|
 |
After the original message, all posts and replies are shown in reverse order, with the most recent post at the top. i.e. your latest post will always appear under the original message, at the top of the first page.
To display oldest posts first, click the 'Flip Order - Oldest First' link below.
|
 |
|
| Original Message posted by swander on 16/07/2008 at 8:12:43PM |
Some sports are seasonal, like football or snowball fighting; some are just downright reclusive, like tennis. Nobody cares about tennis unless it's Wimbledon, and even then it's forgotten within a day of the tournament concluding; but tennis videogames are inexplicably popular. Then again, nobody cares about plumbers, so maybe it's more down to the pick-up-and-play joy derived from quick-fire bouts of backhand brilliance.
Virtua Tennis has had its place at the top of the table for several years, reigning coin-ops and consoles with its addictive arcade action, but with their latest release, 2K Sports have revived the genre with an incredibly deep and satisfying sports simulation.
The analogue stick was the key to revolutionising golf games, with Tiger Woods' pull-back-and-swing mechanic replacing the three button system of yore, and Top Spin 3 does a similar trick by completely overhauling the previous gameplay engine to give an unprecedented level of control to the player. Unlike VT3, you can play literally every kind of shot, through a subtle combination of positioning, precision and timing.
The shoulder buttons help you move towards the net or back of the court, with triggers allowing you to perform risk shots to potentially conclude a rally, but the real action takes place on the stick and face buttons. As with Top Spin 2, you charge up your swing by holding down on a face button (top spin, slice or standard) and initiate by letting go. Here, you MUST time the swing properly or you'll at best fail to control your direction, and at worst miss the ball entirely.
The analogue stick uses a similar flick system to the aforementioned golf swing when serving, but is also the route to lobs and drop-shots, giving the player a real sense of achievement for out-witting and out-flicking their opponent. Your first game will inevitably end in a thrashing, but the comparisons to Pro Evolution Soccer's series in comparison to the less finessed Fifa releases are not unfounded. Practise is rewarded, as the learning curve's steepness serves only to beautify the view from the peak.
To be honest, the amazing engine and gorgeous graphics make this worth a purchase on its own; the players are all instantly recognisable, and as games wear on your clothes dampen and cheeks glisten with sweat. However, there's also a lengthy career mode, a glut of tournaments and a comprehensive online setup that lets you play games for fun, or compete in Grand Slams with your own created character.
To sum up, Top Spin 3 takes a rather staid genre and gives it a completely new dimension. Matches are now tactical, and rely on more skill than ever. But it also has solid options in all areas which should keep you entertained all the way until next year's All England Club jamboree.
5/5
===
edited for apostrophes |
|
swander
"no longer El Blokey"
on 09/08/2008 at 4:05:34PM
Total Posts: 5
|
pete_21 wrote:
> Dude,You won a GAD with your one and only post.Thats quite an
> acheivement,well done !!!.
Thanks! I used to post here a while ago, but there's been quite a revamp.
|
|
|
|
|
gerrid
"bit of a brain"
on 30/07/2008 at 8:35:46PM
Total Posts: 70
|
This is my first post
|
|
|
|
|
pete_21
"cant think of a tag"
on 25/07/2008 at 10:26:42PM
Total Posts: 607
|
Dude,You won a GAD with your one and only post.Thats quite an acheivement,well done !!!.
|
|
|
|
|
swander
"no longer El Blokey"
on 16/07/2008 at 8:12:43PM
Edited: 16/7/08 20:17
Total Posts: 5
|
Some sports are seasonal, like football or snowball fighting; some are just downright reclusive, like tennis. Nobody cares about tennis unless it's Wimbledon, and even then it's forgotten within a day of the tournament concluding; but tennis videogames are inexplicably popular. Then again, nobody cares about plumbers, so maybe it's more down to the pick-up-and-play joy derived from quick-fire bouts of backhand brilliance.
Virtua Tennis has had its place at the top of the table for several years, reigning coin-ops and consoles with its addictive arcade action, but with their latest release, 2K Sports have revived the genre with an incredibly deep and satisfying sports simulation.
The analogue stick was the key to revolutionising golf games, with Tiger Woods' pull-back-and-swing mechanic replacing the three button system of yore, and Top Spin 3 does a similar trick by completely overhauling the previous gameplay engine to give an unprecedented level of control to the player. Unlike VT3, you can play literally every kind of shot, through a subtle combination of positioning, precision and timing.
The shoulder buttons help you move towards the net or back of the court, with triggers allowing you to perform risk shots to potentially conclude a rally, but the real action takes place on the stick and face buttons. As with Top Spin 2, you charge up your swing by holding down on a face button (top spin, slice or standard) and initiate by letting go. Here, you MUST time the swing properly or you'll at best fail to control your direction, and at worst miss the ball entirely.
The analogue stick uses a similar flick system to the aforementioned golf swing when serving, but is also the route to lobs and drop-shots, giving the player a real sense of achievement for out-witting and out-flicking their opponent. Your first game will inevitably end in a thrashing, but the comparisons to Pro Evolution Soccer's series in comparison to the less finessed Fifa releases are not unfounded. Practise is rewarded, as the learning curve's steepness serves only to beautify the view from the peak.
To be honest, the amazing engine and gorgeous graphics make this worth a purchase on its own; the players are all instantly recognisable, and as games wear on your clothes dampen and cheeks glisten with sweat. However, there's also a lengthy career mode, a glut of tournaments and a comprehensive online setup that lets you play games for fun, or compete in Grand Slams with your own created character.
To sum up, Top Spin 3 takes a rather staid genre and gives it a completely new dimension. Matches are now tactical, and rely on more skill than ever. But it also has solid options in all areas which should keep you entertained all the way until next year's All England Club jamboree.
5/5
===
edited for apostrophes
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Nickname:
Entry:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
