Sports games which promote themselves as simulations tend to get overly technical, sometimes unapproachable. A steep learning curve can mean a rewarding experience for players prepared to really bury themselves in the game, for others it can be more hassle than its worth. But 2K Czech scored an ace with Top Spin 4, striking a sublime balance between challenge and accessibility. It was a classic case of "easy to play, hard to master" gameplay; a hardcore tennis sim with pick-up-and-play sensibilities. The developer cleverly cut away some of the unnecessary fat which made Top Spin 3 feel heavy, delivering a leaner, more focused game for this 2011 smash hit. A convincing tennis atmosphere and frighteningly realistic player animation were central to making Top Spin 4 the most believable tennis sim ever made - watching Federer slide across the clay court to thump a massive backhand down the line, his opponent scrambling to make impossible distance in time, it's as real as it gets. Play through a few matches and soon shot timing and pacing became instinctive, entirely engrossing the player with its fluidity and delicate precision. It was an elegant game based on an elegant sport, the kind of gaming experience that awakens thoughts of crisp white sports kit, the smell of prepared grass, and the umpire's poised "Quiet please" reprimands.
Game-obsessed since the moment I could twiddle both thumbs independently. Equally enthralled by all the genres of music that your parents warned you about.
