Pelota
A free, open source 3D tennis game. Time your shots, play with spin and take on the AI or a friend.
What's in the alpha
Ball physics
Topspin dips and kicks up, slices skid low, balls clip the net cord and dribble over.
Timing-based shots
Press early, aim while you hold and release just before the ball meets the racket for a perfect shot.
Serve and volley
Flat, slice and kick serves, volleys at the net, drop shots and drop volleys.
AI opponents
Computer players with their own play styles, from steady baseliners to aggressive attackers.
Local two-player
Play a friend on one PC with keyboard and gamepad, with split-screen views.
Broadcast feel
TV-style scoreboard, umpire calls, a reacting crowd, court sounds and match statistics.
Controls
| Action | Keyboard & mouse | Keyboard only | Gamepad |
|---|---|---|---|
| Move | W A S D | W A S D | Left stick, D-pad |
| Aim | Mouse | W A S D | Left stick |
| Topspin / flat | Left click | J | A |
| Slice | Right click | K | X |
| Drop shot | Q | L | Y |
| Pause | Esc | Esc | Start |
Rally: press a stroke button early and the player runs to the ball by itself. Aim (mouse, keys or stick) while you hold the button, then release it just before the ball reaches the racket.
Serve: hold a stroke button (flat, slice or kick) and aim into the service box, release to toss the ball, then press any stroke button again right before the racket meets the ball.
Getting started
Windows
Unzip the download and double-click Pelota.exe.
The alpha is not code-signed, so Windows SmartScreen may warn about an unknown publisher: click More info, then Run anyway.
Linux
Extract the archive and run ./Pelota.x86_64.
If it does not start, make it executable with chmod +x Pelota.x86_64.
Requirements
64-bit Windows 10/11 or Linux, a graphics card with Vulkan support (or Direct3D 12 on Windows), a keyboard or gamepad.
This is an early alpha: expect bugs and missing features. Found a problem? Report it on GitHub.