![David Crane's Amazing Tennis [Model SNS-ZT-USA] screenshot](images/game/62891_2.png "David Crane")
David Crane's Amazing Tennis © 1992 Absolute Ent., Incorporated.
David Crane's Amazing Tennis is a sports simulation game designed by the legendary game designer David Crane (best known for Pitfall!). The game focuses on realistic tennis mechanics, offering a variety of shot types, player movement controls, and tournament structures, aiming to provide a more technical experience than the arcade-oriented sports titles typical of the era.
GAME ID: SNS-ZT-USA
Designer Pedigree:
The game carries David Crane’s name in the title, which was a marketing trend at the time intended to highlight the pedigree of the developer. Crane’s influence is seen in the attempt to implement a physics-based approach to ball trajectory and player positioning, moving away from simple "hit-and-run" arcade gameplay.
Perspective and Controls:
It utilizes a standard baseline perspective common in tennis games, but it introduced a level of depth in shot selection (slice, topspin, lob) that required players to master timing and positioning rather than just button-mashing.
The Absolute Entertainment Legacy:
Absolute Entertainment was well-known for their work on the Atari 2600, and this title represented their effort to transition their design philosophy to the 16-bit era. It stands as a notable example of a developer trying to bring "computer game" complexity to console sports titles.