Top Spin 2

Top Spin 2 is a tennis simulator where accuracy and position on the court come first, not speed of clicks. Strikes are set by direction and strength, and serves and techniques with risk allow you to escalate, the price for which is an error due to poor timing. At higher difficulty levels, matches turn into long tactical shootouts. The game brings together world tennis stars with recognizable manners: some prefer to play on the back line, others go to the net, and others serve with particular force. You have to study your opponent before the match, otherwise the rally is built at random, and the spectators in the stands react to every successful shot. Career allows you to create your own player and guide him through tournaments, training and ranked matches. In addition to singles, there are doubles matches and online matches, and training drills help you master footwork and the rebound shot. Separately, it is worth noting that different court surfaces change the behavior of the ball: on clay, rallies are delayed, but on grass, everything is decided by the serve and access to the net. Practices and mini-games help you get comfortable with shot timing before entering the tournament. For tennis fans, this is a rare example of a simulator where both the legs and the head are important. For its time, the graphics and animations looked very decent, and the controls remained clear: you can figure it out in an evening, but you won’t be able to win the tournament right away. Top Spin 2 is one of those simulators that is respected by both sports fans and gaming enthusiasts.