Last August, I criticized 2K Games’ decision to use both the Nunchuck and Wii Remote on the upcoming Top Spin Tennis game, scheduled for release this spring. Without trying 2K’s setup, I’m convinced the wired Nunchuck will impede full swings while nerding out.

As a result, I designed the pictured controls, using the (still reachable) D-pad for player movement, and motion for swings. Holding the B trigger could lock movement while swinging or something. Whether or not that’s a good idea, it would at least preserve authentic swings.

Commenter Doc_R posed a different creative idea where racket placement (either forward, back, left, right, or diagonal) would trigger Wii-Sports like automatic running. To maintain the importance of positioning, developers could map shot accuracy to swing timing in lieu of court positioning which the computer will do. Does that sound better?

Sorry for beating a dead horse — I’m disturbingly passionate about tennis games.

2K Sports Announces Top Spin Tennis for Nintendo’s Wii™

Popular Top Spin franchise to make its Wii debut by combining real life tennis experiences and fun features this spring

New York, NY - August 22, 2007 - 2K Sports, the sports publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO), announced today it will be releasing Top Spin Tennis for the Wii™ home video game system from Nintendo. As part of 2K’s critically acclaimed Top Spin franchise, Top Spin Tennis features fun, flawless tennis action and the most real life tennis experience to date for the Wii. Developed by 2K’s Paris studio PAM Development in conjunction with 2K Shanghai, Top Spin Tennis will be available exclusively on the Wii in spring 2008.

The intuitive pick-up-and-play action in Top Spin Tennis allows gamers to use the Wii Remote™ and Nunchuk™ controllers in a way that matches the movements players would make on a real court. The Nunchuk controls the player and aim, while the vibration-enabled Wii Remote hits the ball like a tennis racquet and determines the style of shot ranging from a top spin move to a slice. The Wii Remote also allows players to control the power and the quality of the shot and to serve in many different ways.

The gameplay in Top Spin Tennis will feature an array of modes including singles, doubles, mixed and non-mixed matches, exhibition, tournament and more, with four levels of difficulty and ten international venues. It will also feature more than a dozen licensed tennis stars as well as ten original characters. Up to four players can play Top Spin Tennis using as many as four sets of controllers. To add to the group fun, there are a collection of party games included.

“We are excited to bring our popular Top Spin series to the Wii,” said Christoph Hartmann, President of 2K. “Given the Wii’s unique controllers and the fun family-oriented gameplay, Top Spin Tennis effectively bridges the gap between a sports and a party game.”