Product Description

Compete against the pros with Top Spin 3. Play online or offline to rise in the ranks against current top ranked professional players. This is a visually and physically realistic tennis experience. Using next generation technology, gameplay and graphics, Top Spin 3 features dynamic weather changes, evolutionary player visuals and comprehensive online offerings. With a unique user-generated component, you can also use new player creator features that include free-form body sculpting, makeup and tattoos.

Create matches online and test your skills against friends or other ranked players around the world

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3456 in Video Games
• Brand: Take 2
• Model: 39370
• Published on: 2008-06
• Released on: 2008-06-23
• ESRB Rating: Everyone
• Platform: Xbox 360
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: .75" h x 5.50" w x 7.50" l, .33 pounds

Features

• Play against or as more than 20 top ranked players including Bjorn Borg, Boris Becker and Monica Seles
• Play on more than 40 prestigious and visually stunning venues from around the world such as Roland Garros in Paris (French Open) and Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne (Australian Open)
• Easy to Pick Up & Play - intuitive controls give you the ability to set your own pace and learn to master the courts, no matter what skill level you are
• Play in 4 different online game modes ranging from quick match to comprehensive World Tours with up to 2 separately connected consoles
• Use a new and innovative Player Creator to customize your own unique tennis stars with free-form body sculpting, makeup and tattoos

Amazon.com

Put a whole new spin on tennis action with Top Spin 3. You'll serve, volley and smash as one of 20 top-ranked players in the sport. Thrill to incredibly realistic visuals right down to each athlete's apparel, swing style and facial expressions. Several gameplay modes challenge you to rise through the ranks and dominate the tennis world. Engage in intense online competitions ranging from quick matches to comprehensive World Tours. Armed only with your racket and your passion for greatness, you must perfectly place every drop shot, slice, lob and backhand.

Key Features Work your way through a list of 20 top-ranked players Evolutionary Visuals show such details as sweat, dirt on clothing and quickly changing weather Signature Style features, such as equipment type, apparel and swing animations, accurately depict each player Create a unique character full of flair and style Features real-life legends of professional tennis Compete in four online gameplay modes to see who's the best athlete in the world Top Spin 3 immerses you in gameplay filled with remarkable visual effects. Travel to more than 40 real-world venues where weather dynamically changes, resulting in authentic-looking cloud cover and lightning. Make use of the new Player Creator feature for free-form body sculpting and add makeup and tattoos to your character. Then take to the court where you'll have unbelievably precise control over your movements, positioning and swings. You'll even see past tennis greats, such as Bjorn Borg, Boris Becker and Monica Seles. With epic realism, intense competition and a variety of options, Top Spin 3 serves an ace every time.

Evolutionary Visuals View Image Four Online Gameplay Modes View Image

Customer Reviews

Best tennis sim for consoles
Top Spin 3, the latest in the series started by Top Spin on the original Xbox, revamps the rather simple control system of the first two games into one that is quite a bit more complex and intricate, but eventually more rewarding. Holding the shot button does not automatically move you into position, nor does it guarantee a good shot - now you must watch the ball, manually move into the correct position, and release the button at the correct time in order to hit a decent shot. Being in the wrong position or mistiming the button release leads to weak shots and errors. There is a "Tennis School" section devoted to helping players learn the new system and unlearn habits from the previous games, but only with repeated practice does the system become second nature. When everything starts to click, though, the game becomes very satisfying - you know it was your skill and experience that let you hit that screamer down the line, not the computer's automated hand-holding.

The character and ball movements have been slowed down, putting a greater emphasis on timing and precision. Two buttons have been mapped to have your character quickly run to either the center of the baseline or the net, but at the expense of stamina. This new stamina system ratchets up the tension and realism of the matches. Play well and run your opponent ragged, and he will start making loose errors as his heart rate increases. Likewise, your own timing and concentration must be maintained as your avatar's stamina decreases and his potential for making mistakes becomes greater. This gives a heightened sense of drama to the longer matches that was missing in previous games.

Other high points are a very well-done character customization feature and the usage of fictional characters on the tour (so that one isn't playing an inexplicably unskilled Federer in the first round of some random tournament). Tennis aficionados will appreciate the detailed stat sheets after matches, the increased frequency of aces, and the improved effectiveness of the service game. No longer are serves just a perfunctory start of a point - now it is much easier to hold when serving well, and conversely much more difficult to simply pound returns into corners.

For me, the flaws of this game are a period of frustration when learning the controls, and a rather dull presentation to the career mode, especially compared to the globe interface of Virtua Tennis 3. I don't play online, so I can't comment on that.

In all, this is an excellent game that achieves its goal of being a detailed tennis sim. As long as one is not expecting a pick-up-and-play experience like that of the older games or the Virtua Tennis series, and is willing to put in the effort to learn the new gameplay system, the benefits of the increased complexity quickly pay off.

Top Spin 3. If you ever played tennis for real, you would love this game
I disagree with the majority of people who think the game is a letdown. If you played real tennis in your life then this is the game for you! It is done very realistic. You gotta time the ball well, you gotta move to the ball, stop, get balanced and then hit(release). Pretty much a lot like in real tennis.

Plus the graphics are amazing, the characters swing like the real ones.

But yes, it is a very hard game for a person who does not understand the specifics of tennis.

Great game though!

Difficult but well worth it
Everyone is writing how difficult Top Spin 3 is and giving it a low rating because of that fact. I have no argument with the fact that the controls are challenging to master. In fact, I have far from mastered them at this point. However once you are able to nail down the timing on the shots and you start to play by feel, the game is awesome and success is very gratifying.

I'm currently playing through my career on easy mode for the sake a achievements. Occassionally I change to normal mode for more of a challenge. Unlike Top Spin 2, you can't just play the baseline and keep hitting power shots. You need to master drop shots, lobs and net play.

If you want to be able to sit down with the game and master it in 10 minutes, this is NOT the game for you. It is precisely that reason that I really like Top Spin 3. Don't let the mediocre star rating dissuade you. If you like a challenge, you will definitely enjoy this game!

I may as well throw in that the graphics are great and the animations look awesome. The character creator is very thorough as well, although the character weight is generated by how you design his or her physique. I have found their weights seem to be a bit light for how I have designed my characters. This does not affect gameplay, so I don't really care.

Also, Rafael Nadal is not available a character in the game. You should know that going in, so you are not disappointed. From what I understand, it has to do with licensing and Sony exclusivity for the PS3. If you're dying to play as him, you'll need to get the PS3 version.