For starters, for the first time in any tennis video game, Grand Slam Tennis 2 includes all four Grand Slam venues, including the legendary Wimbledon, which is as iconic to the sport as Lords is to cricket or Wembley to football.ĮA Sports has once again gone out of the way to get hold of as many licenses as possible, resulting in a rather impressive collection of ATP players and stadiums, not to mention all the sports merchandise (shoes, bands, racquets, etc). While these omissions are glaring and do deal a blow to the experience in a significant way, there are some extremely thrilling pros that tip the balance in favour of the game (somewhat). It’s quite obvious that, being EA Sports’ first entry into the tennis simulation– and not arcade- genre, they would have wanted to play it safe, but where are all the quirky modes we expect to see in an EA Sports game? Where is the deep, comprehensive online mode? The online mode, while engaging and addictive, has only exhibition and tournaments too. The single player is as bare bones as it can be, with just three modes, all very basic- exhibition, career and tournament. EA Sports has played it safe with Grand Slam 2. What Grand Slam Tennis 2 lacks in is the passion that drives forwardthe direct competitor franchise, Top Spin, or any major EA Sports games, for that matter. It’s an extremely enjoyable, addictive game that will keep you coming back for more sets and matches for some days to come. That doesn’t make Grand Slam Tennis 2 a bad game. And though its a very well made game that succeeds in most of the things it does, it never really manages to reach the lofty heights of other tennis heavyweights such as Top Spin 4 and Virtua Tennis 4. While the former was more about arcady, cartoony fun, Grand Slam Tennis 2 follows suite with FIFA and Madden, EA Sports’ two main franchises, and takes a much more realistic path. And those looking for even more control of their game can add Nunchuck support for additional player movement.Those who played the first Grand Slam Tennis title on the Wii in 2009 will realize how starkly different the latest entry in EA Sports’ tennis franchise is. There's definitely a learning curve to conquer, but the investment's totally worth it - you'll start to appreciate the power this new peripheral packs the first time you intentionally send a shot hurtling down the line or cross court. In fact, many might find this new-found freedom frustrating at first, as it'll feel oversensitive to those more accustomed to waving their WiiMotes around like a monkey on a Red Bull bender. And while the added sensitivity doesn't offer exact 1:1 motion, it far outshines the "waggle" control of previous Wii games. While most will find that the old school scheme offers familiar fun, I encourage individuals looking to up their game to spring for the play-enhancing peripheral supporting an incredible degree of accuracy and precision, Wii MotionPlus brings an unparalleled amount of strategy to the console court. Players are welcome to enjoy all this content without a Wii MotionPlus plugged in, and can expect an experience that'll be instantly accessible to anyone who's ever picked up a virtual racket in Wii Sports. It supports a robust career mode that'll see Wimbledon champ-wannabes facing current and classic players on an impressive variety of real-world courts, not to mention the ability to create and customise a character, local and lag-free (in my experience) online competitive options, and pick-up-and-play party modes. Turns out, Nintendo and EA knew exactly what they were doing, as Grand Slam Tennis is not only a fantastic new franchise, but a damn impressive showcase of Wii MotionPlus' promise and potential.īefore you invest in the accuracy-amping device, though, understand that Grand Slam stands on its own as a content-packed offering that'll satisfy seasoned tennis fans and first-timers alike. It's surprising, then, that Mario's handlers allowed Electronic Arts to roll out the red carpet for the precision control-pushing Wii MotionPlus with their untested take on tennis - one of the few sports the publisher's not already dominating with an annual release. When Nintendo releases a new game-changing gadget, they generally do it alongside a first-party title the Balance Board was bundled with Wii Fit and Animal Crossing was supported by Wii Speak right of the box.