Top Spin 3 – Nintendo DS

Difficult game to play, let alone master
This game, Top Spin 3, was a great frustration because it is so difficult to get all the buttons pushed just so in order to actually play the game well, which I never did, and I spent hours trying. I felt like a total spaz playing this particular game, whereas in other games for the DS I am not a bad player, like Tiger Woods PGA tour 08 and Call of Duty 4. Top Spin 3 is not, as the product features state, “easy to pick up and play… no matter what skill level you are”. I have had the game about 5 months and have not gotten any enjoyment out of the game, except when knocking down most of the “barrels” in one of the training exercises, and that was very little enjoyment indeed. Playing a match against the computer is a totally different story than knocking down some barrels. It is very difficult to actually get your player into the exact spot on the court in order to make consistently good forehands and backhands. I could never even break the CPU’s serve. Also, I never liked the way the CPU player would come towards the net and taunt my guy after a winning shot was made. That got old really quick. Where’s the good sportsmanship? I would not recommend Top Spin 3 to someone that might be overly challenged (like me) to keep pushing the control pad (and the other buttons) in just the exact way required to make good shots. If you might be expecting to somewhat master the controls for this game, you could be sorely disappointed, as I was.

Not up to the hype
This game is way better than the topspin 3 on the Xbox of PS3. Those games take away your ability to get a head start on where you think the ball is going to go.With that said, this game lacks some options. You can create your own player….unless you want him/her to be left handed. Then you are SOL. The created character also doesn’t have a choice between backhands. And you don’t have one. Some matches my guy hits a one handed bakchand…sometimes two handed. Also he can’t be black.The game play is OK but the characters run fast even on the low level. You don’t really know what kind of shot you are hitting. And the sensitivity of your aiming doesn’t increase as you get closer to the net. So I would hit an approach shot and run towards the net. My character will always hit it into the middle of the court.This game is OK when you aren’t by a TV System. But on the DS it just is not there yet.

Difficult to master, but worth it!
When I first started playing this game, much like other reviewers, I was extremely frustrated. Let me take it issue by issue to make this easier to read.1. This is a hard game to master. But once you do, it is a lot of fun. It’s about knowing the controls. One thing that would have helped this game a lot is if the instructional packet was more comprehensive. There are some bars and certain things in the game that are not explained in the manual. Also, there is a lack of explanation about the controls. Also, the manual does not tell you how to play a drop shot. You have to hit x (which is for lobs) and press the pad down. Just so people know. It can be quite helpful.2. I read one review that told me to hit either my top spin button (b) or other button much earlier than when I’d actually hit it. This makes sense in tennis since you need to set up your shots, but I didn’t think of this on a video game. Thus, a lot of my shots were pretty crappy and I could rarely win a point. But if you hit the button earlier and set up the shot, you have a much better shot come out hence a better shot at winning the point. It gets easier with time and practice.3. The timing is also pretty difficult. To get the power shot or the angle shot takes a lot of practice and patience. I would recommend playing with one of the pros to start out with since it is easier for them to get the timing of the power/angle shots. When you start a career, it is harder, but you will adjust.4. Placement of your shots can also be difficult. Remember that you can use the + pad to help with that. With power shots, the placement of the shot will tend to be more inside, rather than close to the lines. Top spin shots are more likely to be line clippers. I found placement on my serves to be the most difficult. Just remember to vary your speed (with the bar that shows up) and your placement with the + pad.5. I love that this has a career function. It’s what I love about Top Spin over other tennis video games. My only qualm with it is that the ranking system isn’t very realistic, in that even if I win every tournament in a year, I can only get to number 2 or 3, depending if I do the sponsor matches or not. Also, the seedings in the individual tournaments are not realistic at all either. In actual tennis, if you are lower ranked, you will play highly ranked players throughout and will only play lower ranked players once you get your rank up. But in this, certain tournaments only have players ranked in the 80’s-90’s, which would never really happen. But this is a fun aspect. I’ve gotten four players to #1 where 3 of them had never lost a match.This game is rather hard to master, and it would be easier if the manual was better written and more comprehensive. So I hope those that are frustrated (even after buying the game) can read my review and understand that it is possible for this game to be extremely fun. My partner makes fun of me because I have it glued to my hands…Good luck with the game! It is a lot of fun!