Normally once I’ve play-tested a game I’ll find a quiet corner and jot down some notes on a pad detailing my initial thoughts, feelings and overall impressions. This didn’t happen with Virtua Tennis 4 with Move support; instead all I’ve scribbled down is “has the potential to be the best tennis game ever” – and this is something I will stand by.
On the surface there is no mistaking what game this is. The high level of presentation and bright colour palette is something we have become accustomed to when playing a Virtua Tennis game.
The big hook for this new update though is support for the PlayStation Move – and boy is it a deal maker! I approached the stand with a level of caution, having been disappointed with EA’s Grandslam Tennis with Wii Motion Plus. This caution evaporated though as soon as I played my first match.
Firstly I should mention – Virtua Tennis 4 does take some getting used to. The Move is so accurate that just waggling it about won’t do anything at all – this is all about precision.
The first few times you try and hit a return you’ll more than likely miss, but don’t despair! Within five minutes I was serving and returning like a pro. Due to the high level of accuracy, and use of the PlayStation Eye , the game knows exactly where you are on the court and your on screen avatar matches it perfectly. Want to get in close to the net? Then simply move forward in real life.
The game also sucks you in and involves you without making you aware of it – you just can’t help but move about and take on the gait of an actual tennis player. The more effort you put in, the better this game feels – although I did end up a bit sweaty!
Check out some shaky cam footage I managed to record of someone playing a quick game;
teflon
Loving the camera work of shoving it inside the player body, though it’s not really gonna be good for the easily turned stomachs out there…
I assume that you can go for a more standard full court view? So I wonder how that’ll play.
Any idea if there’ll be Move vs. DS3 play?
Looks great though (so long as you have a big play area to run about in… Something half the size of a tennis court should do ;)
Dan Lee
Haha we wern’t allowed to tinker with the settings/views etc, and as for Move vs DS3 – i’m not sure, they only had Move there. Best tennis game Ive ever played though.
teflon
What kind of a journo are you!?
You need to be more “bad cop”, punch people first, ask them questions about the games on display second ;)
Good work on the Hidden Camera footage though. I expect you’ll have gotten that one out under the guards’ noses.
E8_BALL_
recommend topspin
best tennis game imo
cc_star
Mirrors Edge (after a few mins) and MW2 (after several hours) have both made me feel nauseous in the past, so an FPT (first person tennis) game could be the same, although I’ve never felt nauseous about anything else in the past.
teflon
This’ll be even worse, since it’s constantly shifting from 1st to 3rd person (over the shoulder), then back inside for the next hit…
Could be very jerky.
moshi
Looks like a out of body experience
Porcupine_I
I knew Sony would mess up the Move!
From what i see so far, most games require some kind of skill to play.
Skill equals “it doesn’t work right” in the casuals mind
What were they thinking?
Dan Lee
Im about as skillful as an elephant with an arse ache,and I picked it up fairly quickly. 5 mins is all it takes mate, maybe not even that.
kivi95
You no Sony are thinking about the hardcore players too.
Porcupine_I
i know, i was being overly sarcastic :)
TSBonyman
It’s designed to allow realistic/accurate control and i’m sure they could easily temper the controls for casual gameplay, but then you could just buy a Wii i guess.
bunimomike
Ooo, bloody hell. That looks promising.
GhostViper
Looks great :D Btw, I would love it if that was the music of the game(I know it is’nt). Didn’t like the music in the last game.
E8_BALL_
waiting 4 topspin4
far less arcadey
tonycawley
I was massively excited by this idea, but i don’t see how i’m going to be able to play it as i only have quite a small lounge. Bit silly really how you have to actually move around, who has a lounge big enough for that?
Dan Lee
You dont have to move very far I dont think – those showing off were literally running left and right like madmen, but others were moving just a couple of steps either way.
bajere
thats what i was wondering… im guessing you configure it before hand?? i only have a small room at the moment as well
minerwilly
This looks outstanding , im really looking forwards to getting my Move on in a few weeks or so . Always enjoyed Virtua Tennis (and the crazy mini games) . I hope that TW11 move support is the dogs as that will be two games on my must buy list .
I reckon that an Everybodys Golf sequel with Move support must surely be in the making too !
cc_star
Judging by the music in the background, was Satan just behind you in the queue for a go?
Also did you really have to move around in the play area or would a Nav controller be simpler
I’d also imagine it’d be quite tiring to play more than a game or two nevermind a full set, of serving and hitting the bat at the ball, even without moving around
Dan Lee
That Rapstar game was behind us, and they REALLY wanted to let the whole of Germany know they were there. You had to move, but not massively. I think the games is too fast for you to be able to control the character with a Nav cont. as well as swinging to hit the ball.
KeRaSh
It didn’t look that fast in the video… Why wouldn’t it be possible? We’ve done it with every other Tennis game out there. The only new thing now is that you move your arm instead of pressing X.
Dan Lee
It’s really hard to say, everyone is different – but I don’t think i would have enjoyed it as much if I had to worry about controlling the player too.
Gaztee
I hated GST on the wii because I could never get my player where I wanted with the nunchuck(?)thingy. I was hoping that EA would release an update for the PS3 with this kind of motion detection! I really might have to get a move now, the games are starting to look a lot more interesting the closer its getting to release!!
cc_star
So the player auto-runs, like a Tennis ‘on rails’ game?
What about drop shots, or if you’re playing at the net, running backward in case you get lobbed?
Rocket_345
All i want to know is two things. Is it tiring? And if yes how tiring?
Dan Lee
Depends how you play – it worked up a sweat within a few games, but I was playing like a loon :op
jbni
Dan,
How close to the screen did you have to go for it to register you moving towards the net?
I’ve long arms…wouldn’t want to be losing my plasma screen in the process!
Dan Lee
We are talking like a step or two, so not very far at all. They seem to have designed it with small living rooms in mind.
scaramanga1973
I was thinking the same thing, “do I need a lounge the size of 1/2 a tennis court to be able to play this?”
Do you know if you can move the player with the “nunchuck” thing instead of having to actually wear a grove in the carpet?
What about moving sideways?
Rocket_345
The ““nunchuck” thing” is called a sub-controller. I am also worried about the moving side of things myself as i would find it easier to play with out having to move myself.