Customer Reviews

Top Spin 3

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This game is not like most other tennis games out there. Specifically, when compared to a game like Virtua Tennis 3, the learning curve is much harder. The first week was spent mistiming the swings and either missing completely or performing really weak returns that made me wonder how I could make Federer look so clumsy. Where virtua tennis allows for fun pickup games with people that might not have played the game before, it's painful to play against or watch someone that hasn't learned how to play top spin.

However, after a few weeks of playing the game, I'm consistently able to perform strong serves and groundstrokes. The game has a more realistic feel to it: The characters move at a slower and natural pace, when compared to virtua tennis. Off-balance shots you take when running to the ball, have a chance of hitting the net, even if you time things well.

The online play isn't stellar, but at least it exists. The main problem I have with online play is that against the majority of people I play, their connections are laggy. The lag only manifests when you are about to swing at the ball, which sometimes causes me to mistime the release (your player and the ball basically stutter, as the game tries to synchronize the information on your swing to the other player). Another problem with online play is that there is no way to specify that you want to play against someone on your PS3 friends list, so you always get paired against a random player.

Overall, once you learn how to use the controls for the game, I give this game 5 stars for non-online play, but 3 stars for online play.

I am new to video gaming, but am a former expert tennis player, and have downloaded the demo to Virtua tennis 3 to compare.
for someone who actually plays tennis and is willing to work at this game, there is no comparison, Topspin is absolutely completely better and more realistic as a tennis game. Virtua 3 is cartoonish and annoying.
It is harder and you have to work at the timing to get it, it is pretty counterintuitive in the beginning. You totally flail and fail for quite a while.
I'll note the problems from a tennis player's perspective:

Difficult to work in stroke type (topspin, slice) into the game because you have to press the button determining stroke type so early before the shot. Not realistic to have to plan the type of stroke so early. But simply using a single stroke, and "working" a ralley to move the opponent around is the strong point of the game.

Net play is not very satisfying, difficult to learn to aim volleys, simply does not translate that experience of the game very well.

The tennis lessons are barely adequate in teaching the skills needed to play the game, lack sufficient explanation of how the game works, offer cryptic and confusing feedback on what went wrong, and often leave you stuck in the middle of a lession because you can't hit some small target in exactly the way they wanted. Although necessary, the lessons are barely tolerable. After playing this game for a month, still uncertain as to the range of control the player has for aiming, controlling depth of shots-- no systematic way to find out.

I got the game yesterday and have been playing it on an off since and it's really nice. The graphics are really nice and player details are the best I've ever seen in a tennis game. The controls will take some time to get used to but once I get a hang of it I'll do much better. The create a player feature is really nice also whereas you can create any body shape you want, just nice. I really buy it for the online feature but have yet to used it as I'll still trying to get used to the controls.

Anyway, great game and it was worth the wait. The soundtrack is also nice and I love the fact they don't play annoying music as a default in the matches.

This game is great. I have played it before on other systems and love it just as much on my new PS3.

Bad first - The most annoying thing to me was starting out the game, the timing is tough to get down and it took a good week of playing to cut down on just straight up missing the ball which was really frustrating at first. Now that I have played the game for over a month I really enjoy the gameplay. I like the timing system because it allows a swing of momentum, you can just hold and swing away, leads to tougher matches against the top players. The dropshot is awful and nearly impossible to make effecting during a match. I can't think of a time where I even tried to use it.
Worst- Scoring during the matches... during your career the matches (before you are a pro) are only 1 set 3 games. I hated it. You couldn't get into the match at all when you were just starting out, you break serve and its pretty much over before you know it. When you turn pro it goes to 2 sets 3 games each and a super tiebreak to decide the winner which is better but I would like to see 6 games per set. I know it would be longer but makes it way better.

Other than those few problems I have with the game which even if someone told me about I would still have gotten the game because the I love the gameplay, and is by far the best game for tennis out there. Closing thing to the real stuff without looking like an arcade game. Its worth playing because once you do get better at timing it is alot of fun!

Do buy and enjoy!

Not perfect but its better than Virtual Tennis 3 and Top Spin 2. In VT3, the ball rarely even goes out so its not much of a challenge. TS2 is the worst out of the three because risk shots are near impossible to do and really takes away an important feature (and fun factor) to the game. So far TS3 feels a lot more fun and challenging to play.. with one complaint, the risk shot feature. Its still difficult to use but a little better than in TS2, at least now I am able to perform power serves and aces on a consistent basis. 2K needs to seriously rethink the risk shot system and make it a little easier since its frustrating and a chore to use. With that complain aside, once you go through the Top Spin school and get the hang of the timing and positioning the gameplay is incredibly fun. Graphics are top notch and authentic as well, better than VT3 IMO. Nice little details like the players start sweating later during the match and get grass stains on their clothing. I just bought my PS3 two weeks ago and already I have two 2K games, the other being NBA 2K9. Gotta give it up for 2K for their nice effort in putting out "sports simulations" over arcadey action. If you are willing to put in a little time to learn the gameplay it is pretty fun overall. Its offers more challenge and depth, hard to master and keeps it from being repetitive.

The best Tennis game bar non. It'll take you a few hours to learn how to properly spin, slice, serve and volley the ball but once you do the fun factor kicks in. I played Virtual Tennis before purchasing this title and i can honestly say TopSpin3 is head and shoulders above that game. Challenge yourself and buy a realistic tennis game buy TopSpin3.

Basically, Top Spin 3 is a tennis game that tries to overcomplicate itself in order to take the title of "most realistic tennis game." I don't think thats a good thing. The career mode is very linear and doesn't give you much room to do much. If you really need to play another Tennis game the only thing recomending this game is the online play, which is atleast competitive on the PS3.

The downfall of this game for me is the clunky controls and its repetitiveness which make for boring play after awhile. Be prepared to spend an hour or so when you first get the game practicing in the Top Spin school to learn the odd timing of the game. For many people this may seem like the most realistic game in terms of controls, but I feel it is in fact far to clunky to really bring off its complicated design. I also feel that the running in the game is the worst of all the Tennis game's out at the moment. Making a *good* running shot is extremely hard in this game and there is realistically only one way to hit good winners and the timing does not make a whole lot of sense if you understand tennis at all.

Essentially you have to conform to this game's timing in order to do well and strategy is more of a secondary role. In career mode stat building determines wins more then good play and if you expect to make lots of "down the line" passing shots prepare yourself to really get spot on timing for these, the game is really unforgiving in this area ( which is both a good thing and a bad thing ).

This is not a pick up and play game, you have been warned. But when all is said and done the game does not have alot going for it except online play. You want variety along with good game play I suggest Virtua Tennis or Top Spin 2. I hear a new Smash Court will be coming stateside soon, I suggest waiting to see how it is.

Like any crazy tennis fan, I pre-ordered this game and am not disappointed. The graphics are great, just as good as the new virtua tennis graphics. It's fun to actually start at as an amateur, then Junior and finally the pro-tournaments.

The game play is a little tricky and not so easy like with other tennis games. On the other hand that makes everything more exciting. If you play big hitters like Kuznetsova you might not be able to beat here 3:0 like other players. Even the power shots are tricky as you can easily land them out if you don't hit them right, just like in real life.

The only bad thing I would say is that like in other tennis games on the pro-tour you are only able to play up to 3 games a set. Wish you could play 6 games as in real life.

Overall a great game and I can't wait to go and play online on the world tour ;)

The controls are not intuitive and it'll take you some time before you get used how to play, but if you take the lessons you'll be ok with that. The game is very realistic and it's more of a tennis simulator than arcade. The career mode is very fun and challenging, since you create your own player and start from scratch. The only thumb down is that the online matches are random. If you're into tennis, you definetely should own it. If you're not familiar with the sports, then you should probably buy the VT series.

This game is as good as it gets not only among tennis sims but for sports games in general. If you don't enjoy a challenge and don't want to have to work to excel at a game then this one definitely isn't for you, but it's very rewarding. At first the controls and timing are pretty frustrating and until you get it down you may not like it, but if you put in the effort to learn how to play it well you won't be disappointed. If you're looking for a game you can just throw in and dominate then buy the Virtua Tennis series.

This game is very realistic and if you enjoy tennis it has exceptional replay value. The levels of difficulty are quite distinct and it takes a lot of time and effort to excel at the highest level. It's primary weaknesses are that it's missing some of the big names in tennis and that the career mode doesn't have training or practice options like some of the other tennis sims but it does start you out at the junior level which is unique. Overall this game is a great success and is definitely THE tennis game to buy for the PS3.