Top Spin

The Top Spin is designed like tennis, where it's not just hitting the ball that matters, but the shot you choose. Twisted, cut, flat, shortened - each method has its own combination of buttons and its own behavior of the ball after the rebound, and the outcome of the rally depends on how appropriately it is used. A special place is occupied by the career mode, where the player creates an athlete and leads him through international tournaments. Between matches there are training sessions in which individual qualities are improved, and the results of the matches affect the rating and the list of available competitions. Progress is visible in numbers, and this is captivating: a bad week significantly sets you back. Courts have different surfaces, and you have to adapt to this: on slow surfaces, the rallies are delayed, on fast surfaces everything is decided by the serve and the first reception. You can play against the computer or together, which turns a home evening into a series of important matches. It is also worth noting that there are professional players in the game with different styles: against some it is advantageous to play on the back line, against others it is advantageous to go to the net. Career matches go to three sets, so victory depends not on one successful hit, but on the ability to maintain concentration. Between meetings you can rest or train, and this affects your form. One of the nice little things is the leisurely but clear presentation of the material: the training explains why each blow is needed, and does not just list the buttons. The Top Spin takes tennis seriously, but doesn't turn a match into a physics test.