Topspin 3
The third game in the Top Spin series updates the concept of the previous two tennis titles with some new features. The most important change is that more control is given back to the player, levelling the difficulty. In the previous version the AI took control of timing and positing, players only needed to press a button for shots, and keeping it pressed longer made them harder. In this edition the player controls the power of the shot, the positioning of the player and the timing needed to perform a successful swing. When the player needs to run to reach the ball, it will never be as precise as powerful as when already in position. Most of these changes are gradually introduced in the tennis school, where players are trained to become familiar with the new controls.There are about twenty professional players, modelled after their real-like counterparts and with signature styles. Famous players such as Roger Federer and Justine Henin are present, along with a few legends such as Boris Becker, Björn Borg and Monica Seles. Not all legends are available at the same time for all three platforms (including Wii). An editor is included to design custom characters. There are dynamic weather changes and the players' costumes show traces of grass or dirt as the match progresses. In the same vein, the player faces show how they are sweating after playing for some time.
Next to regular matches, there is a full career mode where the player starts with very low statistics. These can be upgraded by training and playing matches, but they can never all be pushed to the maximum. Instead players need to choose to train for some powerful abilities or decide to become a more all-round player. This is mostly reflected in the amount of winners based on forehands or backhands for instance.
Along with quick matches, the world tour is also supported online. The world ranking starts over every fortnight and is not continued endlessly like the previous version. Some of the tournaments are the US Open, Australian Open en Roland Garros, but Wimbledon has not been included. There are various difficulty levels, six camera modes and the graphics are more detailed than the previous versions.
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Topspin 4
Top Spin 4 is the fourth instalment in Top Spin tennis game series. Users play choosing from a roster of 25 real-world players comprehensive of active professionals and past glories, or opt for a player created by themselves, on real-world tournaments courts and other fictional ones.Shots divide firstly into controlled and power shots, performed respectively by tapping or charging related button (if charge is not complete, resulting shot will be a blend of the two types). Ball speed and trajectory depend by shot type, player characteristics, player position, characteristics of the shot that is to be returned, remaining stamina, and timing. Timing expresses the player's ability in pressing shot button at the right time, and ranges from Too Late to Perfect. Once the opponent has hit the ball, one's player movement starts when the gamer pushes a direction and since then is determined by the CPU.
Standard baseline shot types are flat, slice, top spin, lob, and drop shots; volley shots can be normal, controlled, power, and drop volleys; serves can be flat slice and topspin, and focus on precision (standard serve) or power (advanced serve).
Offline game modes are Exhibition, Career, King of the Court, and Top Spin Academy, that is a tutorial mode in which the fundamentals of the game are explained by a coach and then put in practice by the player.
In Exhibition, it is possible to play a customisable singles or doubles game, choosing location, duration in game and sets, and score rules (including percentage tennis) and difficulty setting, against the computer or other human opponents, up to 4 human players in doubles game.
Career starts with the creation of one's player, which can be a male or a female. Body shape and complexion, face's appearance, and outfit are customisable, with the presence of branded raquets and sportswear. Created player starts their career from low level tournaments, and, in an RPG manner, gains experience points to rise in level and attributes, the objective being reaching Majors and fame. Bonus special skills and extra statistic rises are achievable by choosing from more than 30 coaches and fulfilling their requests (like, as an example: play 30 baseline winners, or win 20 points at the net). Depending on one's levelling choices, players of any style can be created: however, their complexive skills can't equal those of in-game real world players. Created players may be used in any customised match, and online World Tour.
King of the Court is a party tennis match, featuring few-points long matches: the loser leaves the court, another player takes their place: who wins the final match is the winner.
Online game modes are Player Match, World Tour, 2K Open.
Player match consists in a single game, just as offline exhibition. Playing doubles requires 4 players, and each pair is demanded to be playing together physically.
World Tour is a competition that imitates real ATP pro circuit for which created players only can be used. There is a weekly, and an all-time ranking, male and female competitions are separated, and the choice to change one's player means previous statistics be erased.
2K Open features matches lasting 3 sets of 3 games each (last set is a super tie-break, a tie-break won at 10 points); pro players only can be used. There is an all-time ranking specific to this mode.
Parameters determining player performance are: Forehand, Backhand, Serve, Volley, Power, Stamina, Speed, Reflexes. All players have special skills (3 for pro players, up to 2 for created ones) such as Diesel Serve (serve gets better proceeding in a game), Reach Swings Expert (hardly-reached balls are returned better than other players would), Poisoned Slice, No Mercy, and others.
Male pro players are: Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, Murray, Roddick, Davydenko, Simon, Blake, Wawrinka, Tomic, Agassi, Sampras, Borg, Becker, Courier, Rafter, Chang and Lendl. Female professionals are: Serena Williams, Wozniachi, Ivanovic, Safina, Jankovic, Zvonareva, Bouchard.
The game is compatible with PlayStation Move and supports stereoscopic 3D on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Wii version controls are rearranged to focus on Wii Remote's motion-sensing feature.
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