EA Sports Grand Slam Tennis

It seems like a lot of people are really giving this game some stick, and with my experiences of the game, it really seems wholly unjustified. It is an absolutely awesome game, and an enormous amount of fun to play. A lot of people's gripes seem to be with the control system, and the also the fact that the game is 'too hard'. But this is the whole point. The game is all about bringing as much of the realism of tennis to a console as possible, and in that it absolutely succeeds on every level. If you want to play a forgiving, basic, game of biff-bat with your 10 year old kids, then stick to wii tennis. If however, you want a challenging, realistic, involving and hugely exciting tennis game, there is simply NO competition for EA's latest offering.

You have to LEARN how to play this game. you can't just plug in your remote, swing it and expect to hit winners. The premise is simple, with Wii Motion Control, swing flat for a normal shot, high to low for slice, low to high for topspin, and direct your shot across the court by swinging the remote in short, medium and longer arcs. You can also use dropshots and lobs with added button presses, and adjust the speed of your shots with faster or slower swings. And the game and control system is about precision and realism. I would argue in fact that it is much less arcade, and much more simulation, and that being the case you have to time your shots. You can't mash buttons and swing randomly and then wonder why your ball went out. Just like the real thing, you have to line up your shot, and hit it at the right height to determine the right return etc. The game is not random. you need to PLAY tennis. Slice or top spin? Lob or passing shot? Do I rush the net, or hang back? Shall I whack this one hard, or try a drop shot? And this is what makes the game truly fantastic entertainment for tennis fans. It's quite simply the most realistic and fun tennis game I've ever played. All the gripes about the control system are totally unjustified. I'm not saying it's EASY, but it's certainly not WRONG, or flawed - it just requires practice.

I got trounced the first three times I played it, 6-0, 6-0... In fact it took me about another two matches to win a single service game. But it's all about learning the intricacies of the controls, which eventually become totally intuitive. Last night I managed to break some serves, and eventually won my first exhibition match. I never experienced any glitches in gameplay. Any issues I had with balls going in odd directions, was purely down to my approach to the shot, or the fact that I was surprised by a fast return and hit a reflex shot. Which, let's face it, is pretty much like the real game.

MotionPlus is awesome. Your backswing determines whether you hit it forehand or backhand, and with either stroke, the follow thru with the racket allows you to place any shot of any type in any spot of the court. This makes for some amazin rallies, and a truly immersive sporting experience. Add on to the calorie counter, additional calories as you jump around the room having just returned a demon serve with a rocket topspin forehand that your opponent can't reach, even with a dive. CAn't wait to see how motionplus is used in the future. Definitely recommend it for this game, it is much better with it.

So all in all, if you want a simple tennis game for the kids, or a more arcade experience, this will not be for you. It's also not going to be for you if you want a simple and unforgiving plug and play game where you can swing wildly and still win a grand slam. If however if you want a truly immersive, realistic and challenging tennis game, and are prepared to spend some time building your game for greatness, then you will absolutely love it!

I can't understand the negative reviews given to this game.

A few basics:

1- The Wii is not about amazing graphics. If you want highly detailed graphics, you have the wrong console- buy a PS3.
2- Wii games are about an interactive experience, not slouching on the sofa pushing buttons. Again, if this isn't what you are looking for- get another console.
3- If you want a simple "bash it around" tennis game, stick to Tennis on Wii Sports.
4- Real Tennis isn't easy. Why do you think the game should be?

However, this game is NOT too difficult, as some have suggested. I have played this game for an hour or so every day for the last 10 days. Last night I won the French Open in Easy mode- and I haven't picked up a real tennis racket in over 15 years!

I am playing without the Motion Plus and only using the Wiimote, not the Nunchuck. I have had NO problems with the player moving places I don't want him to, or not recognising a forehand from a backhand.

As to those who say that their shots are going in the same place every time- one word: PRACTICE! In real tennis, if the ball is coming to you across the court and you want to play a forehand return across court, you hit the ball early- if you choose to hit a forehand up the line, you play the ball later. This game is EXACTLY the same. (The game even tells you on screen: "Timing is Aiming!").

Add in the fact that, once you are comfortable with hitting basic ("flat") forehands and backhands, you can then add in slices, top spins, drop shots, lobs etc on either forehand or backhand, then you have plenty of variety to keep you going. To those who say it's boring just playing long rallies from the baseline- have you thought about getting your character to the net more often and developing a serve & volley game? Or playing doubles instead?

No-one should expect to pick up a realistic tennis simulation and think they can beat the world's best straight away. To my mind this game hits the right balance between not being too difficult but still providing you with a challenge (you WILL hit the ball out sometimes- you're only human!). In Grand Slam mode, once you win a couple of exhibition games you can start customising your character with more gear; and unlocking abilities for your player (so far I only have Maria Sharapova's backhand and Ana Ivanovic's speed around the court, but I seem to have done OK with those!)

In summary; read the instructions, use your common sense, and have a little patience at the beginning- and you'll love this accurate and entertaining game. It's great fun, and that's really what the Wii is all about. I am LOVING playing on this game and cannot recommend it highly enough!

Despite the very mixed reviews that I have seen for this game, I find it thoroughlly enjoyable. I must admit that I have not tried it with MotionPlus yet, but the control with the WiiMote is pretty straightforward. It's all about timing, and very easy to get used too.

I'm not a great tennis player myself, but I understand the game and the tactics needed to win a point. This game accurately reflects the movement of opposition players and it's easy to play shots that will give you the upper hand on opponents serves.

Having said that, the computer AI is intelligent, and will give you a good challenge. You will be punished for poor placement! There have been many times when I have been left thinking 'Why did I play that shot?!?'. This aids development because you can immediately identify what shots not to play in the future, and how to time them better.

The one issue I have is the lack of a serious single player career. It's great that we have all four grand slams in one game, but there should be other championships included as well to keep it interesting.

However, this game offers a good multiplayer solution to keep you entertained for hours. I can see myself wasting plenty of this time on this game with mates!

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised with this game having read such negative reviews. OK, it's not the perfect game, but it's very fun and engaging. I would definitely recommend it.