Rockstar's Table Tennis Announced for Wii

Wii

July 18, 2007, 8:29 am EDT
Total comments: 31

Ping-pong and Wii are a match made in heaven.

Rockstar Games presents Table Tennis is Heading to the Wii™

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Rockstar Games is proud to announce that Rockstar Games presents Table Tennis will be making its way to the Wii™ home video game system from Nintendo this Fall.

Developed by Rockstar Leeds in collaboration with Rockstar San Diego, Rockstar Games presents Table Tennis is the perfect Wii gaming experience. Feel the unmatched speed and intensity of the real-life sport with an authentic physics engine and intuitive gameplay that mimics the exhilarating experience found in international competition.

Rockstar Games presents Table Tennis made its debut in May 2006 on Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and was met with huge critical acclaim, winning Gamespot's “Best Sports Title" at E3 2006.

“Ever since we released Table Tennis, fans have been asking us to create a Wii version," said Sam Houser, Founder and Executive Producer of Rockstar Games. “By bringing Table Tennis to the Wii and utilizing the motion-sensitive Wii Remote™, a new audience can now experience a game that is beautifully designed and impossible to put down."

Addictive, fast-paced and above all fun, Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis is guaranteed to be the must have title for all Wii owners.

For more information please visit http://www.rockstargames.com/tabletennis.

Talkback

CalibanJuly 18, 2007

Cool.

S-U-P-E-RTy Shughart, Staff AlumnusJuly 18, 2007

If I got to shoot dudes and haf secks wit chix it w00d be bettar

ShyGuyJuly 18, 2007

Call me a Graphics person-of-ill-repute, but I'm curious how this is going to look on the Wii.

BlackNMild2k1July 18, 2007

Its about time, this announcement is loooong overdue.

Jonnyboy117Jonathan Metts, Associate EditorJuly 18, 2007

Ping pong and table tennis are not the same thing.

vuduJuly 18, 2007

They're not?

SvevanEvan Burchfield, Staff AlumnusJuly 18, 2007

Please enlighten us.

RequiemJuly 18, 2007

This is one step closer to Virtual Beer Pong!

vherubJuly 18, 2007

this is great, wii tennis and wii pong are fun, but seriously crippled. I hope rockstar nails the controls.

TJ SpykeJuly 18, 2007

This title has been long rumored, and pretty much expected once Reggie said he was trying to get Rockstar Game's support. Good to hear it made official, I enjoyed the demo I played at Target (though I don't think it's worth the $40 they were charging, and don't consider $40 to be a "budget" price).

NeoThunderJuly 18, 2007

I want to know if it will have online play

GoldenPhoenixJuly 18, 2007

I wasn't impressed with the game, though if Wii controls are well implemented it may be fun.

Karl Castaneda #2July 18, 2007

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Table_Tennis

Wikipedia says Table Tennis and Ping Pong are the same thing. What's the deal, Jonny?

NWR_LindyJon Lindemann, Associate EditorJuly 18, 2007

What about pocket pool and tonsil hockey? Are they the same thing?

Dirk TemporoJuly 18, 2007

ITT: Things that aren't surprising.

ShyGuyJuly 18, 2007

JONNY IS WRONG

Call him out on it for the next RFN Karl!

blackfootstepsJuly 18, 2007

Nope Table Tennis involves hitting the ball so it clears the net (except on service) while Ping Pong requires players to make the ball bounce first on their own side before clearing the net. Take that Wiki.

SvevanEvan Burchfield, Staff AlumnusJuly 18, 2007

If Wikipedia doesn't say it, then it's not true. You better go update that Wiki page so the truth can be changed mighty fast, until then you look like a jerk for disagreeing with the collective.

BlkPaladinJuly 18, 2007

Yeah there are minor differences in the rule for Table Tennis and Ping-Pong. And if you are not in college yet and intend to be I would get weaned off of Wikipedia because most institution are banning the use of the site for research paper because of flaws in the definitions/histories. (Some as minor as this one some more major.)

that Baby guyJuly 18, 2007

Wikipedia works fine for gathering basic information, as well as info on things that don't matter. No one that's grown up now in their right minds would base any research papers on Wikipedia, because it is prone to error.

I'm in college and use wikipedia all the time, though not on any homework, or anything. It's great to learn about pop-culture and things of that nature. You end up walking away knowing more on the subject than you did before, even if there may be a few things incorrect.

GoldenPhoenixJuly 19, 2007

Actually from what I understand wikipedia is highly accurate, in fact this is one of my sources . Personally I find the concept of Wikipedia to be great, in that you are taking information from a large pool with different experiences and knowledge, with checks and balances through many people. Are there times when you get inaccurate stuff? Yes, but alot of the information is usually backed up by sources and if it isn't, there is always a warning label.

KaironCarmine Red, Associate EditorJuly 19, 2007

Wow, with this game and Bully, Rockstar has really taken to the Wii. Hopefully we'll see even more ramped up Wii support in the future.

BlkPaladinJuly 19, 2007

As for graphic that souldn't be a problem. They already have an engine for rendering and use of the controll with Manhunt 2. (At least we are reaping the benfits of the game even though it hasn't been released yet.) The engine make porting to the Wii easier because most of the hard parts are done. (Dealing with the graphics, sound and input.) The games, which sould of been done in either c++ or their scripting language which is defined by the engine, for the most part sould easily fit over the engine with some adjustments. All they would have to do is adjust texture and update the models, that is if they want to do a good port...

soracloudtidusJuly 20, 2007

Quote
Originally posted by: Jonnyboy117
Ping pong and table tennis are not the same thing.

Quote
Originally posted by: vudu
They're not?

Quote
Originally posted by: Svevan
Please enlighten us.

Being a retired pro of table tennis ( I played for 15+ years.) I believe I can answer this. We call Table Tennis the "real"sport. Meaning the high level competition that it's very well mimic in the Rockstar Table Tennis game. The game is more fast paced, more physical and mentally challenge than ping pong.On the other hand ping pong is the recreational part of the sport. Probably most of you have played ping pong because it's what mainstream here in the Americas and in the latin side of the world. In Asia and Europe Table Tennis is cosidered a real sport, with leagues like the ones you see here for baseball,football baskettball etc. I remember going on debates with friends that ping pong and table tennis where the same thing but believe me when you see it as I try to show everyone you start to respect the sport more and they call it Table Tennis after they realize this. I am proud everytime I can change ppls mind of not calling it ping pong. Als ping pong is a brand of products for Table Tennis, and it's also the sound the ball makes when it bounces off the table.

As for the game coming to the Wii, I am very excited and can't wait to play with my friends and family and remember the great memmories I had of this great sport that anybody can play. I encourge you all to check out the International Table Tennis Federation to check out the top players of the world @ITTF. One interesting note: Table Tennis entered the Olympics before Baseball.

BlackNMild2k1July 20, 2007

Quote
Originally posted by: soracloudtidus
One interesting note: Table Tennis entered the Olympics before Baseball.

Thats because Baseball isn't a sport.

EasyCureJuly 21, 2007

Balls of Fury

18 DaysJuly 21, 2007

And no countries even take baseball seriously, it'd be like cricket being an olympic sport.

StogiJuly 21, 2007

Quote
Originally posted by: BlackNMild2k1
Quote
Originally posted by: soracloudtidus
One interesting note: Table Tennis entered the Olympics before Baseball.

Thats because Baseball isn't a sport.

ZIIIIIING!

I'm glad there are people out there who hate baseball as much as I do. Well technically I only hate the slow ass pace; everything else is pretty cool.

I'm die-hard Cura ( 'COO'-'ra': arabic for soccer) fan.

CericJuly 22, 2007

Soccer is to slow for me.*
I really enjoy Baseball** and its "slow pace" as an in person spectator sport. Bring good company and it can be a really fun time.
I might as well weigh in on everything else as well. Football is a TV Sport for me. Hockey I can't get into. Golf is nice scenery and somewhat calming. Tennis is always interesting. Rugby makes a great Videogame. Racing if its just on an oval I can't really get into it; I need variety. Though to say in all actuality I'm not really a die-hard fan of any of these. Really casual actually.

*To clarify on the Soccer its not that the actual game itself is slow. Quite on the contrary. Its just the pace between major events is slow, sudden, and infrequent. I look away for a second to mention something or to get some food and someone makes a goal. Then I'm back to watching ball management.
** Though I prefer Minor league because it is less mechanical and people make mistakes.

ShyGuyAugust 21, 2007

Bump! http://www.jeux-france.com/news21444_gc-table-tennis-sur-wii-en-video.html

Gameplay video from Europa Land! How does it stack up compared to the 360?

ShyGuyAugust 24, 2007

Tried this out at Rockstar's booth. The graphics look very similar to the 360 version minus the good textures, hope the bump it up. Control isn't as laggy as the videos made it look, but there is a little bit there. You flick the remote in the direction you want to hit the ball, give it spin, etc. Simple mode you don't have to use the nunchuck, but I guess advanced mode you can. (not 100% clear with what the attendant told me.) Not really my kind of game, but I think the PING PONG fans will like it.

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