Top Spin (video game)

Last updated

Top Spin
TopSpin front-1-.jpg
Developer(s) PAM Development
Indie Games
Publisher(s) Microsoft Game Studios (Xbox)
2K (PlayStation 2)
Atari Europe [1] (PC)
Platform(s) Xbox
Microsoft Windows
PlayStation 2
Release
October 28, 2003
  • Xbox
    • NA: October 28, 2003 [2]
    • EU: November 7, 2003
    Microsoft Windows
    • EU: November 10, 2004
    PlayStation 2
    • NA: September 26, 2005
    • EU: October 21, 2005
Genre(s) Sports
Mode(s) Single-player, Multiplayer

Top Spin is a 2003 tennis video game developed by PAM Development and Indie Games and published by Microsoft Game Studios for the Xbox, later published by Atari Europe for PC in 2004 and by 2K for the PlayStation 2 in 2005. It is a simulation tennis game in which players compete in singles and doubles tennis matches and exhibition tournaments. Gameplay modes include a career mode in which players develop skills and rise through the ranks of an international league. Top Spin featured an expanded control scheme compared to its contemporaries, [3] and introduced several innovations including 'risk shots', in which players can execute more difficult serves and shots.

Contents

Top Spin was developed as a partnership between French company PAM Development and Microsoft Game Studio's Salt Lake subsidiary Indie Games, with the aim of creating a more realistic and accessible simulation tennis game. The developers modelled the game on the design of previous console tennis titles including Virtua Tennis . Top Spin was developed to take advantage of the online capabilities of Xbox Live, with the game released as part of the XSN Sports brand and supported expanded online features.

Upon release, the Xbox version of Top Spin received generally favorable reviews, with praise directed to the game's intuitive and accessible control scheme and graphical fidelity, with some critiques of the limitations of the game's career mode. The PlayStation 2 port of the game received mixed reviews, with attention directed to the reduced quality of the game's graphics. Following release, Top Spin received several sequels, with Top Spin 2 released in 2006.

Gameplay

Top Spin recreates typical tennis play, allowing for various tennis shots to be executed. Top Spin Xbox Gameplay.png
Top Spin recreates typical tennis play, allowing for various tennis shots to be executed.

Top Spin is a simulation tennis game that recreates single and double tennis matches and exhibition tournaments, in which players compete against a computer or other players in either local or online matches. Players can perform several tennis shots using different controls for flat, top spin, slice, and lob swings. Serves are executed using a 'power meter' that affects the speed of the shot. Players can also use the trigger buttons to perform a 'risk shot', which is more difficult to execute. If the player is able to land the shot in the center of the meter, their shot will be harder to return. The chances of success of a risk shot are increased by an 'In the Zone' meter, which increases as the player wins games throughout the course of a match. [4] [5]

Top Spin features several game modes. In 'Exhibition' mode, players can create customized matches by selecting one of sixteen playable professional players or a custom character, [3] and set the match as a men's and women's singles or doubles match, the number of games per set, sets per match, and a range of venues categorized from small courts to Grand Slam facilities. [5] In 'Career' mode, the player is able to create a custom character with a create-a-player interface to rise through the ranks of an international tennis league. In the career mode, the player is able to compete in tournaments, seek sponsorship from companies, and complete minigames in training sessions that improve the performance of the player in skills, including player precision and the ability to return serves, swings and risk shots. [4] Players progress by winning 'coin' from tournaments and sponsorship challenges, allowing them to pay for training sessions and purchase new cosmetic upgrades. The game's tournaments, taking place across the globe, feature an increasing level of difficulty, from 'Minor Pro' to 'Grand Slam' tournaments, with the player increasing in a global ranking based on their performance in tournaments. [5]

Top Spin features local system link play and online multiplayer play for up to four players. The Xbox version of the game featured enhanced online features under Xbox Live as part of the XSN Sports series. Online matches included 'Exhibition' matches that were identical to local matches that did not affect the player's online ranking, and allowed the player to specify the desired type of match, venue and difficulty of competitors. 'Official' matches, supported by XSN Sports, allowed players to participate in matches with their custom character against a global ranking for official tournaments. Players were able to use the XSN Sports website to monitor leaderboards and game schedules, and record and share detailed performance statistics, including the player's ranking, rating, skills and career data. [3] [5]

Development

Top Spin was developed by a partnership between French developer PAM Development and Indie Games, the Salt Lake City division of Microsoft Game Studios. Indie Games had previous experience with developing sports Xbox titles, including Amped: Freestyle Snowboarding and the Links series of golf titles. Program manager Matthew Seymour stated that Top Spin was conceived as an Xbox competitor to the Virtua Tennis and Mario Tennis series, with the desire to create an "immersive tennis game" that "would also have in-depth and realistic tactical elements" absent in contemporary tennis titles. The developers experimented with several control schemes in creating the game's control scheme, settling on a "balance between ease of play and depth" by creating a series of 'safe' and 'risk' shots to introduce a tactical element "to make it true to (the) sport". [6]

Top Spin was released by Microsoft Game Studios under the branding of XSN Sports, a series launched in 2003 following the launch of Xbox Live in the previous year with enhanced online capabilities for sports games, including for players to set up leagues, build tournaments and review data on the website. [7] The game was supported by a roster of sixteen professional players, including Tommy Robredo, Jan-Michael Gambill and Michael Chang, [8] with the cover of the Xbox version featuring Lleyton Hewitt, [9] and the PlayStation 2 version featuring Roger Federer and Maria Sharapova. [10] Motion capture technology was used to create a realistic likeness of the players and animate their movements. [11]

Reception

According to review aggregator Metacritic, the Xbox version of 'Top Spin received "generally favorable reviews" and the PlayStation 2 version received "mixed or average reviews". [13] [12] Several critics praised the Xbox version of the game as the best tennis simulation of its generation and a superior successor to Virtua Tennis , [14] [15] [18] with GameSpot describing the game as "the most well-rounded, feature-rich game of tennis to be found anywhere, on any system," [4] and GameSpy assessing the game as the "best arcade tennis game to date". [22]

Reviewers generally praised the game's accessible control scheme and learning curve. Electronic Gaming Monthly praised the game's "easy access", writing that "the game's intuitive controls mean anyone can pick up the controller and play competitively." [14] GameZone found the controls of the game to be accessible and player-friendly, whilst "evolving" in difficulty and presenting a challenge for players of all skill levels. [24] GamePro similarly described the gameplay as "responding intuitively and naturally right from the start", whilst noting the game "has its own quirks", such as power-up shorts and serves being "more challenging than they should be." [18] GameSpy praised the "smooth and accessible" gameplay and "wide variety of shots", but critiqued the game's risk shots as "not implemented well and too difficult to pull off in comparison to normal strokes". [22]

Critics praised the game's visual presentation and animations. Describing the visuals as "eye-catching" and "one of the game's best features", GamePro praised the game's "slick" camera. [18] Game Revolution highlighted the game's graphics, writing that the players "look great and move smoothly and accurately" and commending the realism of the courts and crowd animations. [19] GameSpot wrote that "the look of the game is unmatched", particularly its "realistically rendered" courts, "clean and realistic" lighting and "fluid" player animations. [4] GameSpy similarly praised the game's "sharp-looking courts" and "gorgeous character models". [22] Game Informer expressed that the game's graphics easily surpassed its predecessors in the genre. [17]

Reviewers also praised the inclusion and implementation of online play. GameSpot wrote that the inclusion of Xbox Live support put the game "head and shoulders above the competition", praising the "good number of play options" and XSN Sports features. [4] IGN similarly highlighted the online features for their "leaderboards" and "number of opponents available for play", although wished "some original modes like point challenges" to "make the online component even more fun". [3] Hyper praised the game as an "integral part" of the XSN Sports lineup, stating "it's pretty obvious that multiplayer is what this game as built for." [27]

Critics expressed mixed views on the design of the career mode. Assessing that the "career mode could use a bit of beefing up", IGN described the mode as "competent and enjoyable", but lacked the "great mini-games" of Virtua Tennis . [3] Eurogamer noted the career mode "could have been a lot better", citing the limited tournament pool of sixteen players and "lack of real competitions". [15] GamePro commented that the pacing of the career mode was "a bit off as it's easy to train up your player too quickly." [18] Despite finding the career mode to offer a "good amount of entertainment", Game Revolution critiqued the game's skills system and training sessions as not "very thrilling", and the cash system to be "sort of useless" in its use to purchase cosmetic upgrades. [19] Game Informer considered the career mode to have a "distinct lack of star power" due to its the absence of major tennis stars and real-world venues. [17]

The PlayStation 2 port of Top Spin received less favorable reviews due to the reduced graphics. IGN noted that whilst the PlayStation title was "wholly the same" as the Xbox release, "its presence on the PlayStation 2 is marred a bit by the PS2's lesser hardware". [25] GameSpy similarly wrote that the "excellent animation, lively arenas, (and) lighting" on the original release were "not to be found" on the PlayStation 2 version, with the character models being "just not good", the audience animations being "especially horrid", and the "graphics (hurting) the actual play". [21] Describing the game as a "half-hearted translation", GameSpot dismissed the "bland visuals" of the port and "dumbed down" character models, also faulting the game's "slow" transitions between menus and loading times. [20]

Accolades

The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences at the 7th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards nominated Top Spin for "Console Sports Simulation Game of the Year", which was ultimately awarded to Madden NFL 2004 . [28]

Related Research Articles

<i>Soulcalibur II</i> 2002 video game

Soulcalibur II is a 2002 fighting game developed by Project Soul and published by Namco and the third installment in the Soulcalibur series of weapon-based fighting games. It is the sequel to Soulcalibur, which was released in July 1998. Originally intended to be released on Sega's NAOMI board, the game was released on the Namco System 246 arcade board before being ported to the PlayStation 2, GameCube, and Xbox in 2003.

<i>Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2</i> 2002 video game

Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 is a 2002 racing video game, the sixth installment in the Need for Speed series and the sequel to 1998's Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit. It was developed by EA Black Box for the PlayStation 2, and by EA Seattle for GameCube, Xbox, and Microsoft Windows. It features cars from various high-performance and exotic car manufacturers. Players can compete in races using these cars, or opt to play as a police officer and pursue speeders.

<i>Virtua Tennis 2</i> 2001 sports video game

Virtua Tennis 2, known as Tennis 2K2 in North America and Power Smash 2 in Japan, is a sequel to Virtua Tennis that was released for the Sega Dreamcast, Sega NAOMI arcade unit and Sony's PlayStation 2 in 2001–2002. New features included the ability to slice and play as female players such as Monica Seles, Serena Williams, Venus Williams and Lindsay Davenport and the males such as Patrick Rafter, Magnus Norman, Thomas Enqvist and Carlos Moyá and mixed doubles matches. The game was created and produced by Hitmaker, with Acclaim Entertainment publishing it in Europe for the PS2. This was the last Virtua Tennis game to be released for the Dreamcast following its discontinuation.

<i>SSX 3</i> 2003 snowboarding video game by EA Canada

SSX 3 is a snowboarding video game developed by EA Canada and published by Electronic Arts under the EA Sports BIG label. The game was originally released on October 21, 2003, for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and GameCube. It was later ported to the Game Boy Advance by Visual Impact on November 11, 2003, and to the Gizmondo by Exient Entertainment on August 31, 2005, as a launch title. It is the third installment in the SSX series.

<i>Burnout 2: Point of Impact</i> 2002 video game

Burnout 2: Point of Impact is a 2002 racing video game developed by Criterion Games and published by Acclaim Entertainment for PlayStation 2, GameCube and Xbox. It is the sequel to the 2001 video game Burnout and the second title in the Burnout series. It was the last Burnout game to be released on the GameCube and the series would not see a release on a Nintendo platform until the release of Burnout Legends in 2005. The game also marked Acclaim's last entry in the Burnout series, as Acclaim would go bankrupt in 2004; the rest of the series would be published by Electronic Arts.

<i>Madden NFL 2003</i> 2002 video game

Madden NFL 2003 is an American football simulation video game based on the NFL that was developed by EA Tiburon and Budcat Creations and published by EA Sports. The 14th installment of the Madden NFL series, the game features former St. Louis Rams running back Marshall Faulk on the cover. This edition of Madden was the first to have EA Trax, the Mini Camp mode, and to feature Al Michaels as play-by-play announcer, who took over for Pat Summerall. Although it featured the expansion Houston Texans and the relocation of the Seattle Seahawks to the NFC, it was actually the second to do so. The game was released on August 12, 2002 for the Game Boy Advance, GameCube, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation, PlayStation 2 and Xbox. The PlayStation version also includes the Sega Genesis version of John Madden Football 93.

<i>NBA 2K6</i> 2005 video game

NBA 2K6 is a 2005 basketball simulation video game developed by Visual Concepts and published by 2K. It is the seventh installment in the NBA 2K franchise and the successor to ESPN NBA 2K5. It was released in 2005 for PlayStation 2, Xbox, and Xbox 360. Shaquille O'Neal of the Miami Heat is the cover athlete of the game. NBA 2K6 is the predecessor to NBA 2K7 in the NBA 2K series and is the first NBA 2K title to be released by 2K Sports. This is the first game in the series to be released for the Xbox 360.

<i>Battle Engine Aquila</i> 2003 video game

Battle Engine Aquila is a 2003 video game for PlayStation 2 and Xbox developed by Lost Toys and published by Infogrames Europe. In the game the player pilots the Battle Engine for the Forseti military in their wars against the Muspell to decide who will rule what's left of the world. Battle Engine Aquila received little attention from the public despite overall good reviews from critics. It was listed as #86 in the Top 100 Games for PlayStation 2 by IGN. A later Microsoft Windows port was published by Encore Software.

<i>Test Drive Unlimited</i> 2006 video game

Test Drive Unlimited is a 2006 racing video game developed by Eden Games and published by Atari for Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows. Atari Melbourne House developed the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable versions. Being the eighteenth entry in the Test Drive series, Unlimited serves as a reboot of the franchise, discarding the continuity of the previous games. The game features over 125 licensed sports cars and motorcycles and the terrain is modeled after the Hawaiian island of Oʻahu that features over 1,000 miles (1,600 km) of roads and highways.

<i>NASCAR Thunder 2003</i> 2003 Racing simulator video game developed by EA Sports and Budcat Creations

NASCAR Thunder 2003 is the sixth edition of the EA Sports' NASCAR racing simulator series. Developed by EA Sports and Budcat Creations and published by Electronic Arts. It was released for PlayStation, PlayStation 2, GameCube, and Xbox on September 19, 2002, and for Microsoft Windows on October 16. The product features Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the cover. It was the first time the NASCAR's Most Popular Driver Award recipient was featured on the cover, although he did not win the award for the first time until the following year. Dale Earnhardt appeared in the game as a driver as a result of entering his name as a Create-A-Car driver's name; he did not appear in the previous game due to his death. He appeared as a legend in subsequent games.

<i>Sega Soccer Slam</i> 2002 video game

Sega Soccer Slam, also known as simply Soccer Slam, is a sports game released for GameCube, Xbox, and PlayStation 2 in 2002.

<i>NBA Ballers</i> 2004 video game

NBA Ballers is a 2004 streetball simulation video game developed and published by Midway. The game features fictional NBA analyst Bob Benson and MC Supernatural as the commentators. A majority of the moves in the game were from amateur basketball players, who provided some of their moves for the game. Stephon Marbury is on the cover.

<i>Virtua Tennis 3</i> 2006 sports video game

Virtua Tennis 3, known in Japan as Sega Professional Tennis: Power Smash 3, is the second arcade game sequel to Sega's tennis game franchise, Virtua Tennis. The arcade version of Virtua Tennis 3 is powered by the PC-based Sega Lindbergh arcade system board. Ports for the PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation Portable and PlayStation 3 consoles are also available with a traditional collection of tennis minigames that the home versions of Virtua Tennis are known for. In 2009, Sega updated and re-created Virtua Tennis 3 in Virtua Tennis 2009.

<i>RalliSport Challenge 2</i> 2004 video game

RalliSport Challenge 2 is a rally racing video game developed by Digital Illusions CE and published by Microsoft Game Studios for the Xbox in 2004. Released as a sequel to the 2002 video game RalliSport Challenge, the game introduced several new features, including a career mode, additional cars, and track types with new environments, including night driving and ice racing. Digital Illusions CE developed RalliSport Challenge 2 as a completely new approach from its predecessor, with the developers aiming to create a more realistic and diverse simulation of rally racing by introducing added environmental effects and an improved car damage and handling model.

<i>Top Spin 3</i> 2008 video game

Top Spin 3 is the third title in the Top Spin series of video games. The game was developed by PAM Development and published by 2K. New game elements include real-time weather effects, more options of professional tennis players, an in-depth character creation tool and new unparalleled gameplay mechanics. It also features impressive advancements in an audio/visual sense with improved Dolby Digital surround sound and "Evolutionary" visuals. Top Spin 4 was released as a sequel about three years later.

<i>Sega Superstars Tennis</i> 2008 sports video game

Sega Superstars Tennis is a sports video game developed by Sumo Digital and published by Sega. It is the second title in the Sega All-Stars series, preceded by Sega Superstars (2004), and crosses over characters, locations, and soundtracks from several Sega franchises, including Sonic the Hedgehog, Space Channel 5, and Super Monkey Ball.

<i>NBA 2K8</i> 2007 basketball video game

NBA 2K8 is a 2007 basketball simulation video game developed by Visual Concepts and published by 2K and Spike. It is the ninth installment in the NBA 2K franchise and the successor to NBA 2K7. It was released in 2007 for PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360. Chris Paul of the New Orleans Hornets is the cover athlete of the game. NBA 2K8 is the predecessor to NBA 2K9 in the NBA 2K series.

<i>Star Wars: Battlefront</i> (2004 video game) 2004 action shooter video game

Star Wars: Battlefront is a 2004 first and third-person shooter video game based on the Star Wars film franchise. Developed by Pandemic Studios and published by LucasArts, it is the first game in the Star Wars: Battlefront series. It was released on September 21, 2004, for PlayStation 2, Xbox and Microsoft Windows to coincide the release of the Star Wars Trilogy DVD set. It is also available for purchase on both the Xbox 360 and Xbox One through their backwards compatibility features. Aspyr released a Mac OS X port in July 2005, and a cellular phone version, Star Wars Battlefront Mobile, was released November 1, 2005. A sequel, Star Wars: Battlefront II, was released on November 1, 2005, for Windows, Xbox, PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable. The game is primarily played as a conquest game, however other modes such as Galactic Conquest bring strategy elements to the title.

<i>UEFA Euro 2004</i> (video game) 2004 video game

UEFA Euro 2004 is the official licensed video game of UEFA Euro 2004 football tournament hosted in Portugal. The game was developed by EA Canada and published by EA Sports. It was released for Microsoft Windows, Xbox and PlayStation 2.

<i>EA Sports F1 2001</i> 2001 video game

F1 2001 is a racing video game developed by Image Space Incorporated for the Microsoft Windows version and EA UK for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox version and published by EA Sports for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2 and Xbox. It is based on the 2001 Formula One season. A port for GameCube was planned, but cancelled for unknown reasons, and eventually released with minor changes as F1 2002. A Game Boy Color version was also cancelled during development.

References

  1. "Atari announces Top Spin for the PC". Archived from the original on February 8, 2022. Retrieved February 8, 2022.
  2. Justin Calvert (October 28, 2003). "Microsoft serves up Top Spin". GameSpot . CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on January 9, 2018. Retrieved January 14, 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Kaiser Hwang (October 29, 2003). "Top Spin (Xbox)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on February 10, 2018. Retrieved January 14, 2018.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Ryan Davis (October 31, 2003). "Top Spin Review (Xbox)". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on January 9, 2018. Retrieved January 14, 2018.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Top Spin: Game Manual. Microsoft Game Studios. 2003. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
  6. "Top Spin Q&A". GameSpot. October 27, 2003. Archived from the original on August 6, 2023. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
  7. Hong, Quang (August 28, 2003). "Microsoft Debuts XSN Sports". Game Developer. Archived from the original on August 27, 2021. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
  8. Varanini, Giancarlo (March 10, 2003). "Partial Top Spin roster revealed". GameSpot. Archived from the original on August 7, 2023. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
  9. Calvert, Justin (March 11, 2003). "Top Spin gets Lleyton Hewitt". GameSpot. Archived from the original on August 7, 2023. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
  10. "Federer, Sharapova share Top Spin cover". GameSpot. July 12, 2005. Archived from the original on August 7, 2023. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
  11. Robinson, Jon (November 21, 2003). "Lleyton Hewitt: Top Spin Interview". GameSpot. Archived from the original on August 7, 2023. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
  12. 1 2 "Top Spin for PlayStation 2 Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on January 16, 2018. Retrieved January 14, 2018.
  13. 1 2 "Top Spin for Xbox Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on January 14, 2018. Retrieved January 14, 2018.
  14. 1 2 3 Greg Sewart; Bryan Intihar; Andrew Pfister (December 2003). "Top Spin (Xbox)". Electronic Gaming Monthly . No. 173. Ziff Davis. p. 228. Archived from the original on December 5, 2003. Retrieved December 30, 2019.
  15. 1 2 3 Ronan Jennings (November 11, 2003). "Top Spin (Xbox)". Eurogamer . Gamer Network. Archived from the original on December 30, 2019. Retrieved December 30, 2019.
  16. Matt Helgeson (November 2005). "Top Spin (PS2)". Game Informer . No. 151. GameStop. p. 161.
  17. 1 2 3 Matt Helgeson (November 2003). "Top Spin (Xbox)". Game Informer. No. 127. GameStop. p. 167. Archived from the original on August 18, 2007. Retrieved December 30, 2019.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 Air Hendrix (October 30, 2003). "Top Spin Review for Xbox on GamePro.com". GamePro . IDG Entertainment. Archived from the original on February 9, 2005. Retrieved December 30, 2019.
  19. 1 2 3 Ben Silverman (November 2003). "Top Spin Review (Xbox)". Game Revolution . CraveOnline. Archived from the original on April 19, 2004. Retrieved December 30, 2019.
  20. 1 2 Ryan Davis (October 13, 2005). "Top Spin Review (PS2)". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on January 9, 2018. Retrieved January 14, 2018.
  21. 1 2 Justin Leeper (October 7, 2005). "GameSpy: Top Spin (PS2)". GameSpy . IGN Entertainment. Archived from the original on December 12, 2005. Retrieved December 30, 2019.
  22. 1 2 3 4 Raymond Padilla (November 1, 2003). "GameSpy: Top Spin (Xbox)". GameSpy. IGN Entertainment. Archived from the original on April 4, 2023. Retrieved December 30, 2019.
  23. Angelina Sandoval (October 13, 2005). "Top Spin - PS2 - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on October 5, 2008. Retrieved December 30, 2019.
  24. 1 2 Michael Lafferty (October 21, 2003). "Top Spin - XB - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on February 29, 2008. Retrieved December 30, 2019.
  25. 1 2 Chris Roper (September 27, 2005). "Top Spin (PS2)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on January 10, 2018. Retrieved January 14, 2018.
  26. "Top Spin". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine . No. 100. Ziff Davis. January 2006. p. 91.
  27. Shea, Cam (December 2003). "Top Spin". Hyper. No. 122. Next Media. pp. 48–49. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
  28. "Nominations Announced for 7th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards". GameZone. Archived from the original on January 9, 2023. Retrieved August 24, 2023.