Rafa Nadal smashes onto DS
The Spanish hotshot's gone all touchy-feely for Rafa Nadal Tennis DS
It's convergence we tell you. Only yesterday Stuart Dredge was getting all excited about the appearance of the 'piratically-dressed Spanish starlet' Rafa Nadal in his own mobile tennis game, and now we find out the same game developer has nearly finished a DS Rafa Nadal tennis game too.
We're assuming the two versions are different – the mobile one is more of a topdown affair, while the DS version heavily relies on the touchscreen. In fact, this is its most interesting aspect, as you'll be able to move your player around the court as well as making shots by dragging the stylus in certain ways to trigger drop shots, lobs, and smashes.
To get the most out of this method you'll have to go through a tutorial training mode, which will educate you in the ways on the stylus/racket, so you can get the correct angle of racket and shot length. There'll also be an option where you can switch to a more traditional D-pad and button control method should the stylus prove too tricky.
As for the star of the court, you'll be able to select Rafa and power your way through the Career mode, competing in 20 tournaments at 17 international locations.
Alternatively you can create your own tennis player, but in that case the five performance abilities: serve, forehand, backhand, smash, and speed will be rated at zero, so you'll have to slowly build them up by winning credits on the tour. Cash prizes will be available, and you can use this to buy new equipment or hire a partner so you can enter doubles tournaments.
Doubles is the main focus of the multiplayer mode, with up to four players able to play using one version of the game. If each of you has a copy, more extensive modes and options will be available.
Knocking up in the practice courts of Madrid-based gamemaker Virtual Toys, Rafa Nadal Tennis DS will arrive in the UK sometime in December.
