An updated Vita port, entitled Virtua Tennis 4: World Tour Edition, was released in Japan on December 17, 2011,[9] and was to simultaneously launch with the PlayStation Vita, along with being exclusive to Sony's new handheld.
The World Tour addition included many exclusive features. More mini-games were added, along with touch controllers. The players can also play in first person mode, and control the game using the Vita's gyroscope. Players may use the handheld's front camera to take a photo of their face, and have the game construct a character based on the photo (similar to the mechanics of the game Reality Fighters).[10] After the game downloads the image, the users edit the player in a light character customization screen. Different game templates were also added, allowing the user to play in various time periods, ranging from the early 20th century to one-hundred years in the future.[11]
Two players may now play using the same system, by turning it sideways in the style of Pong,[12] with each participant using a combination of touch control and buttons or analog to play. Augmented reality can be used to bring tennis players featured in the game to life on your system.[13] The users select a player, and have them brought into onto screen, with the background being whatever is facing the second camera on the system.
Online play had also been touched up on, allowing players to share stats, and allowing users to share comments on the other's game home screen.[11]
The game itself was enjoyed by players, critics, and actual tennis players alike (See Reception for more on the reviews). Tennis star Andy Murray stated that he enjoyed the game while playing against a representative from Sega, stating that he found it and entertaining, praised the graphics, and said his in game character was an accurate representation of him.[14]
As of July 2017, Virtua Tennis 4 is the only tennis simulation game available for the PlayStation Vita.[15]
