EA SPORTS Grand Slam Tennis – WII – Preview

Sometimes, when it comes to a sport, there is good enough and then there is the
next step that takes the game to another level.  

EA Sports showed off Grand Slam Tennis at its Season Opener event in San
Francisco Thursday, and while the game plays intuitively enough using the motion
controls of the Wii remote, it is when the motion-plus attachment is hooked in
that the game becomes not only more challenging, but much more interactive.

An EA producer, showing off the title, stated that the game “is about putting
the racquet in your hand,” and proclaimed it the “most authentic tennis
experience” on the market.

The game will not only take into account the speed of the controller as it is
swung to meet the ball, but the angle of the controller as it “strikes” the
ball. Coupled with being able to use the A and B buttons to modify the shots
creates an atmosphere when players can truly control the tempo and strategic
placement of the ball.

And there are some big time tourneys in the game. Wimbledon makes its appearance
as does the US Open; the Grand Slam of tennis comprises the featured tourneys in
this title. Additionally, there are some of the legendary names of tennis in the
game, like John McEnroe.

The D-pad controls movement toward or away from the net and the game also
features signature outfits and play styles from the legendary and named players.
When it releases in mid-June, the game will also have a fatigue system in place.

Graphically the game strays from the more realistic and toward a bit of the
cartoonish, but still manages to convey the essence of the sport well.

Gran Slam Tennis should provide plenty of challenge and entertainment value to
the Wii system.