GAME DESCRIPTION: TABLE TENNIS, available exclusively for the Xbox 360, is the debut next-generation title developed by Rockstar San Diego, the creative powerhouse behind the highly successful Midnight Club series. A highly polished yet visceral experience, Rockstar Games presents Table Tennis is instantly addictive. Packing the intensity of a fighting game, incredible speed and intuitive control, this true showcase title for the Xbox 360 displays physics and authentic game-play mirroring the competitive ferocity found in a professional table tennis match. The high definition era of interactive entertainment is upon us and Table Tennis is leading the charge.
PLAY: Ping pong? Before the game even came out it sounded like a failure. And then the game arrived and we played it. If only there was a tennis game with controls this good. This is one of the most addictive games on the Xbox 360—providing you have friends to play against. Once you start to get into rallies of over a 100 shots it really gets intense. Even last night I found myself playing my friends and sweating with sore thumbs from pushing the buttons down for maximum spin trying to hold on to my one set lead.
One of the most important parts of the game is training. It takes about ten minutes and it’s worth every second. Once training is complete you are ready for a game. It’s important to learn spins, smashes, power shots, lobs, and ball placement.
Although you can unlock eleven characters, Table Tennis is built for two players. Then again, it would have been interesting to have a story where you start out as a regular guy trying to become the best player in the world. But there is no story or career mode. We can forgive the absence of a story because they usually end up lame—however a career mode would have been a significant value-added component.
Ultimately, Table Tennis lives and dies with the controls. Rockstar got it right. The controls are brilliant and easy to manage. There really hasn’t been a tennis game released yet with controls this intuitive. I expect a tennis game to steal these controls—maybe Rockstar will create their own. The left joystick controls the movement of the character and the placement of the ball. The right joystick or the buttons control the spins—I preferred the buttons over the right joystick.
There is also a momentum meter. It’s hard to keep an eye on it when playing—but you might want to glance up at it because once you start to lose momentum chances are you’ll lose the point.
There is an online play—but we didn’t get a chance to try that out before the review.
GRAPHICS: The character faces are very detailed. Other than that there is a table and part of a floor. That’s it, and really that is all they need to keep you away from being distracted.
SOUND: Both the sound effects and music are very good—expect no less than that from Rockstar. And during rallies the music starts to increase with the back and forth action. It’s a nice touch.
FRANKLY: The game reminded me of being a kid and playing ping pong in my friend’s basement. It was just me, my friend, and a ping pong table surrounded by concrete and cobwebs. And yet it provided hours of fun just like Rockstar Games presents Table Tennis.
+ Richie Wright
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