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The fourth tennis game released for the PlayStation 2, Hard Hitter Tennis offers a choice of 14 fictional male and female athletes playable in one of four game modes: World Tour, Exhibition, Training, and Mini Game. The heart of the game is the World Tour, where players attempt to guide their alter ego through one year of competition in over 60 tournaments, building experience and cash earnings along the way. Each character is individually rated in serve, forehand, backhand, volley, smash, and footwork. Competing in matches and winning games earn players points needed to improve these areas. Players also have the option to create their own star athlete from scratch, with one of three mini-games used to determine the type of tennis player. Four different types exist, from Net Players and All Rounders to Hard Hitters and Strokers. The three included mini-games are designed to test a created character's speed, power, and reflexes through various button tapping and timing exercises. Characters are also assigned a name, one of 16 faces, one of 20 outfits, a height, dominant hand, nationality, and animation or forms for their forehand stroke, backhand, and serve. Exhibition matches support up to four players and feature a number of adjustable options, including court surface, number of sets, and either singles or doubles competition. Training offers players 12 lessons to develop the skills needed to execute different shots. Mini Game offers three different events: Shooting Tennis, Alphabet Tennis, and Team Tennis. Shooting Tennis involves hitting a number of balloons with a limited number of shots, while Alphabet Tennis has players trying to spell out words by hitting individual letters positioned on the court. Team Tennis consists of three players against one computer opponent in a game requiring teamwork.