Wimbledon 2018: Best tennis games for iOS and Android
Top seeds
This weekend sees the dramatic conclusion of Wimbledon 2018, arguably the biggest tennis tournament of the year.
With a number of top seeds from both the men's and women's game having crashed out, it's proving to be one of the least predictable years in living memory.
Of course, even the most thrilling tennis match has periods of down time, whether that's a natural change-of-ends break, the period in between matches, or the time it takes for Rafa Nadal to compose himself between points.
During each of these patience-testing delays, most of us will turn to our smartphones. Why not stick to a theme and play one of these fabulous tennis games?
1
Tennis Champs: Returns
Tennis Champs feels like a long-lost 16-bit tennis game classic - because it kind of is. It's actually a semi-remake of an old Amiga game.
That probably explains why, despite its simplistic graphics, it actually plays a highly nuanced and skill-based game of tennis. The timing-based swing system and career modes are uncommonly deep for a mobile game.
2
PKTBALL
Pktball is such a manic, super-charged delight, with on-court collectibles and outlandish opponents. Underneath the arcadey wrapping, though, it's undoubtedly a tennis game.
The drag-to-move, release to hit controls, tight angles and ever-increasing speed give each game the feel of an air hockey match. This is a good thing, as are the cartoony graphics and same-handset multiplayer mode.
3
Virtua Tennis Challenge
Virtua Tennis Challenge is the Roger Federer of mobile tennis games - really rather old but still impossibly slick and competitive.
It remains one of the very best games of tennis you can play on a phone, with arcadey handling hiding layers of depth.
4
Stick Tennis Tour
Probably the fastest, most instantly thrilling tennis game on this list. Stick Tennis Tour doesn't mess around with movement controls or shot types. Just swipe to hit.
Where it gets things right is in the tightness and precision of its swipe system, as well as the fluidity of its match engine.
5
Timber Tennis
Timber Tennis is very silly indeed, and a bit of an arcadey hoot. It's an endless game with more than a smidgen of Pong to it, as you dodge left and right to keep a ball in play.
Every now and then you get the opportunity to unleash a super shot. Hey, if Mario Tennis can get away with it...
