Top Spin 3 - WiiTalk

danhirons · 20-06-2008, 03:15 PM

Finally got to give the game a decent blast this afternoon.

Right, well the graphics are very average. The crowd looks fairly blurry - like ps2 graphics and the in game play doesn't look that great. I'd say they are decent ps2 graphics - as are the cut-scenes in between points.

The controls are fairly good. They work well and most of the time you can do the certain shot you want to. It also feels quite good and realistic using the controls as you do in the game. However, occasionally it does a top-spin shot when you want to do a slice shot. But this might just to be to do with my poor technique as I haven't been playing the game for that long. Overall the controls are fairly good.

The game however, seems very short on content. There is a serious lack of online play which means you might play this game for a week and then quite easily get bored. There also doesn't seem to be that many tournaments or that many players. This renders it very short of gameplay. Also the mini-games seem pretty pointless and don't appeal to me at all. All they are are normal games of tennis but then it just counts the winner at the end by scoring them in a number of different catergories.

So in conclusion I wouldn't advise getting the game just yet unless if you love tennis or love tennis games. Instead wait for it to become cheaper because of its shortage of content. It is clearly the best tennis game as it is virtually the only one and if you loved wii sports tennis then you will love this.

Graphics: 6.5
Controls: 8
Gameplay: 5

Overall: 6.5 (would have been an 8.5 or a 9 if it had decent online play)

FooFan · 20-06-2008, 03:21 PM

Can I ask a bit more about the controls? I.E What they are?

Also, previous versions of Top Spin have had a Career mode, is this present in the Wii version? Please don't tell me they replaced it with Mini-games

danhirons · 21-06-2008, 07:34 AM

Yeah you do have a career mode - doesn't look terribly long though and the starting opponents are so easy to beat!

The controls are basically:
- top spin: swing wii remote down and then upwards towards the tv
- back spin: swing remote up then down towards the tv
- drop shot: z button + drop shot
- lob: z button + top spin shot
- dont know what a smash is yet - not sure if there even is a smash
- at the net you just push the remote left or right to put your racket to the ball and then either put top spin or back spin on it

They're pretty responsive but don't work 100% of the time - but maybe this is just my poor technique at the start of the game.

To serve you press c to catch the ball then can just have a basic serve by pressing z or you can swing your wii remote upwards and then smash the ball like in a normal serve. However, you have to get your timing right or else the ball will hit the net or go long. The serving controls are very good on this game.

I am going to hopefully play this game lots and if you're not put off by the no online and loved wii sports tennis then defo get this.

danhirons · 21-06-2008, 07:35 AM

Oh nearly forgot. Another downside with the game is that you can't create your own player - you have to do the career with a professional player.

SourKraut · 21-06-2008, 08:43 AM

danhirons,
Thanks for putting a review on here...I love the Wii Sports tennis but find that you cannot make different shots other than hitting the ball early, so was hoping Top Spin would give you much more freedom - shame its short though, so like you say, I may wait till its cheaper

danhirons · 21-06-2008, 11:16 AM

It's a real shame about this game because the gameplay and controls are superb. But the lack of online play and the career - well if you can call it that, it's a series of mini competitions and games - really makes this game not worth £30. Plus the opponents aren't that hard - just beat the hardest character easily and I've only played it for about an hour!

Jordinator · 21-06-2008, 01:23 PM

I swear everyone was hyping it up because of the online play. It seems another hyped game, is looking pretty crap. Times like this, I wished I bought a 360

Hardcastle · 21-06-2008, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jordinator

I swear everyone was hyping it up because of the online play. It seems another hyped game, is looking pretty crap. Times like this, I wished I bought a 360

Yeah don't worry, Im sure noone will make that mistake with TNA Impact...

OH.

Chappers · 21-06-2008, 04:50 PM

Wish I had read this before I purchased this game today. I feel annoyed about the lack of a proper career mode as this should be the whole point of any game like this.

When reading a review about the game before it came out it seemed to suggest that their would be a career mode which would see you play in tournements, but this is not the case

Gameplay is okay but I can see me being sick of this game very quickly.

danhirons · 23-06-2008, 10:23 AM

It's a real shame about this game because after playing it a bit more I have realised how excellent the controls are. It's a pity the gameplay is so short, there is no online mode, party games are rubbish, computer opponents are very easy to beat and there is no chance to create your own player + the graphics of the crowd are very poor - ps1 standard.