2. There's SO Much Room For Improvement
The current games on offer for tennis fans are all pretty flawed and it becomes a case of choosing the lesser of a few evils. Top Spin 4 is considered the most technical. From a tennis fan's point of view, the controls are unbeaten. You can make your choice of top spin, slice or normal power shot whilst aiming your shot with the left control stick, Hold it down to add extra power but risk decreased accuracy and make sure your timing is spot on to produce the most impressive of shots. These are all realistic tennis techniques that encompass the fundamentals of the sport; power, precision and timing. There have been arguments made that the controls are too complex and that you need a knowledge of tennis tactics to employ these usefully, but it comes with practise, especially with the aid of the tutorial. What holds Top Spin 4 back is the graphics. They are so dated that they become laughable at times. Whilst the likeness to players and venues is ok, the definition is poor for this day and age. As well as this, the AI of the players when you're playing the computer is unbelievable to say the least and has resulted in many a controller being thrown I'm sure. Virtua Tennis obviously originated as an arcade game and it has struggled to shake this reputation since it appeared on domestic consoles but not necessarily to its detriment. For those less serious gamers, it is probably a preferred choice as it is easier to get the hang of and has an entertaining over the top feel to it. Grand Slam Tennis 2 (the first was Wii only) seems to fall in between these two other competitors and stands to be the most promising for a great all round tennis franchise should a sequel ever be released. Made by EA, Grand Slam Tennis 2 has the slick, professional look and feel to it (like Fifa, Madden and Tiger Woods) but has an extremely fiddley control system that aims to make playing the game virtually button-less. It takes a lot of getting used to and does at times detract from the game's otherwise very real features. Grand Slam Tennis 2 certainly beats them all for licensing. They have the best roster of players, the best likeness, the best venues (although their choice is limited) and the best branded gear. What we need though is a game that combines everything that's great about these three existing franchises and makes an unbeatable tennis game that satisfies everyone from tennis nerds to fun-seekers. The controls and clear passion for tennis from Top Spin, the fun of Virtua Tennis and the slick look and licensing of Grand Slam Tennis 2. EA stand the best chance. Obviously they are the pros when it comes to sports games and should they make efforts to build on what Grand Slam Tennis 2 was trying to achieve, it will become the franchise of choice for everyone and add to EA's already impressive list of sports games.