Wimbledon countdown: best tennis games out there

It’s now just a matter of days until Wimbledon, the world’s most popular tennis tournament, gets underway in South London.

Like any tennis fan I’m hoping the weather gods smile on this year’s tournament, but despite the likely downpours, Wimbledon can be guaranteed to increase the British public’s interest in playing tennis. So if you get caught up in the excitement but don’t fancy braving the weather to rush down to your local tennis courts, fear not! Technology is on hand to provide us with our tennis fix.

I’m talking of course, about tennis video games. OK, so it might not be quite the same as actually playing, but these games are highly addictive and, even better, there aren’t any queues. So what are the best tennis games around at the moment?

The most obvious place to start is on the Nintendo Wii with Virtua Tennis 4. With its innovative motion-sensor technology, it will have you jumping around the room trying to return a virtual tennis ball. It’s a fun game for up to 4 people with the added bonus of burning a few calories while you’re at it.

But it’s not just the Wii that lets you work up a sweat. Kinect Sports: Season Two, on the Xbox 360, offers a number of sports, with tennis easily the most addictive. It does have a US bias with American football and baseball among the other sports offered which might not be to everyone’s taste.

A more traditional tennis game, with your thumbs getting more of a workout, is Grand Slam Tennis 2. Released on PS3 and Xbox 360 earlier this year, Grand Slam Tennis 2 is visually stunning and is a great game for those who prefer to play from the sofa.

With amazing graphics and precision control over each shot, this lifelike game takes you through all four grand slam tennis tournaments. Who needs the tatty courts at the local park when you can be playing on Centre Court?