Tennis in the Face Reviews
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Those waiting for a an actual tennis game will not find an interim solution here. Despite tennis being 'in the face' regarding its presentation here, it's another single screen, physics-based puzzle destroyathon. It is also, however, vibrant, fun, funny and chaotic. The main character is a likeable amalgamation of both tropes and celebrities from the sport, and while the mechanics are pretty well worn in by now - especially in the mobile space - Tennis In The Face is probably among the top seeds in its genre on Switch. If you are over this kind of game it won't change your mind, but it's a well presented and addictive slice of structure (and tie) breaking action.
For the price of £3.99 Tennis In The Face is a decent little game, and if you're into the genre then it is worth picking up. It provides enough entertainment and while it won't be considered a classic it scratches the itch when you want to play something for a couple of minutes. It does get repetitive if you play too many levels at once, and some levels do just need luck more than anything to complete. Overall though Tennis In The Face is a fun little game.
You'll only occasionally feel like luck is involved and your reward for a skilful shot is some satisfying sound effects and rag-doll physics. Ultimately, it's an average mobile port and an easy completion. It would pass the time adequately enough while downloading the latest patch to your AAA title of choice. Beyond that, it's unlikely to hold your attention for long.
There are only a handful of enemies you'll encounter throughout the game, and some more variety would have been nice.
For a game named Tennis in the Face, this curious new indie from Finnish outfit 10tons is delightfully inoffensive. Outside of its outlandish energy drink-inspired storyline, this is a straightforward arcade game which revels in the base appeal of hitting people with balls. Lively presentation belies comatose gameplay, but its simplicity serves as a solid palette cleanser between longer gaming rallies.
This game was designed especially for that, as its fun chaos and bedlam take over the screen and even if more varied enemies would be welcome, Tennis in the Face is not a proposal to be overlooked.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Is a very simple, intuitive and hilarious game that gives us instant entertainment. It has a hilarious story and a variety of different levels and challenges.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Tennis In The Face provides the same basic satisfaction that Angry Birds does, but lacks heart and charm, resulting in an enjoyable, but unmemorable game.
While the game is fun and quirky, it's far better suited to its original home on handhelds. On the PS4, it simply doesn't hold up as a fully fledged game. However, for that price, it certainly is worthwhile if you're looking for something fun to play while waiting for all your other PS4 games' patches and updates.
But how much will the occasional, inconsistent physics dampen your fun factor? If that thought gives you pause, I'd suggest checking out some of 10Tons' other Switch releases first.
Tennis in the Face feels like a lazy port that was thrown on the Switch as a cash grab to take advantage of the platform's early success. Whilst the game itself runs fine, the lack of innovation or attempt to improve over other earlier mediocre ports is aggravating. It's a hollow experience that offers very little beyond the surface and other than a bit of mental stimulation from later, more challenging levels I can't honestly say I ever enjoyed myself playing this. I will reiterate that at just £4.49 it is fairly cheap but somehow still feels a little pricey. After all, it's £2.99 on iOS which is where it belongs in the first place. Is there any reason at all to spend the extra money to get this on a port that adds nothing of note to the original? No, not at all. Sadly, even its value on mobile is diminished as, whilst it works fine as a mobile title, its just such a saturated market filled with dozens of similar titles. At least with the Xbox One and PS4 versions I suppose you could get easy achievements and trophies which I'm sure some people valued but here, on Switch, such arbitrary accomplishments don't exist. With all of that considered, I can say without doubt that buying the Nintendo Switch port of Tennis in the Face would be a complete waste of both your time and money. I'll take back those words if we see effort to actually make this the definitive edition but I heavily doubt such improvements will ever come. For now this will remain as just another mediocre mobile port on a system that didn't need it.
Don't expect to be wowed, but yet again 10tons have delivered exactly what they intended – over 120 levels of good mindless fun.
What it boils down to is whether you're looking for something light, silly, and generally pressure-free to enjoy for a reasonably low price. If this all looks and sounds like something of interest I'd say it is wonderfully varied and probably has more content than you'll complete anytime soon. If you like applied geometry and physics, some tricky puzzle scenarios, and a dose of silliness, Tennis in the Face isn't a grand slam but it plays a respectable game nonetheless.
Tennis in the Face is not going to amaze or disappoint players, it's a serviceable physics-based puzzle game designed to provide a short, but challenging experience.
Tennis in the Face isn't an original idea, but that's not always a bad thing. It slowly becomes a matter of repeating the same basic tasks over and over, and largely similar room layouts, leading to a depressingly low amount of replayability. However, it's hardly going to stand out as a bad game, sometimes working very well, but often feeling like it's just short of working. It chooses to take a proven concept and make it work differently, and it ends up being both fun and frustrating pretty much simultaneously.
If you are looking for a solid physic-based puzzler Tennis In The Face has you covered but do not expect a particularly memorable experience.
Ultimately, it's fun but probably more of a tablet experience. The issue comes from the fear that there is a lack of imagination in some segments of the developer community. Some developers inspire wonder and imagination on a daily basis, even in the casual gaming arena.
Tennis in the Face is indeed a fun and funny game, but is it worth paying for? Given the fact that it's a wholly unoriginal game that barely distinguishes itself from its (free) peers, I would say no. One suspects that, at some point, the developer will be better off releasing a free version.
If you're looking for a simple game that will tempt you to keep beating your scores then Tennis in the Face is definitely a satisfying and enjoyable experience.