Grand Slam Tennis 2

Review

Common Sense Media says

More realistic tennis sequel straddles arcade and sim.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
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Parents say

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Kids say

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that EA Sports' Grand Slam Tennis 2 is a sports simulation based on professional tennis. It does allow players to compete online, where kids could be subjected to inappropriate language or conversations as both the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of the game support unmoderated voice chat via headset microphone.

  • Positive messages3
    Grand Slam Tennis 2 is a sports game without any controversial content. It has a positive message because tennis is a game that requires exercise, athleticism, and sportsman-like conduct (John McEnroe notwithstanding!). This game can be a fun multiplayer game for friends or siblings. There is no violence or blood, nor is there inappropriate imagery or lyrics.
  • Positive role models3
    Most tennis stars are positive role models, such as the Williams sisters, Nadal, Federer, Sharapova, and so on. You can play as all of these real-life athletes in the game or create your own from scratch.
  • Ease of play4
    Employing a new control method that focuses primarily on the dual analog sticks, this game is easy to pick up but takes some time to master all the shots. You can switch back to a classic button-based control scheme, or a combination of analog sticks and buttons. An optional tutorial mode teaches all the basics to players, plus load screens show some of the moves you can pull off with the right analog stick.
  • Violence0
    Not applicable.
  • Sex0
    Not applicable.
  • Language0
    Not applicable.
  • Consumerism4
    There is a lot of branding in this game, such as ESPN graphics that make it look like a televised game, plus many billboards and other advertisements for products (FedEx, Longines, Lacoste) and apparel worn by the tennis players (Nike, Adidas, etc.). It's gratuitous, but not unlike what you'd see during a real tennis match.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking0
    Not applicable.
  • Privacy & safety1
    Serious privacy and safety concerns. The game can be played online against strangers, including support for voice chat, and the conversations are not moderated or monitored.
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What's it about?

Forget everything you remember about EA Sports' 3 year-old Grand Slam Tennis, a cartoony tennis game for the Nintendo Wii. That's because the publisher has put a different spin on its sequel for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, including a more realistic approach to the game, licensed tournaments, high-definition graphics, and a lengthy career mode. It's not quite as deep as 2K Sports' Top Spin simulation, mind you, but not as arcade-like as its predecessor or Sega's Virtua Tennis offerings.

The first thing you'll notice about this game is the bump up in presentation, with slick HD visuals and smooth animation from the licensed players like Nadal, Federer, Sampras, the Williams sisters, Sharapova, or cover athlete John McEnroe. Each of these virtual players move like their real-life counterparts, too. The game also houses many faithfully recreated tournaments -- including Wimbledon and the other three Grand Slams -- each of which should serve as a real treat for tennis buffs. And with the TV-like camera angles and replays, ESPN graphics, advertisements, and licensed apparel, it really does feel like you're playing a televised match.

Is it any good?

 

Overall, Grand Slam Tennis 2 is a very good outing from EA Sports as they charge back into the tennis arena. It strikes a healthy balance between a realistic simulation and easy arcade game, offering intuitive analog stick control, great graphics, and includes many of the famous players from today and yesterday, as well as licensed tournaments. Grand Slam Tennis 2 is a pretty game but the players feel soulless. Unlike many other EA Sports titles, Grand Slam Tennis 2 needs more emotion, drama, and passion in the player's faces and performances. But EA Sports somewhat makes up for it in the smooth and responsive control. Employing a technology called "Total Racket Control," you'll be controlling your players with the dual analog sticks: the left stick is reserved for player positioning on the court while the right stick focuses on the ball's power, direction, and type of shot. You can use buttons, if you prefer, or a combination of sticks and buttons. While not tried for this review, the PlayStation 3 version of the game supports the PlayStation Move motion-sensing peripheral; Kinect for Xbox 360 is not supported, however.

Along with quick games of singles or doubles (including online multiplayer matches), new to the series is a 10-year career mode. After you create a character from scratch and give him or her a name, you'll step into a small tourney in Dubai and then, over time, work your way up to win Grand Slams. Between the mini-challenges, exhibition matches, and major events, there's a lot of meat here.

 

What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about if sports-based video games can make players want to pick up the real game? That is, there were many reports of Guitar Hero and Rock Band players learning how to play real instruments, but could the same be said for sports?

  • When playing a sports game, would you rather play by yourself or against real other players? Why?

  • What is bad sportmanship?

This review was written by Marc Saltzman
Kid, 12 years old
February 25, 2012
AGE
2
 
Safe as school
It's safe as school
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This review was written by Marc Saltzman
Topics:sports and martial arts, great boy role models, great girl role models
Platforms:Xbox 360, PlayStation 3
Available online?Not available online
Genre:Sports
Developer:EA Sports
Release date:February 14, 2012
Price:$59.99
ESRB rating:E
This review was written by Marc Saltzman
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
Our child development rating guidelines

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