of realistically recreated professional tennis players.
The series built on Namco’s experience with directly controlled tennis. Positioning, hitting the ball at the right moment and opening up an angle remained the foundation, but the setting could become more playful. Street courts, odd rackets and familiar Namco characters as unlockable guests gave matches a character of their own. The competitive side nevertheless remained recognisable: a high ball can invite a smash, and a sharp angle forces the opponent to move. The humour does not replace that exchange on court.
The European release coincided with the tennis summer of 1999. Reviews at the time described both automatic serving and the differences between net players and baseline specialists. Tournament rankings and rewards also provided a reason to continue beyond one match against a friend. In Japan, Namco had explicitly presented the street locations and training as additions to the first Smash Court. The European Kournikova release then brought that combination of practice, tournament progression and humour to players outside Japan.
Similar games for PlayStation 1
Namco Tennis Smash Court for PlayStation 1 is the earlier game in the same series. You recognise the cartoon players, lobs and powerful smashes. The first game also lets you play on courts with interactive hazards, allowing the surroundings to disrupt a rally. Anna Kournikova's Smash Court Tennis expands the tournament series with Street Tournament, ranking points and unlockable Namco guests. The similarity lies in playful tennis with varied shots; the sequel links tournament victories to a larger collection of characters and equipment.
Actua Tennis for PlayStation 1 also requires you to reach the ball in time and direct a stroke towards your opponent’s weak spot. It uses a more serious sporting presentation and a three-dimensional view of the court. Anna Kournikova's Smash Court Tennis puts more emphasis on cartoon characters, unusual locations and humorous equipment. Positioning and timing remain similar foundations, but the atmosphere and the way matches are expanded beyond ordinary tennis differ clearly.
Tennis Arena for PlayStation 1 shares unusual characters and courts with Anna Kournikova's Smash Court Tennis. It offers ten players, five different stadiums and surfaces, and replays you can pause or view in slow motion. You play singles and doubles with lobs, smashes and special shots. Kournikova adds its own touches through Street Tournament, unlockable Namco guests and Smash Blast. In that last contest, an exploding ball becomes part of the rally, making returning the ball a matter of survival too.
All Star Tennis 99 for PlayStation 1 shares movement around the court, varied shots and singles or doubles play. It combines eight real tennis professionals, including Michael Chang and Jana Novotná, with four fictional players. Grass, clay and hard courts change the match setting. Anna Kournikova's Smash Court Tennis mainly uses fictional cartoon players alongside Kournikova and lets you unlock Namco characters. Both connect rallies with tournaments, but the recognisable professional line-up differs from Kournikova’s rewards and fantasy characters.
Micro Machines V3 for PlayStation 1 takes place on racetracks, but shares the idea of short local contests in which several people respond directly to each other. There you try to leave the rest behind with a miniature vehicle. Anna Kournikova's Smash Court Tennis keeps the action around a tennis net and demands timing for every return. Both use playful settings and quick competition between players. The difference lies between steering continuously in a race and alternating between positioning and returning a ball.
