Sega's longest-running sports series returns to the courts, with new controls, options, and an expanded roster in 2011's Virtua Tennis 4. The play of the game has been configured for motion control, and the PS3 edition supports the Move add-on system, for player-executed racket swings that translate to onscreen action. This more physically engaging control scheme is optional, however, and the game can also be played with traditional gamepad input.
In addition to high-profile Virtua Tennis veterans such as Nadal, Federer, and Murray, gamers can play as or against series newcomers including Juan Martín Del Potro, Fernando Gonzalez, Laura Robson, and Caroline Wozniacki. Virtua Tennis 4's "World Tour" career mode encompasses multiple aspects of the professional sports lifestyle, including the celebrity that comes with success, challenging players with decisions both on and off the court that will influence the direction of their career paths. The online mode offers a hub where players can meet and chat, and an advanced matchmaking system designed to quickly set-up competitively balanced multiplayer games.
The PS3 version of Virtua Tennis 4 comes with several exclusive features, including the addition of tennis legends Boris Becker, Stefan Edberg, and Pat Rafter, and two mini-games: "Pin Crusher," in which gamers attempt to knock down bowling pin with their serves; and "Net Blitz," in which players must return balls into nets that decrease in size.