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Virtua Tennis 2009

(2009, Video Games - Sports, Rated E, Play it on: Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 3)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 7, age appropriate for kids over 9; suggested age 12.

  • Is it any good?

    3.0

  • Common Sense says

    Active sports game makes good use of MotionPlus controls.

In this game kids can:   create an avatar, get active, improve hand-eye coordination, play multiplayer games

Why We Rated This on for Ages 12 and Up

The good stuff

  • Ease of play:

    Mastering the Wii MotionPlus controls, which involves closely mirroring real tennis movements, takes time. If players are used to playing other Wii racket games, this can be challenging.

  • Educational value:

    Players can learn the rules and scoring of tennis, and even come to understand techniques like topspin, drop shot, and lob.

  • Messages:

    This game is all about playing tennis and competing and sends a message that playing sports is a positive thing.

  • Role models:

    Top athletes are shown as being good competitors.
 

What to watch out for

  • Online interaction:

    The game is playable online, although there is considerable lag so the experience is poor. No chat on the Wii version, but open chat is available through X360 version so kids could hear profanity.

  • Consumerism:

    The game uses some corporate sponsorships and players' skill is rewarded with branded gear.
 

What Parents Need to Know

This review of Virtua Tennis 2009 was written by Alex Porter

Parents need to know that this sports game is a friendly experience with no objectionable content. The steep learning cure using the Wii MotionPlus controller could create some frustration in younger players, but it is otherwise, a solid, safe game.

Families Can Talk About

Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
  • Families can talk about how the new WiiMotion controls have changed gameplay; did players feel they were more closely mirroring stance and stroke of actual tennis play?
  • What makes active gaming better (or not) than passive gaming? Did this game tire you out or was it too easy?
  • How good were the avatar tools? Did you build a tennis player you were satisfied with or that looked like you? Why did you choose the traits that you did?
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More on Virtua Tennis 2009

What’s the Story?

This is currently the third Nintendo Wii game to market that uses the Wii MotionPlus controller (others being Grand Slam Tennis and Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10). The MotionPlus, an attachment to the Wii remote that precisely translates real movements into game play, enable players to execute four shot types--drop, lob, slice, and top spin. Up to four players (online or off) can pick from a large selection of male and female pros such as Federer, Sharapova, Nadal and the Williams sisters.  Close

Is It Any Good?

While there's great family fun to be had here, mastering the controls can be a frustrating experience; stance, and "racket" tilt and swing angle all influence the shot. Variation and inconsistency in these factors can easily flub your game. On the plus side, users can place the ball with great accuracy, and there's real skill and effort involved in playing well. Unfortunately, poor graphics and sometimes choppy visuals will prevent you from executing precision movement expected, and that's irritating. 

Still, the Virtua Tennis games have always had great variety of play, and this iteration is no exception. You'll find Exhibition and coaching modes, and a host of terrific training games in the World Tour mode; these include fun (and funny) diversions like "Meat Defender" in which you hit your ball at crocodiles to scare them away from hunks of beef. 

 

Close

Publisher’s Details

Released on 6/9/2009, price $39.00, online enabled
ESRB rating: E (for (No Descriptors))

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