TopSpin 2K25

If you've been yearning for the fun of Top Spin 4 and wishing something would scratch that tennis gaming itch, TopSpin 2K25 is exactly what you need. Settle in for some lessons with John McEnroe, work on your timing, and smash your way all the way to international stardom. The match isn't over for TopSpin, but they've delivered a power serve to bring this franchise back to life and get it on the right track.

Overall TopSpin 2K25 is an absolute smashing success. It finds a simplistic and streamlined way to bring a lot of depth and fun to a tennis game. While some of the 'rinse and repeat' formula is found everywhere throughout this game, this is how a sports game should be presented. If you're a tennis fan, TopSpin 2K25 should be at the top of your list.

Not a perfect comeback by any means, but still the best game of virtual tennis for years. TopSpin 2K25 represents an excellent foundation that 2K can build from in entries to come.

TopSpin 2K25 is the return of one of the most beloved tennis franchises, with improved gameplay from the past.

TopSpin 2K25 is a very good comeback and I can confirm that it is one of the most fun sports video games out there.

TopSpin 2K25 is a welcome return for the franchise and a solid reboot. The gameplay is strong, fast and fluid and exactly what you would expect from a tennis game. It is easy to pick-up and play but just about deep enough for those wanting to experiment. It is let down by some slightly off character models and is currently just a bit too light in terms of content, needing perhaps a few mini-games or even a doubles career mode to help flesh it out.

Top Spin 4 was so good that it continued to thrive for 10 years past its sell-by date, and TopSpin 2K25 feels just as enjoyable to play in 2024. Sure, the character models don't look great, and the game could do with a few tweaks and additions in certain areas, but the key thing is that developer Hangar 13 has nailed the gameplay. We've been waiting such a long time for a tennis title to really grab our attention like Top Spin 4 did back in the day, and we're pleased to say that TopSpin 2K25 is comfortably the best tennis game we've played in over a decade.

Top Spin 2K25 is the best 'serious' tennis game we've played since, frankly, the last one was released 13 years ago. Its characters look a bit off, its career mode is dry and the typical 2K microtransaction nonsense is in there (to a less intrusive extent than usual), but when it comes to the gameplay on the court it's far superior to anything else out there.

TopSpin 2K25 is a strong enough return for 2K's dormant Top Spin series, despite being a somewhat barebones offering, short on modes and bereft of fun extras like mini-games. On a fundamental level, however, this is a great game of tennis. Maybe we can expect more from TopSpin 2K26.

TopSpin 2K25 is a world class experience, but Hangar 13 will have to work hard to improve on the depth and variety of game modes and get as many top 10 finishes as possible.

TopSpin 2K25 is great news for tennis lovers. It is a game that is tremendously satisfying at the controls, but whose experience is somewhat diluted by the short variety of game modes and an outdated graphics. However, if you are looking to enjoy good tennis matches, it is the best option on the market.

TopSpin 2K25 is a solid return to the court for the veteran franchise. It's a bit lacking in content, from the limited roster to the repetitive modes, but the excellent gameplay mechanics offer a lot of hope for the future.

Regardless of the drawbacks, fans should welcome Top Spin back into their lives thanks to the largely enjoyable 2K25. With some visual and audio enhancement, and maybe a slightly more accessible learning curve, this series could find a new generation of fans. Let’s just hope it doesn’t take another 13 years to do it.

I’m so glad that Top Spin has made a return after such a long hiatus, but I wish it had come back in a more polished and rounded-out form. The game feels rushed to market and comes up short of its full $70 price tag (up to $120 for the Grand Slam edition that includes the Centre Court passes and some other cosmetics). It’s saved by its excellent on-court gameplay that stands among the peak sim tennis games and the amount of fun you can have playing local multiplayer with friends. If you’re a huge tennis fan, you’re going to have a blast smacking backhand winners and lobbing shots over charging players’ heads. A solid foundation has been laid here for a future release that expands the mode selections and puts some more meat on the bone. As it stands, all but the most hardcore should probably wait for a sale.

TopSpin 2K25’s chunky career mode may occasionally be marred by periods of grind amidst its Grand Slams, its licensed player roster is a little slight compared to its impressive stable of stadiums, and its implementation of virtual currency attributes bafflingly unrealistic values to goods and services as though they were appraised by a kindergartner with no understanding of money. In spite of these drawbacks, though, TopSpin 2K25 is an absolute blast on court, and one that I’m struggling to put down. Claiming this is the best tennis simulation since Top Spin 4 may be a bit of a backhanded compliment since there haven't exactly been any other genuine serve-and-volley contenders released in recent years, but there’s little doubt that despite its rough edges this is still the most enjoyable way to get a realistic rally going in your own home without building an actual court in your backyard.

Despite its fun gameplay, which is very reminiscent of the fourth game in the series, Top Spin 2K25 has evolved little in terms of movement mechanics and the physics of the tennis players' strokes in almost 15 years. To make matters worse, the poor visuals, especially in the textures of the characters, really detract from the experience, as the game often looks like it was made for the end of the Xbox 360 and PS3 generation. Top Spin 2K25 even hits some commendable winners, but the large number of unforced errors prevents it from dreaming of a Grand Slam title in sports simulators.

TopSpin is challenging in many intentional and unintentional ways – the control system is tough to master but there is a great sense of reward to even getting the ball to land where you want it. The online requirements, and some of the more befuddling systems make it much harder to get to the core of the experience.

TopSpin 2K25 is a striking return of a decades-old series. The tennis action is exciting and balanced, but all the peripheral issues ruin a significant part of the gaming experience.