A little early for Wimbledon it may be – you can blame the impending release of EA Sports' hugely promising Grand Slam Tennis on the Wii for that – but Virtua Tennis 2009 is more than welcome.
As with all tennis titles, the game can be picked up and played very easily. But practice is necessary for some of the more effective shots, particularly when competing online.
Multiplayer is the predictable highlight, with online play working well. As always, though, be prepared to come up against opponents with more time to practice than you'll ever have. Get a friend to play and the entertainment goes up tenfold.
It's hard to get too excited about the look, but the visuals are bright and sharp. Unfortunately the players – Murray, Nadal, et al – still look like they live in the uncanny valley and the retro metal guitar soundtrack grates.
It may lack the ease of Wii Tennis, but for depth and entertainment Virtua Tennis is hard to beat. The ball is now firmly in EA's court.
