Publisher: Microsoft
Ages: eight & up
Parental
Advisory:
None
There have been great tennis games in the past, but Microsoft's Top Spin is the best yet. The game serves a complete tennis experience that's fun to play and offers comprehensive online play. Tennis fans, as well as any sports gamer can have a blast with this one.
The game goes where no other tennis game has gone before. It lets players define their tennis playing style, execute world-class and risky shots, play in their zone and work the crowd to develop an on-court image. Players also get to train with coaches to master shots and improve the way they play on various surfaces so they may work their way up online rankings
Players compete in singles or doubles matches that feature forehand and backhand variations, crushing ground strokes and rocket serves, and offers control to slice, lob, drop, spin, and perform trick shots. And these games can occur on clay, hard court, and grass. Player get to personalize their character's look, style, and personality and pump their character's fist after a great shot, slam their rackets to the ground, or argue a bad call.
Gamers get to work they way up from the local playground, through the amateur ranks, to playing virtual versions of the pros in tournaments, and may even pick up endorsements along the way. The game features virtual versions of pros that include Lleyton Hewitt, Anna Kournikova, Martina Hingis, Michael Chang and more. Xbox Live provides compelling online play and lets gamers play tournaments, climb worldwide ladders, take on challengers in singles matches, or find a skilled partner for doubles play.
The controls are intuitive and offer superb control over shots; the gameplay offers fun career modes that have a player training and trying to obtain sponsor; online play opens a whole new tennis world and the graphics look great. What more could one ask for? Top Spin is the finest tennis game to ever hit the market and it's a top-seeded pro.
12/1/03 www.daytrum.com Editorial Staff
