Top Spin 4

Although the detail of the players improved quite a lot from previous entries, there is still somewhat a lack of polish to the backgrounds and some specific players.

An absolutely killer tennis sim.

Top Spin 4 is one of the best tennis games on the PlayStation 3. The game contains a lot of different modes and it plays really nice. Besides that it's a bit a shame the game doesn't offer enough different tennis players.

2K Czech serves up an ace with Top Spin 4 through authentic gameplay and animations, plus a new streamlined approach throughout the entire game.

With a wealth of content to explore, tight controls, and great visuals, Top Spin 4 is a fantastic tennis simulation that caters to pros and novices alike.

Overall I'm very impressed with Top Spin 4. Whilst it doesn't bring anything new to the table, everything it does bring is refined to within an inch of its life. It looks nice, it plays superbly, and it is deeper than a conversation with Professor Brian Cox. Your move, SEGA.

If you like tennis you can't miss Top Spin 4, a game that improves the last chapter of the series in every possible way. Like Tina Turner said in 1989, this is "simply the best" tennis game of all time.

Top Spin 4 offers a lot of emotion on the court. The controls are very good but you will need a lot of time to master timing in every situation.

A great simulation, better every year. Control on the athletes is absolute, and fun for the fans is guaranteed.

Accessible and fun, Top Spin 4 is the best tennis simulation around.

Top Spin 4 is probably one of the best tennis games ever made mainly by its simulatorish atmosphere and absolutely marvellous career game. The controls work like a charm with pad, but unfortunately the Move support doesn't work as well as it should. Motion controls make the game extremely hard. AI doesn't cut any slack and therefore there's no error for controller based errors. [June 2011]

A willingness to refine its trademark depth and realism with advanced features has provided enough of a leap for those of you well-versed in the game, and the excellent training Academy and on-screen indicators provide a crucial link for everybody else to get to grips.

But with the crowds in these arenas audibly reacting to the hairs-breadth play that makes the professional game so exciting, Top Spin 4 really does come closer than any tennis game to date when it comes to capturing the real essence of one of sport's most graceful games.

Without any real competition to push the genre forward, 2K Czech delivered a solid, fun and quite enjoyable tennis game. But in the future, we'd like to see something more bold and innovative.

Despite Virtua Tennis 4 releasing a few months from now, it's safe to say that Top Spin 4 will be a difficult game to beat. The physics and fatigue system make this a deep sport simulation, while the improved control system and streamlined character leveling mechanic is simple enough that newcomers and casual players won't feel overwhelmed.

While it's not a revolution in video game tennis, Top Spin 4 provides both a mastery of the basics and the most comprehensive career mode to date. Throw in a strong roster of real-life professionals, a great online component, and Move functionality for the PS3, and this title is more than ready for center court.

The control is beautiful (and I'm pretty sure the momentum physics have been ramped up), your opponent AI is intelligent and challenging at higher levels, the presentation and atmosphere is immersive, and the Career Mode never ceases to be entertaining.

Even if you don't have a 3D telly (and who does?) and despite the issues with the career mode, you still get a game that's enjoyable looks fantastic and plays great.

Top Spin 4 has been a lesson in ambivalence for me. I liked it, but couldn't overlook some of its flaws. But the truth is, Top Spin 4 is probably the best tennis game that's been made to date. It's fun to play, and pretty satisfying to blast winners and watch your opponent throw up his (or her) hands in frustration.

The PlayStation Move aspect is definitely the way to go with a second person and it does give you a relative slight workout as you move around your living room, slogging that virtual ball. Add in a decent career mode and great online connectivity and Top Spin 4 is a winner on many levels.

Unfortunately the Move controls have turned out to be a real flop. Rather than the same sort of control over your racquet as, say, the ping pong in Sports Champions, Top Spin 4's controls feel significantly dumbed down. There really doesn't appear to be any connection between your player's arm and your actual arm – backhands you perform in your living room will be regularly interpreted as forehands by the game and there doesn't appear to be much difference between a spirited slog and a apathetic wiggle of the wrist. [May 2011 p.77]

A tennis game with focus on realism with great carreer mode and nice feel to the gameplay. Some small problems but overall a great game.

The hole in Top Spin 4's serve is its lack of game commentary, which imparts an eerily quite, last-gen feel to matches. [May 2011, p.79]

Top Spin 4 isn't flashy and doesn't come with any gimmicks, but it's an incredibly competent and in-depth tennis sim that the sport's fans would be foolish to pass up.

Great controls in a game that takes minutes to learn and ages to master. Top Spin 4 is one of the better tennis games on the market, thanks to the well-designed career mode and splendid online options.

Top Spin 4 lacks the polish of a truly fantastic game, but does have a potent balance between accessibility and depth. This fourth instalment is on all fronts better than its predecessor and works especially well online. It's a nice overture for the new tennis season.

Top Spin 4 preserves the series' signature depth, ensuring that it remains the most advanced tennis experience available to gamers. Its easy to learn, hard to master control system is a triumph, and manages to retain overtones of simulation while simultaneously executing accessibility. Even without Virtua Tennis' sense of silliness and whimsy, Top Spin 4 is still a real hoot and, apart from one or two niggles, it's perhaps only limited by the repetitive nature of the sport itself.

Its great depth of gameplay, packaged in an approachable and fun format, elevates it to the upper echelon of tennis titles. Buy the game, not the 3D spectacle.

By putting accessibility and instant enjoyment at the forefront, 2K Czech has cast all the old frustrations aside at a stroke, and the fact the developer has eased passage into the game without sacrificing any of its depth is also remarkable. It feels as though a balance has been struck, which should suit players of all skill levels.

We've played too many sports games those last years to be wrong: Top Spin 4 is one of those masterpieces, a milestone in the sports gaming genre.

2K Czech har tried to "arcadify" the Top Spin series which, in the end, hurts the overall experience. But as long as you play it as a true simulator, Top Spin 4 is at it's best and probably the best simulation of the sport so far.

More intuitive controls. [May 2011, p.92]

Between the lengthy career mode, customizable characters, and online tournaments, there's enough here to keep fans of the series and tennis game newcomers alike grabbing their rackets and hitting the court.

Top Spin 4 has become a reasonably good game, it's much better than the previous Top Spin. There's a lot to explore but unfortunately there's a lack of real improvement. So the game isn't perfect.

The best we can expect for now. [Apr 2011, p.112]