Table Tennis - This ain't no Ping pong

Author's Rating:

Pros: Solid gameplay, fun multiplayer, bargain priced

Cons: Short career mode, limited gameplay if you don't have Live

The Bottom Line: 
A bargain-priced title with simple, yet addictive and highly strategic gameplay.

Author's Review
Ping pong is usually what most people think of when they see people playing Table Tennis. It tends to be a lazy back and forth, casual game. But in truth, Table Tennis is an Olympic sport played by top athletes in a very competitive form. So when Rockstar decided to make a game of Table Tennis, I knew they would take the hardcore route in a similar vein to the Top Spin tennis games. Does Rockstar succeed?

Read on, dear reader....

•• Story ••
Story? We don't need no stinking story!.

•• Gameplay ••
Since there hasn't been a Table Tennis game before (no, Pong does not count), the only basis for comparison is the Top Spin tennis games and while the game mechanics are very similar, there are some differences that put this game ahead of that series.

The basic control scheme consists of pressing the 4 main buttons to make different shots. The A button is the top spin and is the main power shot and the one that you'll use most often. The Y button is a defensive backspin shot designed to slow the ball down and give you more time to get into position. The red and blue button are side spin shots meant to throw your opponent off in either direction of the table. There are also soft shots using the left bumper which makes the ball drop short just on the other side of the net. This forces the opponent to rush the net and lose any power momentum.

The real subtlety lies in the the left thumbstick. While the right Thumbstick moves your character, the left aims the ball. And this is where the tricky part comes in. The aiming is so nuanced that the true masters of this game will be able to combine solid shots with impeccable aiming and speed. One of the things I hated about Top Spin was the seeming unpredictability of where the ball might land when trying to aim. With Table Tennis, the controller vibrates if you are aiming the ball in a place that might not hit the table. This is most useful and being able to read the level of vibration is key. A little vibration means you are close and a lot means your shot will go out. It's the in betweens that make the game.

As well, you can perform focus shots which are controlled by your focus meter. This meter is filled up as you make successful shots and volleys. When it's filled, hit the right bumper first. This will briefly slow down the game and give you more time to add power or aim. The longer you hold down the shot button, the harder your shot will be. And what satisfying feeling it is to see your guy slowly wind up and smack it across the table with gusto!

Moving your character is a bit clunky. I'm sure it's realistic, but the movement in Top Spin is much smoother. Granted, the area needing to be covered is quite small, but the characters in Table Tennis feel like they are tripping over their own feet. Several shots were missed because my guy didn't get to the right place fast enough.

Adding to the strategy of lining up shots, getting the right power and aiming, you also have the added challenge of returning your opponent's hits properly depending on the spin they used. This is actually quite accurate. I've played enough Table Tennis to know that the ball can bounce very strangely off your paddle if the player puts a spin on it. The key is to return the ball with the same spin that it was sent to you. And the game makes this somewhat easy by color coding little arrows that correspond to the color of the shot button. This works when you can see it, but on standard definition TVs like mine, the yellow is almost impossible to distinguish from the green. This resulted in several shots into the net or over the head of the opponent. Nevertheless, this coding along with observing the movement of the ball allows the player to usually figure out how to return the ball. Again, this adds another level of strategy and nuance to the game.

The game is rather short and to compensate, they made it extremely hard. Even on the rookie match, the AI is astoundingly good, offering little chance for someone like me to excel.

•• Graphics ••
The graphics are a little hard to judge in this game because of the simplicity. You have 2 people, an environment, and table. Not much else to draw. That said, the human models are good, but not terribly detailed. We can see the hair bob as the player moves up and down. The clothing ruffles when they walk. They grimace when a bad shot is made. The detail is overall pretty good, but like so many other games they are shooting for a realism that isn't available. They look wooden when walking and their eyes always have the look of someone in a morgue. Pixar learned years ago that style is more important than realism when achieving believable characters.

That said, the animation is fluid and well done. There is a decent variety of post-volley reactions to go along with the variety of characters from different countries you can be. Unlike Top Spin, you don't get to choose when to show these animations, they just happen.

The environments are fairly good, if simple. Usually taking place inside, they feature a table and few decorations. Nothing fantastic, nothing overly detailed and very few crowd shots.

•• Sound ••
Real Table Tennis sounds were used in the game, that much is obvious. From the very first ping of a ball on a table, you know they were going for accuracy. And they achieved it. The paddle sounds are all very realistic as are the reverberating sounds of the ball getting smacked around. The audience gets very interactive in this game, making catcalls and cheering on specific opponents. The longer the volley, the more the crowd roars. As well, the music swells when the volley gets long and heated giving a whole new tension and satisfaction to the game. The sound is excellent in this game, I was very impressed.

•• Multiplayer ••
The multiplayer is what it is. It's Table Tennis with no variation. That said, this is where the game was meant to be played: over Xbox Live. Be warned, if you think the AI is tough, wait until you play against the kids online who have no problem crushing you into the ground. The matchmaking is solid and the Trueskill ranking works very well. There is seemingly no lag and the controls are responsive even on a laggy wireless network like mine.

One of the cool things about the Xbox 360 Live service is the spectator mode. I didn't feel like playing, but I wanted to watch. So I joined a match as a spectator and watched some very good players duke it out. I was allowed to choose the angle of viewing and could switch at any time. I sat back and watched. it was just like I was watching Table Tennis on ESPN. Quite enjoyable.

•• Achievements ••
The Achievements are pretty basic. You get some for completing different matches and some for unlocking different pieces of clothing. You also get some for online play. Certainly a solid offering, but nothing too creative.

•• Parents Should Know ••
This game is rated E for Everyone and is safe for all ages.

•• Conclusion ••
A bargain-priced title with simple, yet addictive and highly strategic gameplay.

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