PlayStation 2

Top Spin

Top Spin on the Xbox was something of a revelation; much more in depth than SEGA’s Virtua Tennis with more shots, a complex but exciting career mode and online play. The graphics were as sweet as a nut, a cool “In The Zone” meter kept the mentalities of the players swinging about by offering ways back into matches and crowds booed and cheered. So what’s new for players owning a PS2?

This is pretty much the exact same game that was released for the Xbox under the late, but not particularly lamented, XSN Sports acquired Top Spin, PS2 players can now experience what I still feel is the best tennis sim on the market. Not much has been lost in the translation (EyeToy support for character creation has been added), but the graphics have taken a considerable hit in the porting process. Also, load times seem to be worse. However, the fluid control and excellent career and online modes are still in, making this a great purchase for any PS2 tennis fan.

It seems that 2K Sports has managed to crank out some spectacular sports titles this year with their stellar NBA 2K6 game and the magnificence that is NHL 2K6. Joining their ranks is Top Spin; a game released awhile back on the Xbox and now finds it lighting up the PS2. While the Xbox game was gorgeous to look at and played decently enough, the new PS2 version is simply a game tennis fans will not want to put down.

Top Spin might be a stop gap for 2K Sports while it finishes up Top Spin 2 for the Xbox 360. Or it could simply be a way to expand the brand name to a new audience. And for what it is, a port, it does the job for Playstation 2 Tennis fans. It's definately the best PS2 Tennis game out there. But if you already own the Xbox game there's really no reason to switch. Still, just as solid a game as I remember it to be, and it's worthy of a look for PS2 owners.

Si cette version PS2 de Top Spin était sortie il y a deux ans, en même temps que l'opus Xbox, elle aurait pu faire bien meilleure impression. Aujourd'hui, on se retrouve avec un portage non optimisé et dépourvu de réelles nouveautés. Le soft perd beaucoup de sa superbe et aura par conséquent du mal à rivaliser avec l'excellence d'un Smash Court Tennis Pro Tournament 2. Les deux écoles sont toutefois très différentes, et Top Spin demeure une alternative intéressante pour ceux qui recherchent un titre à la fois accessible et spectaculaire.

Nearly two years ago, Microsoft released the critically acclaimed Top Spin as part of its XSN online sports lineup. The tennis title was often compared to Sega's Virtua Tennis for multiple reasons, one of them being its tight, responsive, easy to learn, and most importantly, fun gameplay. While the Dreamcast's Virtua Tennis still retains the title of Best Tennis Game Ever around the IGN offices, it's no doubt that Top Spin is still the best tennis game the Xbox has seen thus far.

Deja-vu is always an unsettling experience, but even more so when you’ve just shelled out for a “new” game. While it’s obviously too much to ask that every game is a totally new experience, repackaging old stuff and pushing it out years later just can’t be right. Yet that’s exactly what’s been done here.

When it originally appeared on the Xbox in late 2003, Top Spin was a bit of a revelation. Sure, at its core Top Spin was basically just a Virtua Tennis knockoff, but it was a good Virtua Tennis knockoff. It was also the first tennis game to appear on the Xbox, as well as the first console tennis game to feature online play. After two years and a change of management, Top Spin has arrived on the PlayStation 2. The gameplay still pops, and the career mode still has plenty to offer, but it's just not as exciting. The amount of solid competition on the PS2 has something to do with it, but mostly this just feels like a half-hearted translation.

Top Spin PS2 has come across quite well but really, if you have both consoles, then the Xbox version is the better bet. Overall it’s better, has a better online structure and is in the bargain bin price range by now. The updates to the PS2 version are only minimal. However, if you only have a PS2 and are hankering for tennis action then you won't find much better than this.

When we last saw Top Spin, the title was Microsoft’s first and only tennis game on the Xbox, and was highly praised as one of a select few titles that could come close to the genre’s king, Sega’s Virtua Tennis series. The game looked sharp, played sharp, and had Anna Kournikova as a cover girl. Not too shabby.

Tennis games seem to share the same niche popularity as soccer games, which means they are often very hard to find in stores, but those who really want them can usually get their hands on a copy. Back in the glory days of the Xbox there was a little game called Top Spin that gave gamers a pretty good taste of the sport. Now, 23 months to the day, the PS2 finally gets around to seeing a port of this title, just about the same time the new Top Spin sequel is about to hit the Xbox 360.

Top spin on the PlayStation 2 is a perfectly playable tennis game, but it has lost much of the sheen that gave the Xbox game that something extra. If you must play tennis online on your PlayStation 2, Top spin is your best option, but Virtua Tennis might be a better choice for everyone else.

Top Spin has just about the deepest gameplay you'll find in the sport. Every face button executes a different shot. The addition of risk shots/serves and spin control add an exciting element to play -- but you have to stop the cursor in the right place to reap the rewards. This depth is a bit of a double-edged sword, however, as it keeps Top Spin from being as accessible as Virtua Tennis -- or Sega Sports Tennis as it was known in its one PS2 release.

Forrest Gump may disagree, but a video game port is also like a box of chocolates--you never quite know what you are going to get. Two years ago, which is an eon in the game industry, Top Spin was released on Xbox to critical acclaim. It featured professional players, including the lovely but questionably skilled Anna Kournikova, a career mode, online play, and more importantly, intuitive controls. One would expect the subsequent PlayStation 2 port to feature adequate graphics, more professionals, and improved options. Alas, Top Spin on the PlayStation 2 is like a raspberry cream when you’re expecting to bite into a luscious caramel; it’s an unwelcome surprise with an aftertaste that sticks with you for hours.