You cannot be serious: Stars including Rafael Nadal are lovingly recreated in Sega’s latest Virtua Tennis title
Preview: Cliff Caswell
LIKE Wimbledon’s overpriced strawberries, sipping an expensive glass of Pimms in the rain and the sight of ball boys hacking through a downpour to pull covers across sodden courts, the appearance of a console tennis title never did much to inspire this Soldier reviewer.
Lacking the basic coordination, patience and fitness to master tennis in real life, school PE lessons helped form the basis of a huge aversion to the sport and its succession of video game spin-offs. For me, the only excitement ever generated by men with a racquet was the sight of John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors and the other long-haired, ill-tempered players of the 1980s losing their rag on court.
So when Sega invited me to sample the Wii incarnation of its Virtua Tennis series you can imagine the response. The prospect of getting thumped by fellow reporters all afternoon held about as much appeal as a wet weekend on Centre Court.
Yet this latest foray into the world of aces, lobs and smashes surprised on several fronts. Featuring some of the slickest graphics and animation seen on the Nintendo machine, the title makes use of the new Wii Motion Plus controller to give pinpoint control over your moves. In short, this outstanding combination makes for one of the most impressive and realistic sports games ever produced.
“For some time now we have been examining the Wii and what we think the next stage for the machine should be,” Warren Leigh, producer for Sega Europe, told Soldier. “We looked at Wii Sports and developed it a step further. We wanted a full version of Virtua Tennis rather than a cartoon title so we have worked on the best incarnation of the game we could fit into the hardware.
“The Wii Motion Plus appeared about halfway through the development cycle of the game and we knew that we had to incorporate it. Nintendo was great in supplying us with the equipment and talking to us about what it can do.”
The incorporation of a new controller into Virtua Tennis is without doubt one of the most impressive aspects of the game. A huge advance on the established Wii Mote, the accessory features a gyroscope that more accurately replicates your arm and wrist movements in a way that is perfect for playing tennis shots.
From the late-build demo I sampled, the kit picks up broad forehand, backhand, volley and smash movements while a subtle flick of the wrist can work wonders in rallies. Players can either allow their star to run to a shot automatically, as in Wii Sports, or use the thumbstick on the Nunchuck to control them manually.
“We have always tried to advance the Virtua Tennis series year-on-year,” Leigh said. “Compared with previous generations, there is a lot more in the way of animation, we have worked on the audio and character options have been expanded.
“You can also play a world tour online, and as you move through the rankings you take away cash that you can spend on equipment at a tennis store. But it is also a game that you can simply pick up and play if you want to.”
This is certainly true. Sega has managed to add a new dimension to video game tennis, giving it a finesse that has previously been lacking. Even given my aversion to the sport, the title still proved exhilarating because of the depth of gameplay, programming polish and attention to detail in art, animation and sound.
Despite playing as a succession of legendary stars, however, this reviewer is ashamed to admit that I was still soundly spanked on court and that my record with racquet and ball remains as dreadful as it ever has been. I frequently registered double faults and was run ragged.
Nonetheless, the fact that Sega’s latest offering has proved so impressive to a confirmed tennis agnostic is a feat to say the least. If only you could lose your temper and argue at length with the umpire, McEnroe style, when your ball is unjustly called to be out. n |
