Codemasters Serves Up Rafa Nadal Tennis for Nintendo DS

Fast-Paced Tennis Game Offers Unprecedented Shot Control With the Touch Screen and Real Doubles Matches over Wireless

November 2 2006 - Codemasters announced today that Rafa Nadal, the world’s number 2 ranked player in the ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals), will make his video game debut this December in Rafa Nadal Tennis for the Nintendo DS™.

Developed by Madrid-based studio Virtual Toys, Rafa Nadal Tennis offers a new way to play a fast-paced game of tennis using touch screen control. With the Nintendo DS stylus and touch screen, players are able to move their tennis star on court and unleash viscous serves, lobs, drop shots, power shots and more.

Touch input gives players an unprecedented level of control over the angle and length of the shots they hit. The game’s full tutorial mode, appropriately named ‘Tennis School,’ will train gamers to perfect stylus movements to deliver precise, game winning shots. Rafa Nadal Tennis also includes an option to switch between the stylus and traditional control pad, with the tutorial adapting the contents of the lessons accordingly.

Rafa Nadal Tennis will give players the chance to develop an illustrious tennis career. The game’s single player Career Mode enables gamers to rise through the ranks of professional tennis, competing in 20 tournaments at 17 international locations. Players begin by choosing to play as Nadal or create a new character, selecting their looks and picking certain attributes, such as whether their player is left or right handed.

Within each player’s profile are five key performance abilities: Serve, Forehand, Backhand, Smash and Speed. With a new player profile these abilities start off rated at zero, and credits won from match prizes can be invested into any of the abilities to raise the player’s overall performance level. A match win may also bring in prize money, which can be used to purchase new equipment or even hire a partner for a game of doubles.

Beyond the single player Career Mode, doubles matches can be played in the game’s brilliant multiplayer modes, which enable up to four players to compete wirelessly. The Single-Card wireless multiplayer mode lets up to four players join a match from a single copy of the game. If all players have a copy of the game, a more extensive Multi-Card multiplayer mode offers additional choice over court types and players. In addition to doubles, both multiplayer modes also provide for one-on-one singles matches.

Rafa Nadal Tennis is planned to release in early 2007, and is currently rated ‘RP’ (Rating Pending) by the ESRB. For more information, sign up at www.codemasters.com/rafanadal.

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