Stickman Tennis 2015 has been out for a few months now, and I have been thoroughly enjoying myself. Being a tennis player and fan myself, I find that this game is actually more realistic than other mobile tennis games such as Virtua Tennis. If you don’t mind stickman graphics and basic gameplay elements, the game actually plays a lot like real life. That also means that you probably need some real life tennis tips to win in this game!
Even in the easiest difficulty settings, it is a very challenging game. If I had to criticize one element of the game, it would be the pace. Ball speeds are ridiculously fast and players, at least in the beginning, often can’t run fast enough to reach them. So what can you do to get ahead of your opponent?
Watch your opponent
During a rally, before you hit the ball cross-court or down-the-line, watch closely at what the opponent is doing. Often, you can see the opponent running to the other side in anticipation of a cross-court and you can trick him into hitting behind him with a down-the-line shot. It also works vice versa.
Also, if you notice your opponent starting to come forward towards the net, get ready to chip a lob over his head or hit a passing shot. I find that lobs are extremely inconsistent in this game, but with the right timing and direction, a passing shot will work like a charm. Most of the time, a down-the-line passing shot is preferable, unless you have a really good angle on a cross-court passing shot.
P.S. Watching your opponent is much easier when you choose the automatic control scheme.
Cater to your best hand
In Stickman Tennis 2015, you get to allocate points into your serve, forehand, backhand, etc. Naturally, most people will probably have a better forehand. So during a rally, whenever you can, try to run around the shot, or prepare for it, so that you can use your forehand to hit an inside-out forehand winner or a down-the-line forehand winner.
One-two punch
If you watch tennis these days, one of the most common tactics used by the pros is the old one-two serve-out-wide and forehand winner combo. If done well, it has a very high percentage of succeeding. Basically, you try to serve to the outside of the court so that the opponent has to go far sideways to get the serve, and then you hit the ball to the opposite side of the court to finish them off.
It is especially effective if you are a left hander who can add spin to the ball to bounce away from the court. Nadal used this a LOT whenever he plays. If you are daring, you can also approach the net after the serve to finish them off. This tactic is famously called the Serve-And-Volley, and it is most used during the old days of John McEnroe and gang.
Draw them in
Another tactic that you might find effective against your opponents is to play a short ball to draw your opponent closer to the net and then finish them off with a passing shot. This works very well when your opponent is a strong rally-er like Nadal. It will draw them away from their comfort zone and they make more mistakes at the net. It also throws their game off balance and they will be left scrambling while you hit a quick shot pass them or a lob over their head.
Play smart
In my life, I have come across many players of tennis video games who have never actually played tennis in real life. And one thing they all have in common is that they don’t know which shots to use at which moment. Most of them don’t even touch the slice shot and only hit either top spin or flat shots all the time.
While you can certainly win the easy opponents like that, knowing when to slice or play a drop shot or lob is vital if you want to win the better pros.
If you find yourself in the middle of a rally where you are scrambling left and right trying to get to the next shot, that is the time to play a slice. A slice will slow down the rally so that you have enough time to get into position for the next shot. However, don’t just play the slice down the middle or to the player, make them run and hit cautiously. A slice is also a more precise shot, so at times, when you are scrambling or to return a fast serve, you might find that a slice will return the ball better.
The lob is also not only for when the opponents come to the net. Watch women’s tennis and you will find that a lot of them hit “moon” balls, which are sort of shorter lobs, to their opponent as it is slower and it pushes their opponent back to the baseline. So next time in the middle of a rally, think before you hit. A little bit of strategy goes a long way.
