Would you Adam and Eve it? Rockstar, the masterminds behind the Grand Theft Auto series, are using oodles of Xbox360 power to serve up a game of bloody table tennis!
The one great table tennis-esque game we’ll all have in our heads is that which got the ball rolling in this multi-billion pound industry - Pong. Aside from that, well, there's bugger all.
It's not surprising considering the amount of exposure the sport gets over here. I mean, how many times do you see the latest table tennis star adorning a tabloid back page holding a trophy aloft?
And would the secrets of their sexual exploits sell papers? Ever if they involved old dears from Bootle?
They say:
GameSpot: “Thanks in no small part to Rockstar's own Grand Theft Auto series, there is a trend in game design right now to constantly expand the scope of your game, a real "bigger is better" mentality.”
EuroGamer: “It's never going to be a £50 game, but even Rockstar knows this, which is why it costs half that. It doesn't matter. It's fun from the start until the early hours.”
IGN: “Rockstar has made its point. Table Tennis is a lean, straight to the point game that captures the essence of table tennis exceptionally well.”
We say:
As daft as it sounds, this could just be the first sporting Xbox360 title to sell the system to the doubters.
For starters, the game manages to dazzle both the eyes and ears despite the sport's lack of razzmatazz. Even the players' shirts flap about as they charge from one side of the table to the other. Nice touch.
The sublime slow motion replays show off the tight and fluid motion of each character. Double jointed elbows? Check. Ridiculous contortions? Yes, they're here – just like the real thing.
Controlling your chosen character is a breeze with the left analogue stick and each possesses the kind of inertia and movement that ramps up the realism. If your player finds him or herself stretching for one shot, you won't see them immediately spring back in the opposite direction. Instead you'll get a stumble or a trip, leaving you open to counter-attack.
Just as impressive is the method by which you choose the best shot type. As a shot comes your way the ball glows different colours to match those on your joypad, offering a hint of the best button to press.
Once you're more accustomed to the control methods, you can sidestep the button pressing and access all types of shot through the right analogue stick. It offers even tighter control for all you pros out there.
Simplicity is the key. The controls are so natural you'll soon spinning the ball into the corner and dropping it over the net for a sneaky point. Sublime – if we say so ourselves.
As you progress through the relatively few tournaments on offer, you’ll unlock the odd new character and various nick nacks like new shirts. But as much as we love playing Liu Ping, the colour of his top means bugger all to be honest.
It’s the online multiplayer options that you’ll be making the most use of, taunting your mates as you spin yet another shot just out of their reach. There’s no sweeter sound than that of a beaten pal screaming through your headset.
For the reduced RRP you can pick this up for at various establishments – up to half the price of a normal Xbox360 title – this is as close to essential as you can possibly get.
And for a man who detests close to all sports outside of football, that’s big praise indeed.
Like this? Try these:
Virtua Tennis 2 – PS2
Top Spin 2 – Xbox 360
Pong – Virtually every format ever made
FORMAT REVIEWED
Xbox 360
POSTED...
Tue 30 May 2006 at 12:41am
