Top Spin 4

The controls, while requiring some time to get used to, are intuitive. The game looks great graphically outside some blemishes when looked at closely. The good overwhelmingly outweighs the bad, making Top Spin 4 the game for the tennis elite

The core game itself is the draw, and thanks to a control scheme that delivers enough information to keep every shot interesting while never reneging on the promise of easy-to-play/tough-to-master, Top Spin 4 emerges as an absolutely killer tennis sim and one worthy of being considered one of the deepest and most rewarding seen thus far.

Top Spin 4 isn't flashy and doesn't come with any gimmicks, but it's an incredibly competent and in-depth tennis sim that the sport's fans would be foolish to pass up. It's more accessible than the previous entry and includes the necessary online functionality to keep you playing for months.

But with the crowds in these arenas audibly reacting to the hairs-breadth play that makes the professional game so exciting, Top Spin 4 really does come closer than any tennis game to date when it comes to capturing the real essence of one of sport's most graceful games.

Top Spin 4 is a great step for tennis video games, cleverly joining an authentic experience with a streamlined approach to the gameplay. The addition of Move offers yet another reason to own Sony’s motion controller and true-to-life play style only raises the bar for the series' competition. There is plenty to offer hardcore and casual tennis fans, and above all it’s easy to learn and fun to play — what else could you ask for from a video game?

Top Spin 4 is tennis at its best. From the off, you're never in any doubt as to the authenticity of its simulation, thanks to the tight controls, great visuals, and in-depth online and offline career modes that make you feel like a professional tennis player on his or her way to the top. Though it sticks to its simulation roots, the new helpers make the game much more accessible, while improved tutorials teach you about different styles of play, making matches tense and strategic and as much fun to watch as they are to play.