Top Spin 4

It may be just me, but I've always struggled to get a spark out of tennis games. They never seem to bring the level of excitement or strategic approach that the sport itself emanates in real life. Top Spin 4, however, has been receiving some praise. The game builds upon its franchise to make a more intriguing representation of video game tennis.

Most games I have played before have simply asked their players to whack a ball over the net and hope the other misses. While that's all good and well (essentially how the first-ever video game started), there's much more to tennis that is offered in typical gameplay. Type of spin, placement, and strategy, to name a few. So does Top Spin 4 actually feature all this?

The Ball's In Your Court

The impact of effort into delivering a complete tennis experience is noticeable from the start screen. Top Spin 4 features several game modes that cater to various players approaching the game - from die-hard tennis fans to casual party players. It may seem trivial, but it attracts an extensive player base. So does the gameplay match its intrigue?

It's surprising to say, but in comparison to other tennis games, Top Spin 4's gameplay is excellent. The sport's mechanics are refined with an accessible control scheme, easy-to-learn with a more hard-to-master approach to the in-depth strategies of winning games. It can be as casual or competitive as you like without the entertainment expiring.

What puts Top Spin 4 into a more elite sports game is the visuals, animations, and sound is all on par as well. Character models move realistically, the court sounds all strike a node of immersion, and all the environments are packaged neatly. The multiple game modes exploit the well-designed gameplay to ensure that the fun doesn't drop and your tennis experience is genuine.

If we had to pick out some downsides to the Top Spin 4 experience, there wouldn't be many - but not to say they aren't there. They mainly root in the customization options that were much better in the game's predecessor. We can excuse this, though, considering it appears the focus was on making the gameplay as engaging as possible.

It's a Racket!

Even if you aren't a tennis fan, there is enough that Top Spin 4 offers for anyone to enjoy. Newbies to tennis will just have a laugh whacking the ball in every direction. Enthusiasts will revel in the different strokes and strategies they can perform to beat their opponents - even the online ones. The game is probably the best tennis experience out there.

Pros:

• One of the most complete tennis experiences on the market
• Controls, animations, and mechanics are all slick
• Multiple game modes tailored to every type of player

Cons:

• Lack of customization options for characters and careers

Dating all the way back to the start of video games, the sport of tennis has always been a big inspiration for developers. While other games take a simpler approach, Top Spin 4 prioritizes realism, giving the player the feeling of being a real world tennis star. Featuring dozens of recognizable athletes, some serious customization options, and loads of modes to play, Top Spin 4 rivals some of the best tennis games around. In fact, Top Spin 4 is basically the best tennis game of its time, containing everything a sports fan could want in a realistic tennis simulation.

Main Game Features

• Realistic and fun tennis gameplay
• Features 25 real tennis athletes
• Deep customization and career mode

Gameplay Mechanics

Instead of the simplified gameplay you might see in a game like Mario Tennis, Top Spin 4 offers its players a nuanced control scheme with lots of depth and control. Through and through, it seems like the main focus of Top Spin 4 is the realism, which starts with you creating your perfect tennis star for use in offline and online play. Not only can you adjust standard features like their hairstyle, height, and clothes, but you can also customize your player's animations. This gives you full control over how your player looks as they make stunning saves, power through a swing, and celebrate their wins.

You will learn the majority of Top Spin 4's controls in the Top Spin Academy mode, which is the tutorial for the overall game. The foundation is pretty simple, as you simply use the face buttons of your controller for different types of swings. You can also modify these swings with the trigger buttons, and the speed of your button press will also affect the strength of your hit. Learning how to pick the right swing during a match, all while moving your player around the court, can be challenging to learn. To make things easier, Top Spin 4 has helpful hints that show up around the court, offering advice for new players.

Modes of Play

Top Spin 4 contains several modes, but the one you'll probably put the most time into is Career Mode. Like other sports games of the era, like NBA 2K11, Top Spin 4's Career Mode covers your custom athlete's adventure from amateur to top player in the tennis scene. In the beginning, you'll play in small tournaments against other no-name competitors and perform training exercises, all of which gain experience for your athlete. Using these experience points, you can level up three main abilities for your athlete, including your swing strength, offense, and defense. As you level up, you gain access to bigger tournaments like the US Open, where you face off against talented professionals like Roger Federer, Andre Agassi, Serena Williams, and more.

Apart from the career mode, you can engage in simple exhibition matches against computer opponents, or face off against real players locally or online. Exhibition matches offer both one-on-one and doubles match types, so you can practice solo or with a partner. If you're serious about becoming the best Top Spin 4 player, you'll need to compete in the online World Tour mode. In this mode, you must climb the leaderboards by challenging higher skilled players, which can be very difficult, but also very rewarding.

Conclusion

All around, Top Spin 4 is a great tennis game that has many customization options and detailed modes. The tennis gameplay feels amazing, with competent controls and realistic physics, making every decision feel precise and purposeful.

Pros

• Top Spin Academy is a great learning tool
• Career mode is great
• Good for single player or online

Cons

• A few important courts are missing
• 3D mode is a bad gimmick
• Optional motion controls are bad