Tennis Ace is a free dating simulation video game wherein you aspire to become a professional tennis player after high school. Developed by WOTB, this visual novel follows the traditional Japanese VN style and features more focus on narration, characterization, and anime-style art. Visually, however, this is a classic-looking furry game with LGBT characters and some adult content. Updates are released every month since not all routes were fully finished after the game’s release.

Break past this wall

Tennis Ace follows the story of 18-year-old Yuuichi Michimiya, who happens to be his school’s best tennis player but has lately been stuck in a slump with school life in general. He’s already about to graduate, but his dream of becoming a professional player seems far away. The game story is set in this final year, where he gets to strengthen old bonds and forge new connections to improve his outlook on life.

There are three romanceable characters in this dating sim. They are Yuuichi’s best friend Shoichi, who’s the volleyball captain; junior tennis club teammate Keisuke, who’s a tough rival for Yuuichi on the court; and new transfer student Jun, whom Yuuichi met on the first day of classes. All three have their own hardships that you will eventually address once you pursue them. Aside from them, there is also a decently-sized cast of characters in Yuuichi’s life.

This visual novel definitely follows the staple of Japanese VNs. The story is heavily centered around the main character’s school life and his path to achieving his goals. Dialogue, monologue narration, and subject introspection clearly paint a picture of what each character is like. This makes the gradual improvement of the relationships all the more meaningful and real. Plus, the art style and presence of actual sprite for side characters make this world come alive.

Enjoying the last high school year

All in all, Tennis Ace is a good addition to the furry fandom’s collection of well-written LGBT visual novels. The whole thing plays out like a classic sports or slice-of-life anime show and really depicts the struggles of adolescence quite well. Most of the issues found are simply about visuals, like Yuuichi’s outfit changes not reflecting right in the scene sometimes.