After an agonizing thirteen-year hiatus,Top Spinis finally making its grand return in 2024, and with this news, a lot of tennis fans are returning to the classics to experience everything the beloved series has to offer. While there have been a plethora of tennis games that have been released over the last two decades, it was reallyTop Spinthat set out the basic template for how these games should play back when it was first released in 2003.
There were a total of four mainlineTop Spingames released throughout the 2000’s for multiple consoles, and while they all have their ownunique gimmicks and mechanics, there are some that a lot of fans argue are much better overall for their immersion, animations, content, and just how fun they are to play in general. Before taking a look at how these games rank, it should be mentioned that because some of the ports and handheld versions are much different in quality, they will also be considered below.
8Top Spin 2 (DS)
Metascore: 51
The whole concept of putting aTop Spingame on a handheld system may sound like a good idea on paper, but unfortunately, resulted in a pretty poor port of the otherwise very goodTop Spin 2, which looked and felt far worse than its counterpart. Because the animations are incredibly poor, it means that both players on the court often feel like they are skating on an ice rink, and will often teleport to the ball rather than moving towards itin a realistic fashion.
The graphics also don’t help the situation, as the choppy visuals can often make it quite difficult to actually follow the ball, especially when the AI is pulling off a high or risky shot. While there is at least a fairly deep shot system that players can mess around with to get the drop on their opponent, this port offers little else in regard to depth or strategy.
7Top Spin 4 (Wii)
Metascore: 54
WhileTop Spin 4for the Wii is packed with fun and exciting game modes to jump into, especially the King of the Court mode which is a blast when playing with friends, the game struggles to keep up quick and fast rallies due to the unresponsiveWii motion controls. While pulling off a basic swing isn’t too bad, the game also makes it so that players will need to swing the remote in a very precise manner to pull off other techniques like a slice or drop shot.
Since the Wii motion controls are poorly optimized for the game, it’s a common occurrence for players to try and use a particular swing, only for something completely different to come out instead. As mentioned before, this really harms quick rallies, and it can also be pretty difficult for newcomers to the sport to become familiar with. If players can get the hang of the controls though, the game still runs well and actually looks extremely polished for a Wii title.
6Top Spin 3 (DS)
Metascore: 65
After the disastrous reception ofTop Spin 2for the DS, PAM Development clearly put a lot of effort into making the sequel much more compatible with the system, and while it still has its fair share of downsides, it’s a massive improvement from what came before. The game features sixteen top players from around the world to take control over, and although there areonly a handful of stadiums, they all still manage to look very vibrant thanks to the colors, which have been much more emphasized this time around.
The core gameplay is pretty much the same as its console iteration, with players having access to a basic swing along with some of the more risky ones such as the smash and backhand if they feel brave enough to pull them off. The slightly clunky movement does admittedly make it very easy to cling onto the ball, which does end up creating a big disadvantage for the opponent, but this is still the best the series has ever been on a handheld system.
5Top spin 3 (Wii)
Metascore: 68
Rather than being a simple port from the originalTop Spin 3on consoles, the Wii version is almost an entirely different game, primarily because it does away with all the deeper systems and mechanics in an attempt to create a much more casual and accessible experience. The much stricter swing commands have been dialed down and made much easier to perform, and while thisdefinitely appeals to younger fans or those who might be new to tennis in general, it does also sacrifice a lot of the competitive nature in the process.
The game looks just as good as its console counterparts though, with realistic players and beautiful stadiums that really are quite impressive for the era that the game came out.Top Spin 3for the Wii might not have that intense competitive edge to it that many players look for, but it’s ideally designed for anyone who just wants to jump in and have a few easy rallies with their friends,
4Top Spin 2 (Xbox 360, PC)
Metascore: 75
Top Spin 2is a fast-paced and fluid tennis game that introduced a few extra mechanics from its predecessor to help flesh out the core gameplay, and while this is great for tennis players who are already in the know, it can admittedly be a little overwhelming for newcomers. While players will have the four basic swings that they can use during a match, including the reliable safe swing and a slightly more unorthodox top swing, there are also eight others that can be executed by using up a portion of the Momentum Bar.
This adds a little more strategy to the gameplay, but because these additional swings are often so risky, it means that the player will need to learn exactly when to use them in order for them to prove effective on the court. The career mode, while fairly bland in its actual story, is still a blast to play through, and players are also able to create their very character before jumping in, whichadds a lot to the overall immersion. As mentioned before,Top Spin 2’sintricate and fairly complex mechanics can be a little jarring for those new to the games or the sport, but longtime tennis fans will still find a lot here to enjoy.
3Top Spin 3 (PlayStation 3 / Xbox 360)
Metascore: 78
2K made the bold decision to makeTop Spin 3a little more realistic in order to add to the overall immersion of the experience, and while it undoubtedly makes it harder as a result, it also gives players plenty of room to improve and perfect their swings over time. Players can’t just run up to a ball and press a single button to respond to their opponent, instead, they will have to time their release with their swing, which is indicated by a slight vibration in the controller.
This simple mechanic already makes the game much more difficult, but it alsorewards those who have dedicated the time to practicebefore hitting the court. There’s also been a few other changes that try to steer close to the real-life game, such as how risk shots are now dependent on how difficult it will be to actually hit the oncoming ball, which creates a nice risk-reward system for this popular move. The intense learning curve might not be for everyone, but with a staggering amount of content and some downright stunning visuals to boot,Top Spin 3is still an excellent game for die-hard tennis fans.
2Top Spin 4 (PlayStation 3 / Xbox 360)
Metascore: 84
BecauseTop Spin 3had started to feel a little overly complex in its mechanics to some people, 2K decided to tone this down slightly in the fourth game, while still providing a high skill ceiling for anyone who aims to become the best of the best. The four basic swings are assigned to the four colored buttons on the controller, and while they’re much easier to pull off than in the previous game, and will get the player through a rally just fine, they’re encouraged to test out the other techniques in order to reliably score points every time.
One of the biggest examples of this is the modifiers assigned to the shoulder buttons. These can drastically change the trajectory of a shot, and although they are much harder to use effectively, their speed and power can also come in handy for breaking an intense rally. The career mode has also been greatly improved in this game, featuringa pretty interesting story that is paced extremely well, making those matches against the likes of Federer and Nadal all the more exciting when they eventually show up.
1Top Spin (PlayStation 2 / PC / Xbox)
Metascore: 89
While the originalTop Spinis without a doubt a very easy game to jump into, especially since there are only a handful of swings, players are also able to get better at the game by familiarizing themselves with the multiple unique systems that they can use to get a step-up over their opponent. The most important of these is the “In the zone” gauge, which will fill up if a player manages to keep playing well without dropping the ball. The meter itself will judge the player’s chances of pulling off a risk shot, and while this might not be as realistic or immersive as previous titles, it’s still an incredibly fun mechanic that ensures that there’s always a risk associated with these tricky techniques.
