Dino Galaxy Tennis review for Nintendo Switch, PC

Platform: Nintendo Switch
Also on: PC
Publisher: Forever Entertainment
Developer: Vixa Games
Medium: Digital
Players: 1-4
Online: No
ESRB: E

Even if it doesn?t look retro, there?s something distinctly old-school about Dino Galaxy Tennis. Its basic premise ? as you can guess from the title, dinosaurs playing tennis in outer space ? seems like the sort of thing that you?d have seen way back in the day, back when it often felt like games were throwing whatever random scenario they could think up just to see if it worked.

And does it work here? For the most part, yes. It?s not the most content-filled game, with only 6 levels in the story mode, but it gets challenging enough near the end that you?re sure to be replaying those last few levels several times before you finally beat them. There?s also a multiplayer mode, in case you have a few friends and want to try your hand at dino space tennis.

Mind you, I don?t think Dino Galaxy Tennis would be my first choice if I was looking for a party game. For one thing, the controls can be a bit finicky ? though this may be because my brain would every so often forget I was trying to run up and down, rather than side to side, and I?d uselessly be pushing my dino to the right when he really just had to run down.

Likewise, the ball physics are just wonky enough that they can occasionally be frustrating. Not only is it pretty challenging to aim your shots outside of a power-up, it?s not always clear what counts as a point against you. Your dino is charged with protecting his planet from the opponent?s serves ? with you losing the point if it hits ? except sometimes the ball will pass through a planet on a ricochet, with no resulting loss in points.

Overall, though, it?s not hard to overlook those minor flaws for the few hours it?ll take to play through the game. Dino Galaxy Tennis isn?t a great tennis game, but it?s a fun one, and that?s really all that matters.

Forever Entertainment provided us with a Dino Galaxy Tennis Switch code for review purposes.

Grade: B