More Than a Tennis Game
posted by xboxgames (MIAMI, FL) May 7, 2010
Member since Dec 2007
Top Spin (or Top Spin #1) for those aware that there are three of them, is the only Top Spin worth playing and perhaps the best tennis game yet created; however, it was created for the original XBOX and it is not compatible with the XBOX360.
More than a mindless "hit the ball if you can game," Top Spin #1 is also in many ways an RPG in that you fully build a career that feels real, earn money you can really use, create your character to perfection and have a real selection of items to purchase with the money won in your tournaments- and more, it gives the player a feel of how famous you are truly becoming as you approach the top player's spot: you are invited to special benefit tournaments at special private courts and your character has a variety of physical and facial expressions not offered in other tennis games.
Easy to learn, highly playable and addictive, Top Spin #1 shines while the latest lukewarm attempts at the new versions for the XBOX360 fall short in every respect. For example Top Spin #3 is virtually unplayable in that is so complicated than even the programers themselves would use the CD as a frisbee after 20 hours of frustrated attempts at playing it. Both Top Spin #2 and #3 do not even come close to the variety of courts offered on Top Spin #1. Also, neither Top Spin 2 or 3 offer the RPG quality, variety of expression or courts offered that Top Spin #1 has- not to mention that neither offer a sense of reality and ease of play offered by the original.
Lesson learned, a video game is NEVER better just because it is the latest version of a game at the store, but it is only as great as the time and money programers and production companies put in the game. In conclusion, I dare Top Spin producers to take the time to make a Top Spin 4 that equals or improves on the original, or stay away from their cheap attempts at a tennis game. All they need to do is play Top Spin #1 again and see where they failed on the new versions.
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