Grand Slam Tennis - The Wii's True Test?

When the motion sensing control schemes of the Nintendo Wii were first announced, my immediate thought was "they could make a great tennis game with this" and then they did.


Great that is - if you didnt really care much for tennis and just wanted to swing a remote around and have a giggle, which is fine! If its fun its fun. (Unless you're one of the millions of plasma/LCD TV's lost in the great Wii invasion)

The down-side to Wii-Sports Tennis was that it was lackluster in depth. Sure, its family friendly, its got pick up and play appeal, but i couldnt help but feel that it could have been so much more. Was it really responding to my strokes, or was it just swinging when i twitched?

It is this same lack of depth, this casual appeal, which has deterred me from buying a Wii for so long, but now, just over the horizon, there is a game which might just convert me. EA recently announced Grand Slam Tennis on Wii, boasting an all-star lineup of pro players, but more importantly... in EA's words:

"Call Your Shots Topspin, backspin - superior racket responsiveness and control makes it possible."

Something this trivial WILL sway my wallet, its time they started putting the motion sensor to the test, and drawing out its real potential. (if indeed it has any)

With the release of image-shattering titles like Madworld on the horizon, the Wii can finally shed its family friendly, casual gamer appeal and become a more venerable gaming console.

Or it can keep being a Wii.