Top Spin 2
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| Top Spin 2 | |
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| Developer(s) | Indie Built |
| Publisher(s) | 2K Sports (consoles) Aspyr Media (PC) |
| Platform(s) | Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, Xbox 360, PC |
| Release date | NA March 29, 2006 NA March 16, 2007 (PC) |
| Genre(s) | Sports game |
| Mode(s) | Single player, multiplayer |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: E OFLC: G |
Top Spin 2 (2006) is part of the Top Spin series of video games developed by PAM Development and Indie Built and published by 2K Sports for Nintendo DS, Game Boy Advance and Xbox 360. The game is also available for Microsoft Windows, the PC version was released by Aspyr Media, March 16, 2007.
The Top Spin series is considered by many to be the best multi-player tennis game available in the professional sports simulator genre. Players can select from various game play styles including: singles, doubles, exhibition tournaments, career mode or quick play matches. Many professional tennis players have licensed their likeness to be used in the game. There is a total of 24 (12 men and 12 women) of the world’s top ranked professionals, featuring tennis stars like Andy Roddick, James Blake, Roger Federer, Maria Sharapova, Venus Williams, Lindsay Davenport , Amélie Mauresmo, and Lleyton Hewitt.
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[edit] Gameplay
The player can work their way up through the amateur ranks to the pros in tournaments all over the world. They can do this by using the various licensed players, or by creating a unique character with looks, playing styles and personalities all their own. The game can be played via the internet with XSN Sports and Xbox Live for online match-ups. Over the span of five seasons, Top Spin 2 lets you guide your player through training, minor tournaments, sponsored tournaments, and perhaps to victory in all four Grand Slam events. With Digital Identity, players can create realistic player models and customize them with the highest level of details. Hairstyles, shirts, shorts, shoes, etc. allow you to create a player with your look and your style.
[edit] Exhibition Match
This mode contains the basic features that let the player get into a match as quickly as possible. The characters can be selected from the professional players available, or by importing custom characters from the career mode option. A match can be held on the various available courts, ranging from Grand Slam venues to practice facilities.
[edit] Career Mode
The career mode in Top Spin 2 begins with a very complete create-a-player interface which begins with, DNA type. There are many strands to choose from with each containing a different skin color and unique player traits. Create a character continues with many face and body modeling options and apparel choices, making it easy to create a striking likeness of the person playing. The career mode begins with an option to choose a continent that has various opportunities for a player to better their rank by training and tournaments. A player must also make ‘coin’ (money) in order to pay for training which increases attributes such as power, serve, forehand, backhand, and volley. Coin is earned by being sponsored by one of the corporate tennis apparel icons by performing commercials and other public relations duties for them which are completed by scoring well in various stroke or serve exercises. Tournaments come in various types across the globe, from simple pro to major Grand Slam events. Winning tournaments increases your world ranking, with more difficult tournaments taking much more precedence. Being number one in the career mode and keeping that status is a long and extremely difficult task which adds to the longevity of game play.
Interestingly, this mode features a rival for your created player, a person who shares the same nationality as yours. Throughout your career, the rival will send you messages deploring you, challenging you and discrediting your achievements.
[edit] Multiplayer
The Optimatch feature, while part of every Xbox Live sports title, works well in Top Spin allowing the user to be very specific about the match that will be played including surface type, venue and how stiff or flaccid the competition will be.
[edit] Custom tournaments
This mode is for players who enjoy the increased difficulty of tournament play without going through the career mode. This mode is generic, but is configurable in any way possible. Top Spin also allows users to load their career player into the tournament mode (and other game modes as well). Custom tournaments also make a good practice site for those wanting to improve their skills before tackling the career mode.
[edit] Players
There are 24 players available in all:
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[edit] Controls
Gameplay has a shallow learning curve, intelligent control configuration, and realistic reaction to user input. The various swings include: flat, top spin, slice, and lob, with swing velocity increasing with each moment the buttons are depressed. Everything from jumping and stretching to full horizontal diving is appropriately selected by the game engine. Serves are executed in similar fashion, but with the addition of an on-screen power meter started and stopped with either the top spin, flat, or slice button. The triggers buttons place you into a “risk mode” with the outcome of the shot being determined by how close a frantically moving bar is to the center of the meter. A quick tap of the right trigger starts the bar moving, a second tap will stop the meter and attempt either a power serve or a power groundstroke. The left trigger attempts either a "spoon" serve (looks like an underhand softball pitch) or a drop shot, both used to combat those who play deep behind the baseline. Another component to the “risk mode” is the ITZ (In-the-Zone) meter which builds up as momentum is gained with won points, making future risk shots easier to hit. The player can also express their character’s emotion after a point through an array of cut scenes options. These cut-scene reactions range from fist pumping to racket throwing.
[edit] Graphics and audio
The graphic interface creates a great amount of depth and is well rendered. Objects, people, and locations are accurately detailed, such as the snowfall outside a window of an indoor arena. Motion effects on the ball depending on the strength or weakness of the shot are also very impressive, as players watch vapor trails and blur effects appear, or pitch a lob and see a yellow stream map out its trajectory. The renderings of the characters are solid giving the game a very realistic feel when working with the motion captures. Whether a player bounces the ball before the serve, dives for a shot, or jumps up for a volley- it all looks as it should without anything appearing out of place. Pro players look extremely realistic down to the player's exact hair style and facial features. Graphics in the career mode scenes and trophy ceremonies help make Top Spin the leader of sports tennis games genre.
The soundtrack incorporates sounds which appear fit for a high energy tennis match. From sneaker squeaks and racket snaps to player grunts, the sound effects are accurate and add great realism to game play. Crowd noises are complete with cheers and jeers, down to fans even yelling out “we love you”. Announcer commentary also adds realism to the game.
[edit] Differences between sequel and original
Though Top Spin and Top Spin 2 share the same name, they were published by different companies. The original Top Spin was published by Microsoft Game Studios, while the sequel was published by 2K Sports.
Sound effects also change. In the original, whenever a player hit a tennis ball, there would always be a distinct echo, depending on which venue you were in. However, in Top Spin 2, racquet hits always sound the same. Audience sound effects also change. In Top Spin 2, the audience sounded more "authentic" and louder than in the original Top Spin.
Courts also seem quite wider in Top Spin 2 than in the original game, and ball speed also slows down, making it quite easy for players to catch up to the ball in order to return it. Players can also now choose between "day" and "dusk" times for courts. Though this does not necessarily change gameplay, it does add a little bit more variety.
[edit] External links
- PAM Development official website
- Indie Built official website (apparently inactive)
- Top Spin 2 at xbox.com
- Top Spin 2 at the Open Directory Project
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