Metascore
78 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 59 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 43 out of 59
  2. Negative: 0 out of 59
  1. 67
    EA's tennis game is far from perfect, and the control inconsistencies will be too much to overcome for any but the most dedicated tennis fans, but it's a good early attempt; hopefully as developers become more comfortable with the add-on, they'll create more precise (and easier to learn) controls.
  2. Good graphics, game modes and longevity. A solid first effort for the franchise that offers one of the most well-rounded tennis experience on the Wii.
  3. Grand Slam Tennis is one of the most impressive sports games packages that I've seen in a while. EA deserves to be commended for getting on the ball with MotionPlus and offering up a game that provides a compelling reason to purchase the accessory.
  4. 80
    A really good first attempt at using Wii MotionPlus and a genuinely enjoyable experience. Whilst it might have a few flaws in terms of gameplay and it does look decidedly rubbish, the basic game is very good with some surprising subtleties.
  5. Grand Slam Tennis is fun, but it’s hard to master for beginners. Wii MotionPlus works very good and gives the game an extra touch.
  6. Luckily though Grand Slam Tennis is a refreshing take on a sport that has been otherwise overlooked in past years and comes through with what I think is a rather solid first showing.
  7. Far from being "crippled by unintuitive controls", the reality is that it's beautifully intuitive, and just about shades Virtua Tennis 2009 on Wii by simply having a more satisfying feel to it.
  8. A good game that thanks to the Wii Motion Plus becomes an unforgettable playing experience both for casual gamers and tennis fans. EA Sports did it again!
  9. Grand Slam imposes their own pace of play, determining the new coordinates of the virtual tennis for the Nintendo Wii.
  10. Although having cartoon visual, Grand Slam Tennis is more a simulation than an arcade game like Virtua Tennis.
  11. Grand Slam Tennis is a great tennis simulation. Probably the Wii Motion plus does not shows its real potential, but this product is perfect for tennis lovers, thanks to the big variety of shots, the large number of game modes and a perfect online support.
  12. With Grand Slam Tennis EA has set a new standard for motion control input, tennis games, and Wii games in general.
  13. A definite upgrade for casual gamers who want a deeper tennis experience than Wii Sports. [July 2009, p.85]
  14. Grand Slam Tennis is not perfect, but it is the best tennis outing to date on the Wii.
  15. A steep learning curve, however, may impede their progress, especially without the benefit of a tutorial. Aside from that huge omission, Grand Slam Tennis is a well-made and fun game appropriate for wannabe tennis stars of all ages.
  16. While it’s not quite an Ace for EA Sports: Grand Slam Tennis, it’s is easily the most recommendable tennis game on the Wii so far. Its deep game play mechanics coupled with its excellent multiplayer make this a must have for tennis fans and casual gamers alike.
  17. EA's Grand Slam Tennis packs in everything you would expect from a well made tennis title.
  18. Grand Slam Tennis still comes highly recommended, both as an epic party game, a great online experience, and one of the better tennis experiences on the system.
  19. Despite the underwhelming presentation, EA Sports manages to deliver a very authentic tennis experience. That is if you play the game with Wii Motion Plus - without it you're better of with something else.
  20. 90
    As a quality tennis title and an impressive showcase of Nintendo's new tech, EA's ambitious first effort easily takes the cup.
  21. Grand Slam Tennis is an excellent sports title with sharp controls, an abundance of modes and a unique visual style. The importance of the addition of the Wii Motion Plus is shown here.
  22. EA SPORTS Grand Slam Tennis is a great offering, and a fantastic first outing for the series. It isn't without fault, however, and isn't the casual experience some hoped it would be.
  23. Our new favourite tennis game on Wii. It works perfectly. [Aug 2009, p.76]
  24. MotionPlus adds a welcome layer of immersion, but it never does enough to completely mend the game's flaws. Matches are often frustrating, shots will still bounce past your player and the AI will sometimes second-guess you, placing you in a poor position to return a serve. [Sept 2009, p.126]
  25. EA's new tennis game makes a number of unforced errors that hamper what could've been a brilliant package.
  26. If you're a tennis player, or just someone who's mastered and grown tired of Wii Sports Tennis, pick up Grand Slam Tennis with a MotionPlus add-on and prepare to be amazed. Just saddle that amazement with a little bit of patience. The learning curve makes pick-up games with the uninitiated a bore, but with the incredible online functionality, a viable opponent is just a series of ones and zeroes away.
  27. This is an excellent starting point for this tennis game and will give both hardcore tennis fans and casual gamers a great gameplay experience.
  28. I can’t recommend Grand Slam Tennis enough for Wii owners, and am excited to see what changes are made when this title hits Xbox 360 and PS3 later this year.
  29. This title is surprisingly entertaining. If you like sports and you aren’t afraid of a real work out in front of your Wii, Grand Slam Tennis won’t disappoint you.
  30. The Wiimote is designed to let you feel like you’re playing the game, so you need to let it. You also need to spend a lot of time learning the ropes, because you didn’t buy Grand Slam Tennis for it to play like Wii Sports. It may be tough to master it but master it you can, and to be fair the Motion Plus does a remarkably good job of recreating what you want when you know how to use it.
User Score

Generally favorable reviews- based on 53 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 24
  2. Negative: 3 out of 24
  1. This game is broken. I don't understand why reviewers disagree with my opinion. The controls make the game impossible to play. You have to have the Wii Remote at precisely the right angle, as the game makes it difficult to switch to your forehand. When you swing the Wii Remote, the game is cruel and unforgiving. I wish I hadn't wasted my money on this game. Full Review »
  2. The motion plus controls work about 90% of time, provided you return your Wii remote(ie: your racket) to the center position after each swing. There a few times where the games thinks you're performing a backhand instead a forehard and occassionally your player will stand still even after you've swung. But overall, aiming and spinning the ball is generally accurate and mostly importantly, enjoyable with the motion plus. The game can be played without the motion plus but control over the racket is drastically decreased. The online and offline options are fairly good. Being able to have 2 players go online together (such as in Mario Kart) is also a nice bonus. It's not a great sports game but it is the fairly good one that justifies the purchase of a Wii. With the Wiimotion plus, gameplay wise, no other sports games can compare. Full Review »
  3. The hardest thing about this game is by far and large adapting to the controls. I'm a very avid tennis player and fan of professional tennis, and I have to say from life experience that this is the most accurate tennis game I've ever played. The game advises to use slow and easy full swings (using the Wiimote Plus), and that takes some getting used to, but once you start to do it consistently you'll be able to plan your shots with remarkable precision. It is very important to return to a ready stance (as if holding the racket up in front of you) and keep the direction of your hit aimed at the sensor bar for the game to accurately pickup your movements. You can't play as if you're on a full size court. Instead, I played as if the length of my TV was the size of the singles court (22-inch) with the length of the TV case it stands on as the net length and baseline. At that point it became very simple to hit early when aiming left or hit later when aiming right. Every slice, topspin, flat shot, and degree of speed started registering completely naturally as I am used to hitting on the real court. However, even with that accuracy nailed down, you can definitely expect the game AI to make you work for every point, making every match very rewarding. I highly recommend any tennis fan to give this a try, and commit to the practice and experimentation required to get comfortable with the controls. It's well worth the effort! Full Review »