Review: 'Top Spin,' 'Prizefighter' have opposite problems
I’m not a big sports fan, but I do like playing the more “minor” sports video games.
In this case, that includes “Top Spin 3” and “Don King Presents Prizefighter.” I wanted to like both of them, but both fell short.
“Top Spin” is a good example of focusing on something to a fault. If you’re looking for a tennis simulation, this is it. The action is grounded in the real world.
However, “Top Spin” is so set on being like real tennis that it forgets to have a personality.
I enjoyed the matches themselves. Like the real sport, they require some strategy and good reaction times.
The controls are easy enough to learn but a little harder to master. The face buttons provide the different types of shots, from flat shots to slices and lobs. The trigger buttons are for more risky attempts, such as power shots. The left thumbstick is used for moving around and aiming the shot.
Timing each shot takes practice. The game is pretty picky about what it will allow, so letting go of the button either too late or too soon can be disastrous. At the same time, you can pull off some pretty crazy shots.
There were a few times when I would hit the button to swing and my player would just stand there. I’m not sure if that was a timing issue on my part or a real problem with the game.
You create your character using a complex creation system. Then you go to tournaments, and eventually, you come up against the big-name, real-life players.
The players look fantastic and move in an incredibly realistic way. Over the course of a match, the players even get sweaty.
Wins net you experience points that can go into your player’s different statistics (power, stamina, etc.). You also earn points for new clothes.
All this is well and good, but I got bored. The main career menu is bland and simple, and there are no extras such as minigames to mix it up. You simply go from one game to the next.
I can’t really complain about the gameplay itself; it’s an accurate representation of the sport, and serious tennis fans probably will love it. I just wish there was more to “Top Spin 3” to make it feel a little less … boring.
Meanwhile, “Don King Presents Prizefighter” has the opposite problem. The presentation in the boxing game is pretty good, and it has some interesting ways of doing things. The gameplay is the issue.
I loved EA’s “Fight Night Round 3”; it seemed to really nail the essence of a boxing game. While “Prizefighter” shouldn’t be a carbon copy of “Fight Night,” I couldn’t help thinking fondly of that game as I struggled through “Prizefighter.”
It’s not bad, exactly. But the controls aren’t as responsive as they should be, and many of them feel counterintuitive.
The face buttons serve as the punches, which is fine. It seemed like there was always a little lag between when I hit the button and when the fighter threw the punch. I know part of it is because of fatigue; if they’re tired, they’re slower. But I don’t think that explains all of it. There’s a fluidity that’s lacking.
I also didn’t like the feel of blocking, which uses the right thumbstick. I kept trying to use the right trigger, which seemed more natural, especially because the left trigger serves for dodging. Why not make both the “defense” buttons the same type? It’s awkward to use the right thumbstick and then try to hit the face buttons for a punch.
Still, I liked the overall idea of “Prizefighter,” which tells the story of a boxer named “The Kid” (your character) through live-action video clips. The clips are filmed documentary-style and are an inventive approach.
Real boxers pop up in the game, too. “Prizefighter” includes 40 boxing champs, both current and classic, and 22 gyms and arenas also are included.
Occasionally, you’ll be put in classic matches, which are played with a sepia-tone filter and “crackly” film to look old. While I had a hard time winning any of those, they’re a cool idea.
I liked the approach to “Prizefighter”; I just didn’t care for the implementation. The controls are passable, but they felt too clunky to be enjoyable.
Both “Prizefighter” and “Top Spin 3” are rentals.
Reach Aimee Green at 473-7326 or Aimee.Green@lee.net.
In this case, that includes “Top Spin 3” and “Don King Presents Prizefighter.” I wanted to like both of them, but both fell short.
“Top Spin” is a good example of focusing on something to a fault. If you’re looking for a tennis simulation, this is it. The action is grounded in the real world.
However, “Top Spin” is so set on being like real tennis that it forgets to have a personality.
I enjoyed the matches themselves. Like the real sport, they require some strategy and good reaction times.
The controls are easy enough to learn but a little harder to master. The face buttons provide the different types of shots, from flat shots to slices and lobs. The trigger buttons are for more risky attempts, such as power shots. The left thumbstick is used for moving around and aiming the shot.
Timing each shot takes practice. The game is pretty picky about what it will allow, so letting go of the button either too late or too soon can be disastrous. At the same time, you can pull off some pretty crazy shots.
There were a few times when I would hit the button to swing and my player would just stand there. I’m not sure if that was a timing issue on my part or a real problem with the game.
You create your character using a complex creation system. Then you go to tournaments, and eventually, you come up against the big-name, real-life players.
The players look fantastic and move in an incredibly realistic way. Over the course of a match, the players even get sweaty.
Wins net you experience points that can go into your player’s different statistics (power, stamina, etc.). You also earn points for new clothes.
All this is well and good, but I got bored. The main career menu is bland and simple, and there are no extras such as minigames to mix it up. You simply go from one game to the next.
I can’t really complain about the gameplay itself; it’s an accurate representation of the sport, and serious tennis fans probably will love it. I just wish there was more to “Top Spin 3” to make it feel a little less … boring.
Meanwhile, “Don King Presents Prizefighter” has the opposite problem. The presentation in the boxing game is pretty good, and it has some interesting ways of doing things. The gameplay is the issue.
I loved EA’s “Fight Night Round 3”; it seemed to really nail the essence of a boxing game. While “Prizefighter” shouldn’t be a carbon copy of “Fight Night,” I couldn’t help thinking fondly of that game as I struggled through “Prizefighter.”
It’s not bad, exactly. But the controls aren’t as responsive as they should be, and many of them feel counterintuitive.
The face buttons serve as the punches, which is fine. It seemed like there was always a little lag between when I hit the button and when the fighter threw the punch. I know part of it is because of fatigue; if they’re tired, they’re slower. But I don’t think that explains all of it. There’s a fluidity that’s lacking.
I also didn’t like the feel of blocking, which uses the right thumbstick. I kept trying to use the right trigger, which seemed more natural, especially because the left trigger serves for dodging. Why not make both the “defense” buttons the same type? It’s awkward to use the right thumbstick and then try to hit the face buttons for a punch.
Still, I liked the overall idea of “Prizefighter,” which tells the story of a boxer named “The Kid” (your character) through live-action video clips. The clips are filmed documentary-style and are an inventive approach.
Real boxers pop up in the game, too. “Prizefighter” includes 40 boxing champs, both current and classic, and 22 gyms and arenas also are included.
Occasionally, you’ll be put in classic matches, which are played with a sepia-tone filter and “crackly” film to look old. While I had a hard time winning any of those, they’re a cool idea.
I liked the approach to “Prizefighter”; I just didn’t care for the implementation. The controls are passable, but they felt too clunky to be enjoyable.
Both “Prizefighter” and “Top Spin 3” are rentals.
Reach Aimee Green at 473-7326 or Aimee.Green@lee.net.
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