We are going to party like it is 2006 in this joint!
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/35883
Back when the Wii was still young and I finally got my hands on the console, I would play bucket loads of Tennis all day long. While Wii Sports Resort was truly the better game, I was kind of sad when the only variant that was included was Table Tennis. While I enjoyed it, I felt constrained behind this small table and would rather experience the bigger version of the game. Finally, I got my wish as Wii Sports Club was released in Japan mere days ago and I explored everything it had to offer. While it is mostly a fine version, it has some problems that don't truly fulfill the promise.
The biggest and most noticeable thing are the controls in this version of the classic sport. You now use a Wii Remote Plus controller, which makes the old school waggle a complete no-go here. You really have to move your arm and wrist correctly to hit the ball in the right direction and this is not a simple task in the beginning. As you learn the correct way to move, you will find that the first few matches might not go exactly well for you. However, when you learn how much impact a certain shot makes, you are pretty much set for life and ready to enjoy Tennis like everybody should. The Wii U GamePad is not used, which is a bit of a bummer as it only displays Miiverse messages throughout your matches.
Tennis can be played online and for the most part, it seems to work fine. The bottom right corner of the screen will tell you how strong of a connection you have and I have tested all variables on display. Even at two bars out of the five, you can still get a correct feel for the sport, though you will experience some lag here and there. It mostly occurs when you make the first move as well as in a few other bits of gameplay, but even with that, it never becomes extremely unplayable. A great thing about online is that you can compete against friends, random folk and other clubs. You can even tag a local person along for the ride as you duke it out against the internet at large.
Outside of the regular portion, there isn't much to do for you online. There are three other mini-games, but these can only be played locally. Even worse is that these can't be played by four or even a measly two people at the same time. Instead you take turns at these events, which are pretty much the same. The way you score points is different, but you are constantly working against the clock trying to hit certain spots. Again, this becomes only really fun if you have invested enough time in the game or understand the movements extremely well.
Wii Sports Club Tennis is an example of a satisfactory upgrade. The gameplay has improved in many ways, which makes it more exciting and challenging overall. The problem is that the options are a bit limited for true online and local multiplayer madness. The mini-games, while good fun, mostly serve the same purpose and require you to hit the ball at certain spots. Sadly, these can't be enjoyed with a friend in co-op as you forcefully have to wait for each other's turn. It’s not a bad package and can be a fine time with the right crowd.
Topic: Wii Sports Club: Tennis Review (Read 1623 times)
