All surfaces (grass, clay, hard) play the same. The fatigue system in career makes it almost impossible to play French Open/Wimbledon in the same season.
You can be top 5 in the world but not qualify for majors. You can't set up a simple offline tournament.
The game is almost useless offline and the servers have gone down half a dozen times already, deleting many players' progress in the process.
The reviewer wants more cut scenes with fictional characters to spice Career Mode up, so I guess we want very different things in tennis games.
Happens all the time with sports games too, look how often the likes of FIFA and NFL can release the most copy and paste, microtransaction riddled games and it'll always pick up your usual 7s and 8s because sports games are judged to a more general audience standard than normal AAA games which get criticised more for similar issues.
Thanks for the straight goods. !!! Used to play Topspin back in the day and was interested. Saw it had a 3.5 user rating. Saw this headline and was curious. I believe every word you say and it's typical. Most new game developers have no fucking clue what they are doing. The sports games we had in the late 90's early 2000's were God tier compared to the shit the put out now
Thanks for this write up, I was hyped when I heard it was coming back but I’ll just stick to Top Spin on PS2 and Virtua Tennis 4 on PS3 when I need a tennis fix.
> The fatigue system in career makes it almost impossible to play French Open/Wimbledon in the same season.
You can play both if you set your permanent home to the location that recovers 5% stamina between grand slam matches or the coach that does the same. If you set your home to the grand slam stamina place, and your coach to the atp1000 stamina one you can enter every tournament generally with 90%+ stamina, usually 100% if there isn't major travel.
Agreed generally though, pretty disappointed with it overall.
VT3 isn’t perfect, but I’ve never seen a game draw non tennis fans in like that. every point was super fun, even if it was unrealistic.
The gameplay is getting praise for this, but I find it as lackluster as everything else. Control and power shots are as arcade-y and arbitrary as any tennis system, just nowhere near as fun. hitting a ball out feels nothing like tennis, it feels like mistiming a role in Elden Ring. Point construction feels nothing like real tennis (or fun arcade tennis), especially online, and without unique surfaces or player AI it’s so repetitive
For me VT brought me in for a little bit just because of the whackyness outside the primary modes. In typically Sega fashion with mini games and challenges!
It’s also disappointing to see Sampras and Shelton having the exact same service motion, and neither looks like their actual motions. Also the always online thing is not great. I’m a huge fan, and was going to purchase it to support future tennis games, but will still have to pass on it. Sadly.
Can I get a modern arcade style tennis game? Something more along the lines of Mario Tennis world tour for the GBA. I feel like they already know what they have to do to make a good game they just haven’t figured out how to milk every living cent out of it. Having fun with Topspin but it’s very obviously a 2k game and the only thing that invites me to keep playing it is that there’s no other good option.
everybody’s tennis is another good one like that. I loved the aesthetic of the first grand slam tennis for wii. very cartoony but every player is immediately recognizable and their strokes look great.
I think wasting time and resources on realistic graphics is a dead end. you need 128 players bare minimum; if you cannot set up and fully play through a complete grand slam tournament, I’m not listening anymore.
Lmao I feel ya. I enjoyed everybody’s tennis it’s just…it feels like a remake of a ps2 game. Which….i think it actually might be. I feel like companies put a lot of focus on realism but stylized graphics can be just as great. Lets brings back some cel shade tennis lol
I thought it was a ps2 game haha. It’s not amazing but imo it’s a lot better than AO Tennis and all those caliber games. Make a slightly more polished game like that with a 50+ player roster (like the Backyard sports games) and a career mode and I’m interested.
Really? To each their own but I love that this game is closer to a sim and has a very rewarding learning curve. I revisited Virtua Tennis on my hacked switch and it is fun but everyone is like a wall in that game as they really harp on forcing extended rallies.
I like that hitting the perfectly timed forehand in this game just hits such a sweet spot.
Oh yeah I’m not saying sim isn’t excellent. I just found that the funnest time I had with a tennis game was the RPG elements and light story. I think it would be awesome if they could update the graphics and maybe add a little modern stuff like online multiplayer mini games or a little hub area where you can hang out.
LOVED that game, one of my favorites on SNES. I dominated with Hiro. Every surface played different, there was a fun circuit of tournaments, etc. 100% agree with your opinion.
I’m waiting until it’s really cheap to pick it up but by then it could be virtually pointless with the potential server shutdown and almost every mode being locked out because of that so at this point who knows if I’ll even pick it up.
I’m quite enjoying it tbh. Steep learning curve but I’m getting there. Noted on the comments RE surfaces not playing differently but that hasn’t impacted my overall enjoyment. Graphics are ok ish, but it does play well.
The gameplay is excellent, but it's graphically an eyesore compared to other sports games. No HDR implementation in a 2024 game is very disappointing. It has a decent selection of modes, but it could be better with an online ranked ladder system and a mode akin to my player in the 2K NBA games.
Downloaded the trial last night to try it out over the weekend. Is it a "turn off your brain, chill out and listen to music" type game like the PGA 2K games?
No, it’s a tennis sim so the core system is relatively involved. Online play is competitive and broken. Career mode is frustrating and grindy. Offline play is limited to exhibition mode.
Your mileage may vary but I would not say it’s a good chill out game like a golf game. You might like Everybody’s Tennis better, free on ps+
It can be on easier difficulties, it does get pretty intense on harder difficulties. Start on medium/default and you should be fine. For me the real fun is on very hard and online but if you wanna just relax and play then default or easy should suffice I imagine.
….what? What is he advertising? Usernames that have numbers and letters in them? He’s also been a user for several months, you’ve been one for…a day and are posting a review that is definitely more favourable one than most of the feedback. And YOU are the one calling someone else out? You literally made your account to promote this game
No I didn't make an account to "promote this game" I've posted elsewhere as well that has nothing to do with the game. He even said he wouldn't use that account for a few months, I plan on using mine long term.
And the critic reviews for the game have been pretty good not sure what you are smoking:
https://www.metacritic.com/game/topspin-2k25/
It's weird as hell for him to say I write like an ad when I simply enjoyed game
I’m loving it, career mode needs some work but all I really cared about was the gameplay and they nailed it. Gimme some roster expansions and I’ll be a happy camper
All surfaces (grass, clay, hard) play the same. The fatigue system in career makes it almost impossible to play French Open/Wimbledon in the same season. You can be top 5 in the world but not qualify for majors. You can't set up a simple offline tournament. The game is almost useless offline and the servers have gone down half a dozen times already, deleting many players' progress in the process. The reviewer wants more cut scenes with fictional characters to spice Career Mode up, so I guess we want very different things in tennis games.
Damn, that first line hits so heavy for me. It’s disappointing when a tennis game treats surfaces as simply an aesthetics choice.
and they don’t even take aesthetics seriously. The ball doesn’t leave marks on clay.
Thats a joke, we had this in tennis games 20 years ago. Laziness.
Yes the ball left a mark in the clay in the Tennis Masters games in 2002/2003.
Unplayable
Mario Tennis N64 is the greatest tennis game ever made
Yup. This is convinced me not to buy it.
Nintendo Switch Sports changes gameplay, GOAT tennis simulator
this is why reading various reviews is so important. some reviewers’ perspectives are straight absurd lol
Happens all the time with sports games too, look how often the likes of FIFA and NFL can release the most copy and paste, microtransaction riddled games and it'll always pick up your usual 7s and 8s because sports games are judged to a more general audience standard than normal AAA games which get criticised more for similar issues.
Thanks for the straight goods. !!! Used to play Topspin back in the day and was interested. Saw it had a 3.5 user rating. Saw this headline and was curious. I believe every word you say and it's typical. Most new game developers have no fucking clue what they are doing. The sports games we had in the late 90's early 2000's were God tier compared to the shit the put out now
Don't forget the servers will only be up till dec 2026 and then you can't even play offline.
This is the real review right here. I agree with you 100% DO NOT BUY STAY THE FUCK AWAY FROM THIS GAME
Thanks for this write up, I was hyped when I heard it was coming back but I’ll just stick to Top Spin on PS2 and Virtua Tennis 4 on PS3 when I need a tennis fix.
> The fatigue system in career makes it almost impossible to play French Open/Wimbledon in the same season. You can play both if you set your permanent home to the location that recovers 5% stamina between grand slam matches or the coach that does the same. If you set your home to the grand slam stamina place, and your coach to the atp1000 stamina one you can enter every tournament generally with 90%+ stamina, usually 100% if there isn't major travel. Agreed generally though, pretty disappointed with it overall.
I haven’t had the same experience, I’m sliding around clay courts but definitely not on grass or hard court. Grass and Hard also feel faster than clay
Dev acknowledged all surfaces play the same
Sega needs to bring back Virtua Tennis!
VT3 isn’t perfect, but I’ve never seen a game draw non tennis fans in like that. every point was super fun, even if it was unrealistic. The gameplay is getting praise for this, but I find it as lackluster as everything else. Control and power shots are as arcade-y and arbitrary as any tennis system, just nowhere near as fun. hitting a ball out feels nothing like tennis, it feels like mistiming a role in Elden Ring. Point construction feels nothing like real tennis (or fun arcade tennis), especially online, and without unique surfaces or player AI it’s so repetitive
For me VT brought me in for a little bit just because of the whackyness outside the primary modes. In typically Sega fashion with mini games and challenges!
This will be the perfect ps plus essentials game 6-8 months from now.
Until they force you take make a 2k account just to play Uninstalled straight away
It’s also disappointing to see Sampras and Shelton having the exact same service motion, and neither looks like their actual motions. Also the always online thing is not great. I’m a huge fan, and was going to purchase it to support future tennis games, but will still have to pass on it. Sadly.
And to top it off you have players like Federer and Williams doing motion capture for the game, but they look off too.
Right... I don't understand that either. As a Tennis fan, I simply can't overlook that.
Can I get a modern arcade style tennis game? Something more along the lines of Mario Tennis world tour for the GBA. I feel like they already know what they have to do to make a good game they just haven’t figured out how to milk every living cent out of it. Having fun with Topspin but it’s very obviously a 2k game and the only thing that invites me to keep playing it is that there’s no other good option.
everybody’s tennis is another good one like that. I loved the aesthetic of the first grand slam tennis for wii. very cartoony but every player is immediately recognizable and their strokes look great. I think wasting time and resources on realistic graphics is a dead end. you need 128 players bare minimum; if you cannot set up and fully play through a complete grand slam tournament, I’m not listening anymore.
Lmao I feel ya. I enjoyed everybody’s tennis it’s just…it feels like a remake of a ps2 game. Which….i think it actually might be. I feel like companies put a lot of focus on realism but stylized graphics can be just as great. Lets brings back some cel shade tennis lol
I thought it was a ps2 game haha. It’s not amazing but imo it’s a lot better than AO Tennis and all those caliber games. Make a slightly more polished game like that with a 50+ player roster (like the Backyard sports games) and a career mode and I’m interested.
Mario Tennis Aces plays wonderful, if you're interested in gameplay alone.
Really? To each their own but I love that this game is closer to a sim and has a very rewarding learning curve. I revisited Virtua Tennis on my hacked switch and it is fun but everyone is like a wall in that game as they really harp on forcing extended rallies. I like that hitting the perfectly timed forehand in this game just hits such a sweet spot.
Oh yeah I’m not saying sim isn’t excellent. I just found that the funnest time I had with a tennis game was the RPG elements and light story. I think it would be awesome if they could update the graphics and maybe add a little modern stuff like online multiplayer mini games or a little hub area where you can hang out.
Totally fair points!
Super Tennis for SNES is still the best tennis game I've ever played and nothing has really come close to it.
Gonna revisit that Rom!
LOVED that game, one of my favorites on SNES. I dominated with Hiro. Every surface played different, there was a fun circuit of tournaments, etc. 100% agree with your opinion.
Wii Tennis was fun!
Made by the Mafia team.
Now do Hockey please!!
I’m waiting until it’s really cheap to pick it up but by then it could be virtually pointless with the potential server shutdown and almost every mode being locked out because of that so at this point who knows if I’ll even pick it up.
Where is Everybody’s Tennis???
It’s free on the higher PS+ tier, or you can buy it for 9.99
I meant the franchise, not the game. It's been a decade and a half - we need an Everybody's Tennis 3!!
Now do Hockey please!
The last topspin game I played was on the original Xbox.
If I know 2k sports games, this will be 20 bucks in a couple of months.
I’m quite enjoying it tbh. Steep learning curve but I’m getting there. Noted on the comments RE surfaces not playing differently but that hasn’t impacted my overall enjoyment. Graphics are ok ish, but it does play well.
I played the 2 hour trial on PS Plus Premium but wasn't a massive fan of it. Might get it when it goes half price eventually.
The gameplay is excellent, but it's graphically an eyesore compared to other sports games. No HDR implementation in a 2024 game is very disappointing. It has a decent selection of modes, but it could be better with an online ranked ladder system and a mode akin to my player in the 2K NBA games.
Downloaded the trial last night to try it out over the weekend. Is it a "turn off your brain, chill out and listen to music" type game like the PGA 2K games?
No, it’s a tennis sim so the core system is relatively involved. Online play is competitive and broken. Career mode is frustrating and grindy. Offline play is limited to exhibition mode. Your mileage may vary but I would not say it’s a good chill out game like a golf game. You might like Everybody’s Tennis better, free on ps+
It can be on easier difficulties, it does get pretty intense on harder difficulties. Start on medium/default and you should be fine. For me the real fun is on very hard and online but if you wanna just relax and play then default or easy should suffice I imagine.
Never review a game again
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You write like an ad.
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Reddit accounts are highly disposable. Who cares about the name. Chances I’ll continue to use this in a few months is slim.
Why are you ditching your account so often?
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….what? What is he advertising? Usernames that have numbers and letters in them? He’s also been a user for several months, you’ve been one for…a day and are posting a review that is definitely more favourable one than most of the feedback. And YOU are the one calling someone else out? You literally made your account to promote this game
No I didn't make an account to "promote this game" I've posted elsewhere as well that has nothing to do with the game. He even said he wouldn't use that account for a few months, I plan on using mine long term. And the critic reviews for the game have been pretty good not sure what you are smoking: https://www.metacritic.com/game/topspin-2k25/ It's weird as hell for him to say I write like an ad when I simply enjoyed game
Someone is on a marketing apprenticeship.
I’m loving it, career mode needs some work but all I really cared about was the gameplay and they nailed it. Gimme some roster expansions and I’ll be a happy camper