Every year when summer rolls around it typically signifies a few things: warmer weather, pub gardens, half term, and Wimbledon. But although the iconic tournament has been postponed until 2021, that doesn’t mean you have to miss out on the fun – albeit, in a digital way this year.

Wimbledon has developed a digital game called ‘Play The Championships’ that pits you against seven rounds of The Championships, with the ultimate goal of landing yourself on the global leaderboard. The game is accessible via your web browser, so you can play on your smartphone, tablet, laptop, or PC.

Retro 8-bit design

The design is inspired by retro 8-bit games reminiscent of 80's games you'd play on your old Game Boy. You have three chances to ‘volley’ your tennis ball onto the other side of the court, with the goal of hitting all of the bricks and moving onto the next level, or ‘court’.

Don't be fooled by the old school aesthetics, the game design required acute attention to detail as each court is closely modelled after its real life version – you can even explore the whole Grounds using the moveable map between rounds.

Get learnt up on Wimbledon history

Before you enter into each court, the game will show you a historical fun fact about that court; for example, “History was made on Court 18 in 2010 when the longest Grand Slam tennis match in history took place between John Isner and Nicolas Mahut.”

A celebration of Wimbledon

There are other cutesy Wimbledon touches, such as 8-bit strawberries that are randomly released when you hit certain bricks and award you an extra 100 points – you just have to catch them without missing your tennis ball. And just like in real life, it's not always sunny during Wimbledon. As you progress through the game, some of the courts feature rain and wind, but don't worry – unlike in real life, it won't affect your gameplay too much.

Overall, the UX is simple and intuitive, so even the most casual gamers can get into the swing of things (pun intended.)

Oh yeah, there are prizes

Beyond personal pride, the highest score recorded will win a pair of signed tennis shoes signed by a Wimbledon Champion. Additionally, nine runners-up will receive luxury gift bags from the Wimbledon Online Shop.

So whether you’re sunning yourself in the park or queuing for hours at the Post Office, load up ‘Play The Championships’ for some of that sweet 8-bit nostalgia and to get your tennis fix.

Source: Mashable

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