Grand Slam Tennis is EA’s first shot into the tennis world and is attempting to redefine the genre with organic controls which capture the true power and features of the Wii, but will this new entry into the competitive world of tennis hold it’s own on the court?
Grand Slam Tennis fully utilizes the Wii motion controls and takes full advantage of the new Wii Motion-Plus, which results in a 1:1 reaction time with the players real-life movements. The controls are spot-on and responsive enough to please real tennis fans, as the shots are placed, precise and aggressive to the point of players swing.
Character movements are controlled by the nun-chuck to maneuver around the court, while the Wii-mote is used for traditional tennis strokes.
A number of different shots can be executed with different strokes and gestures of the Wii-mote. A straight shot is done with a forward driving stroke, a slice performed by a downward slash and a top-spin launched by striking the ball in an upward swing. In addition to these shots, drop shots and lobs can be performed by holding B or A respectively to catch your opponent off guard for a quick point. The controls are so responsive, they may be slightly difficult for amateur players to grasp, although an easier control scheme can be taken, where only the Wii-mote is used to strike, while the player moves automatically.
All the greatest players from yester-year and today’s current stars are all here. So you’ll see the likes of John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg taking on Nadal, Federer and a number of other international pros. Each pro has his/her own special abilities which are unique and personalized to fit their playing style.
The players are modeled as caricatures of their real life counterparts. Their exaggerated features and motions breathe a new life into a genre which has played tennis safe for way too long. Their incredibly fun and exciting to look at, while providing a new look and feel which is perfect for the Wii.
In addition to the great roster, a Create –a – player option is available, where you build and customize a caricature of your choice to take on the world of tennis and try his/her chance at a spot at the top. There are official licenses from Adidas, Babolat and every other big name in tennis to slap on your player and make them a contender on the international tennis circuit
When your character is created, you join Grand Slam mode which spans four tournaments across the tennis world. In each location, such as France, England, America and Australia, you take on amateur matches, as well as try your wits at beating pros in exhibition matches in order to unlock their special abilities to apply to your character. After this is completed, you can try your luck at the main tournaments, such as the Australian Open, Roland Garros, Wimbeldon and the US Open. It’s great to see these official licenses and tournaments on the virtual tennis courts once again and it really helps build the feel for a fun, yet progressive tennis game.
Grand Slam Tennis really shines in its multiplayer, as up to four players can compete in a number of game modes ranging from the traditional singles and doubles, to fun variations such as Australian doubles, King, Tag Team and other interesting matches.
The visuals of Grand Slam are fantastically unique. The simple, yet stylized caricatures and animations provide the perfect combination which stands out on the Wii. It’s proof that something doesn’t need to be complex, to be beautiful.
There are also pre and post game match animations, along with authentic commentary, which contributes significantly to the atmosphere of the game and are an awesome touch thrown in by EA to already well polished gameplay.
Grand Slam Tennis is the perfect example that a simple and functional design, with the right amount of flair can result in something unique and innovative to a long running genre. The Wii has been utilized effectively to create a must have title which will provide any fan of the genre, and newcomers, to a game worth taking a shot at.
[starreviewmulti id=2 tpl=20]
