

On a base level you've either got to go for a precise control shot with a quick tap, or hold the button down and wind up for a riskier power shot. While all of this probably makes Top Spin 4 sound easier, mastery of the shot system's timing is still something of a dark art. Once you've got all the basics down, you can gradually turn them all off and start to play a more realistic, instinctive match instead, complete with sneaky drop shots and flashier 'inside-out' shots. These indicators, for example, make it possible to gauge precisely where your opponent's shot is going to land ahead of time, as well as how well-timed your shot or serve is and how much power you've applied. Last time out you'd often fluff perfectly decent-looking shots and have no real grasp of what you'd done wrong, but now the presence of numerous optional visual indicators makes it straightforward to nail the fundamentals right from the beginning. Top Spin 3 got closest to nailing it, but added depth that was so poorly explained that it took an age to understand what it wanted from you.ĢK knew it had to do a far better job of easing players into the game, while still retaining some of that depth that more committed players demand, and from the moment you enter the fourth game's helpful Top Spin Academy you get the sense of a more measured, patient approach that tries to teach you the full array of shots as well as the strategy behind them. Tennis games were more or less perfected over a decade ago, and most of what has been served up since Virtua Tennis (and its even better sequel) has been trying desperately to live up to Hitmaker's astonishing achievements. Whether it was a carefully plotted strategy or a consequence of shifting development to 2K Czech though, the near three-year wait for a fourth Top Spin has put us in the rare position of being quite excited about its arrival.īut let's not get the strawberries and cream in just yet. You can choose from well-known courts, among others from the Grand Slam.īefore starting, the player chooses the court where he wants to start the competition, along with the infrastructure and technical data regarding the ground and the level of advancement.In this era of annual sports updates churned out with metronomic regularity, it's rare for the latest version of anything to be greeted with the grand expectations that accompany big-name sequels in other genres. The player can also choose the place where he would like to play the match. Competitors can fight for victory in both beginner and more advanced competitions. These are: singles, two matches, exhibition tournaments, careers as well as the so-called quick matches. Several activities have been prepared for all participants, thanks to which everyone can find something ideally suited to each other. And yet every tennis lover would like to turn into his idol, even if it were to take place only in the virtual world. In addition to fictional characters, there are also real celebrities of this sport discipline. Top Spin is a game from 2003 where you can move to the court and become one of the players.

If you have never played tennis in your life, you can do so in the virtual world.
