Lob and Smash
Fansided

No sign of Top Spin 5, where are tennis video games?

By Geoff Nichols

facebooktwitterreddit

No sign of Top Spin 5, where are tennis video games? 

It has now been three years since the release of a high-profile tennis video game and fans who have been holding out for the release of a Top Spin 5, Virtua Tennis 5 or Grand Slam Tennis 3 look set to be left disappointed. The common opinion coming out of the games industry is that there is simply not enough demand for a tennis game.

Arguably the most realistic tennis simulation was Top Spin 4, which was released all the way back in March 2011 on the previous generation of consoles. It was a game that many hardcore tennis fans absolutely loved, as it opted for realism rather than the arcade-like feel that some other games had. However, the game failed to reach even 1 million sales, dampening hopes of another sequel.

The potential for any of the three leading tennis series on the new generation of consoles makes it even harder to swallow that none of the three companies 2K, EA or Sega are going to take the project on. Whilst smaller gaming companies can take on projects for more indie sports games, as we have seen with the likes of Ashes 2013 that it is no easy feat.

On other other hand a little love and attention can go a long way, exemplified by Don Bradman Cricket 14. It plays like a game designed by people who love cricket and much of the presentation side of the game was open to customisation via an editor.

It is an approach that word work perfectly with a tennis game, with gameplay nailed by the expert programmers and the rosters of players could be worked on by the community. I have no doubt that within days the tennis community would have recreated the top 100 on both sides of the game.
Top Spin

In my eyes Top Spin 4 represented the Holy Grail of tennis video games, in that it seemed to take on the difficult task of replicating an actual match and pulling it off. The detail was there in the graphical elements, from official courts to a good selection of top players.

The buttons also strayed from the tap-to-hit mechanic that often over simplified tennis games, moving to a system where you could vary between tapping to hit a shot or holding and releasing for a shot where timing would be rewarded. Career mode was deep and rewarding, but that lack of licensed pros was jarring when you were working your way up the rankings.

Virtua Tennis

More from Tennis News

Virtua Tennis had an arcadey feel, mainly because it was originally an arcade game. Focussed on making the game enjoyable for people picking up the game for the first time, the game play took a significant hit in realism.

Rallies tended to be unusually long and could often only be ended with approaching the net to put away a volley. For a certain kind of tennis fan, it was the ideal blend of fun mixed in with the actual tennis, with the mini games ending in hilarity in multilayer sessions.

Grand Slam Tennis

EA’s offering came in the form a Grand Slam Tennis, which over the course of two iterations took up a place in between Top Spin and Virtua Tennis. The licensing, as we have come to expect from EA, led to a polished tennis simulation that even included commentary for the first time.

However, the gameplay was still too far away from that of Top Spin 4 for the proper tennis fans and when you think about it, who else is really going to be playing the game? It was a glimpse of what could be possible if EA were to launch a tennis title on the new consoles and I for one desperately hope that they do.

Next: Lob and Smash 2015 Grand Slam Predictions

More from Lob and Smash

Home/Tennis News