Top Spin Tennis (Xbox)

By JON MINIFIE

Herald rating: * * * * *

Top Spin is the most comprehensive tennis title I've seen and there have been a few over the years. Virtual Tennis I & II, Smash Court Tennis Pro Tournament, Mario Tennis, the list goes right back to the days of Sportstronic and Pong.

This Xbox exclusive is overflowing with options both on and off the court.

The interface lets you choose between Exhibition, Custom Tournament, Career, Multiplayer and Tennis School, the latter being a good place to start, even if you've played the odd Tennis game in your time.

You will get by without training, running back and forth tapping the A button but that'll only get you so far. Just like the real thing, players need to train, buy new gear, and travel the globe in search of those elusive titles and big paydays.

While in career mode, a world map shows various airports which allow you to fly around the world in search of money tournaments and coaching.

Exhibition matches are essentially quick matches, allowing the player to have a casual hit out against the computer or a friend. Tournaments are your bread and butter, earning you coin that can be used to buy new gear, clothing and even a new hairdo.

But if you don't want to create your own character, they've stacked the game full of stars, including Aussie battler Leighton Hewitt, recently retired Pete Sampras and music video specialist Anna Kournikova.

Top Spin's control system is a breeze to pick up with the four coloured buttons representing lobs, topspin shots, slices and your basic return. A quick squeeze on the left trigger produces a delicate drop shot while the right brings up a risk shot meter, which produces a more dynamic shot winner — these are tricky to pull off, however. The learning curve is fairly gentle and players will be winning points fairly easily, even playing as Kournikova. Serving uses the standard method with a power bar that controls the speed of your serve. You'll need a good serve-volley game to maintain court position, which is the key to staying one step ahead of your opponent.

With its endless Career mode and multiplayer options that include online play via Microsoft's new Xbox Live service, Top Spin Tennis is one of the most complete sports titles on the system.

Price: $109.95

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