Sports games seem to be too regular and too similar nowadays, so when 2K announced Top Spin 4 many people were naturally skeptical about it and wondered what exactly would it add? Unlike other sports games such as FIFA and NFL, there has been a three year gap between Top Spin 4 and 3 so one would assume a fair bit has been changed, but what can 2K add to an already highly refined game genre already?
The first and most important thing that has been improved is the tutorial and training modes. When you first load up the game you'll be taken through the basics slowly and taught everything you need to know. This helps as in the past it would teach you the minimal basics then throw you into the deep end which would then lead to frustration. The tutorial shows you all of the game's components which can be visited if and when you like. During your training you'll notice on screen indications about your shot. For example if you click and hold 'A' too long then it will say 'Too Early' or 'Too Late' - this will allow you to learn the timing of your shots whilst playing, and what power you should use in certain situations. This allows you to learn 'on the job' which makes the game much more enjoyable.
With such detailed training and on screen aids you wonder if they could have improved anything else in the game? Well they have! Player animations have been beefed up considerably providing a natural flow to the game resulting in an incredibly realistic looking experience. Your player will flow exactly to your button commands which gives a much more responsive feel than what you would've got in previous games.
The balance of players has been done considerably better, even though the top players are in the game there is no one best player. Each player has their own strengths and weaknesses. A strong hitter will stand at the base and smack it from side to side to tire you out, so to counter this you should use slice shots which go nearer to the net. Using these tactics and abit of skill will allow you to beat almost anyone.
Bearing in mind that you'll have to try and counter your opponents style, if you don't then you will be getting into a downward spiral. If you're being given the run around by your opponent your stamina will shoot down pretty quickly. As it depletes your player will become less effective therefore making it much harder to win the match. Even though at first this may seem like the game is being overly tough on you, but in fact it simply wants you to play smart.
Your created player can be used in any mode, and every match you play will earn you XP for your character. This then expands to the online mode in which you can take your created player onto online tournaments and matches where you can earn ranking points, to rank yourself in Top Spin's very own live world ranking system. It is effectively just a leaderboard but has been set out much like a real tennis leaderboard, adding a subtle layer of authenticity for any tennis fan.
The main mode you'll be using your created superstar in however is the career mode. You start off as a rookie player competing in minor tournaments and will be working yourself up the ranks in different stages. The main goal is to become number 1 but you can do this in many different ways. Every match you complete in will give you experience points in relation to how well you played, how well you timed your shots and what the score difference was. With this XP you can then go into the stats booster and assign them to serve & volley, backhand, forehand or any other aspect of your player you wish to, which as a result will then make them more powerful in that field.
Another way to improve your player, and possibly the most effective and enjoyable way, is training games. You can enter these training games in the months on the calender whilst waiting to compete in the tournaments. These challenges can be anything from footwork to volleying, and is normally conducted with you and a tennis ball machine which gives you plenty of practice in all aspects of tennis. You will be given a task to do within a certain time and if this is performed well your skills will benefit as a result. These are completely different to XP stats but benefit your player in the same way as you increase your skill.
As you progress through the career mode you'll encounter tougher challenges as the opponents you face get increasingly harder. Each tier of skill for your character will dictate whether you are still playing in small tournaments or entering the major tournaments. Not only that but it will also dictate what kind of challenges you have available and what XPs you will be getting. This sounds all well and good but really it gets extremely repetitive after a while of playing facing the same person in the same match format doing the same challenges for a long while. It certainly feels like you'll have to be a big tennis fan who enjoys to just play no matter what to progress well in the career mode.
Online mode is great, and the local co-op modes are a fantastic addition. Being able to play your friend in the same room whilst gaining XP for your created tennis superstars makes this game one of, if not the best, tennis game we've ever seen. The best mode on this local multiplayer is king of the court where you'll play a single quick match and the winner stays on. This is a great way to entertain a group of friends with just 2 controllers and is a great laugh. They've really thought about the social side of the game and have come up with some near genius ideas to keep all audiences satisfied.
Despite not being a massive jump from the previous title, Top Spin 4 improves on its predecessor in every way. Allowing new players to get into the game due to the accessability of the training modes makes it a much better proposition to new gamers, but there is still the deep mechanics that core gamers will be expecting. The career mode is still very generic and won't pull you in like an in-depth story mode could, but it's still fun to play. Any tennis fan should think about picking this game up as it's the genre's best experience to date.
Top Spin 4 Gets An Official Game-Pad 8.1/10
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