Top Spin 3

Jul 9, 2008

This past weekend's Wimbledon final between five-time champion Roger Federer and main rival Rafael Nadal was an all-time classic even before it finished. From Nadal overcoming a huge deficit in the second set to take a 2-0 lead, to Federer fighting off two championship points in the fourth in an epic tiebreak, to both players refusing to be broken in the fifth as night descended upon the stadium, it was a match for the ages.

With so many tennis lovers pumped up after that intense match, many of them will turn to videogames to let off that extra steam in the digital realm, or to replay their favorite moments from Wimbledon. 2K Sports has recently released Top Spin 3 to satiate this need. The Wii version of the game doesn't feature the visuals of the flashy next-gen versions, as it's a different game engine that runs at the Wii's considerably lower 480p native resolution. But it does include a host of real-life players including cover athletes Roger Federer, Maria Sharapova, and Andy Roddick.

Nadal Plays Hard to Get

Taking a cue from the recent trend in bringing legendary athletes to sports games, Top Spin 3 also brings you players like Bjorn Borg, Boris Becker, and Monica Seles. Much like the Xbox 360 version, Wii owners miss out on PlayStation 3-exclusive Wimbledon winner Rafael Nadal. If you're able to secure the rights to (arguably) the best player in the world, why not include him in all versions? We're sure that money was involved somewhere here, and wrapping up some sort of exclusivity is part of the cutthroat console wars these days, but it's the gamers who play Top Spin 3 on a non-Sony platform who are the only losers.

Top Spin 3 for the Wii is a completely different game than what 2K has released for the Xbox 360 and PS3. Aside from the obvious downgrade in graphics, the gameplay is far more arcade-like and simple, eschewing the intense focus on realism that defines the high-definition versions. Much like in the ubiquitous Wii Sports Tennis, you simply have to shake your Wii Remote from side to side to mimic the swing of a racquet. It feels natural, while still providing a touch of realism by providing better shots if you rear back your hand in preparation for each swing. A full range of motion isn't required, as back-and-forth flicks of the Remote will suffice, but that would be missing the point.

Double Fault

Service in particular can be quite challenging. When you serve, you have to tilt the Remote upwards to start a charge meter that starts off slowly then quickly races through a window of opportunity wherein you should swing downward to mimic the serve. Only a fraction of a second separates a fault from a perfect serve, so many players will find that they rely on the "easy serve with the Z button" functionality to keep things moving, or at least to avoid an embarrassing double fault.

The biggest problem with the controls is that sometimes the sensor and Wii Remote will feel like they're off, and the game won't detect when you've lifted the Remote to prepare a serve. You'll often have to drop and lift the Remote until it detects correctly, and by then your timing is off.

Top Spin 3 for the Wii feels like the natural evolution of the gameplay mechanics introduced to the masses in Wii Sports, adding Nunchuk control movement to the natural feel of kinesthetic control using the Remote. Your full range of motion isn't translated on-screen 1:1; after all, you don't want to have to dive off of your couch to make a save on a ball before it flies away from you. You will, however, be swinging your wrist and elbow from side to side very often, so be sure to take a break to avoid an embarrassing videogame-related injury.

The high-definition versions of Top Spin 3 feature in-depth character customization and online features that are missing from the Wii version, but it counters by offering up party game options meant to make this the definitive social multiplayer version.

You can play The Invincible Man mode, which challenges a group to trade off in playing short three-point tie-breakers. The group will trade places until a winner racks up enough of these short-game victories to be declared champion.

Then there are the Keys modes, which challenge you to not only win short games, but to also score well in nine statistical categories. So it's not just the win that's important, but also how well you perform in all aspects of the game. These aren't the kinds of mini-games where you'll be knocking over robots, painting the court, or breaking panes of glass, but even if it's just basic tennis, the games can be plenty entertaining in a group setting.

Singles Action

The more traditional offerings here are the exhibition mode and The Road to Glory, an eleven-stage tournament in which you'll face increasingly challenging competition in a variety of different play formats. There are speedy games, tournaments like the U.S. Open, Roland Garros, and the Australian Open, and a grand finale at The Great League. There's not a great variety to the single-player offerings, but it's worth noting that the Wii version is by far the most accessible version of Top Spin 3 to pop in when you're looking to play some tennis with friends.

Top Spin 3 for the Wii is a great departure from what 2K brought to the high-definition systems. It's accessible and presents just enough of an increase in complexity over Wii Sports Tennis to appeal to those who want just a bit more control. It's not the most visually appealing game, but many will appreciate the more conservative direction taken with implementing the control scheme. It's easy to start up Top Spin 3, pick up the Wii Remote, and within moments play a fun game of tennis. What more could you want?