Common Sense Media Review
By Marc Saltzman
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
All-ages tennis game makes good use of Wii Motion Plus.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Play
What's It About?
Nintendo Wii owners got a taste of motion-controlled tennis with Wii Sports, one of the five games bundled with the console. But those who crave a deeper experience on the virtual court won't be disappointed with EA Sports' GRAND SLAM TENNIS. While the game is hardly a grand slam when it comes to graphics, this Wii exclusive feels terrific thanks to authentic tennis motions aided by Nintendo's new Wii MotionPlus peripheral, an add-on that attaches to the Wii remote). This tennis game lets you play as or against some of the most famous tennis pros in recent memory -- including John McEnroe, Roger Federer, Serena Williams, Pete Sampras, Boris Becker and Maria Sharapova -- in both single-player and multiplayer modes (including supporting online play for head-to-head matches over the Internet). Grand Slam Tennis is the only video game where users can play at Wimbledon, plus the U.S. Open., Australian Open and other coveted events.
Is It Any Good?
What this game lacks in graphics, it makes up for in feel. By holding the Wii Remote (with the Wii MotionPlus attached) like a tennis racket, players can perform real life tennis strokes in front of the TV -- including forehands, backhands, topspins, slices, lobs and slams -- and the motions are mirrored in the game in real-time. When plugged into the Wii Remote, the Nunchuk controller moves the player around the court, but younger or more novice players can unplug it and have the game's A.I. handle player movement -- a very nice feature. Between its many game modes, multiple tennis players and locations, and intuitive motion control, Grand Slam Tennis is worth making a racket over.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about whether the gratuitous company or product logos in the game takes away from the experience or adds to it? Is it fair for video game companies to sell ads in games or do you feel that your $50 or $60 spent on the product should be without advertisements?
Game Details
- Platform : Nintendo Wii
- Pricing structure :
- Available online? : Available online
- Publisher : EA Sports
- Release date : June 10, 2009
- Genre : Sports
- ESRB rating :
- Last updated : June 19, 2019
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate