On a day where tennis was the focus, it was only right that strawberries and cream were accompanied by Robinson’s squash. This was certainly the case at Sega’s headquarters, where Virtua Tennis 2009 was on show.
The event took place in London where the game developers gave us a guided tour around the new version of Virtua Tennis, set for release on the Wii in June. To begin the day, we were all offered a great lunch, and then came the serious stuff.
We were shown all the new offerings available on Virtua Tennis 2009 from the Wii console, although it was also available for practice on the Xbox 360 and PS3. This gave a great insight into what Wii owners can look forward to, and the good news is that it’s packed with extra features from previous versions on other consoles. Characters are now much more customisable with the ability to add silly hair, as well as the more realistic facial features, so creating yourself is made fairly simple. This adds to the visual appeal of the game, which is also very evident with improved graphics, particularly impressive for the Wii.
The demonstration of a simple exhibition match showed the full potential of Virtua Tennis 2009, especially in terms of controls. On the Wii version in single player mode, your player is always at the bottom of the screen, making play easier. To add to this is a bar above the player that allows you to judge when the ball should be hit in order to gain more control. Of course, one of the most stand-out additions to this game is the Motion Plus, which we got to see and try out. After having a go at both controls, there is a definite difference in game-play. Playing without Motion Plus is very accurate and enjoyable, but playing with it brings the game to a new level.
Probably the most noticeable difference for me was the speed of the tennis shots with the Motion Plus add on. It really made a difference to how I hit the tennis balls; with more arm power the balls were hit quicker. The hand movements were also more realistically simulated, and are probably easier for people with a bit more tennis knowledge. Having said that, this did not put me off and left me wanting to play more and improve my skills.
We were also treated to a look at the new mini games. These offer a fun side to what is a more serious sports game. The most amusing offering sees your player using the tennis racket to get the correct food to the correct animal! If you dare to throw an orange to a lion then you’re in trouble!
There was also a competition that was running throughout the afternoon, for which the prize was an extra goody bag and a trophy. But after being randomly drawn against one of the best players in the country, I didn’t fancy my chances! If you think I’m building this up to tell you all that I won, then you’re wrong! I lost miserably, but enjoyed the challenge all the same. Then there came a decision to create a ladies final, in which I did marginally better, but did not win.
There was a goody bag for everyone, whether a competition winner or not. This included a wig and headband, finger sweatbands and Virtua Tennis branded tennis balls. I didn’t mind not winning because I had enjoyed the day very much, and spending the day experiencing the new Virtua Tennis was great. It really is a very responsive game that would appeal to all audiences, even those who are not into tennis as a sport.
0 comments
Leave a comment
Recent Comments