Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5 (reviewed), Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
Price: $69
Release Date: April 26, 2024
Genre: Sports
TopSpin 2K25 has been a long time coming. The 2K-developed tennis simulation franchise spent the 2000s competing with Sega’s Virtua Tennis series, before taking an extending hiatus following the release of TopSpin 4 in 2011. More than a decade later, TopSpin is ready to step back onto Centre Court and prove itself the undisputed champion of virtual tennis.
On the court, TopSpin 2K25 serves up a perfectly timed ace. Its carefully considered recreation of the fast-paced sport will delight enthusiasts and amateur players alike, and even gamers not so handy with a racket will still gleam a lot of enjoyment from its gameplay.
However, its selection of modes cannot rival the biggest sports games, including EA Sports FC 24 and 2K’s own NBA 2K franchise. Nevertheless, playing TopSpin 2K25 is consistently enjoyable. The weak selection of modes is forgivable when the fundamentals are this good.
If you’re a tennis fan, or just enjoy a good sports game, read my full TopSpin 2K25 review to find out why you need to pick up one of its virtual rackets…
TopSpin 2K25: The Basics
- What is it? TopSpin 2K25 is the first entry in the TopSpin franchise in 13 years, it's a sports simulation game that virtually recreates the sport of tennis and lets you play in various real-world tournaments against the best professional players in the world.
- Who is it for? Naturally tennis fans will love TopSpin 2K25, but players of sports video games in general will also find plenty to enjoy as the gameplay is extremely tight.
- What's the price? The standard edition of TopSpin 2K25 costs $69. There is also a Deluxe Edition for $99 and a Grand Slam Edition for $119, each comes with a selection of additional digital content.
- What other games has the developer made? TopSpin 2K25 is developed by Hanger 13, best known for its work on the Mafia franchise. 2K25 is its first TopSpin game.
- What games is this similar to? It's a continuation of the long dormant TopSpin franchise, and is competing with tennis games like Tiebreak, Matchpoint and AO Tennis 2.
Anybody for a game of tennis?
Tennis is one of the most physically demanding and mentality-taxing sports on the planet, and TopSpin 2K25 does a remarkable job recreating the game. The palm-sweating intensity of a lengthy rally or the jubilation that follows breaking an opposition's serve is faithfully replicated here.
Developer Hangar 13 built TopSpin 2K25 off the bones of TopSpin 4, aiming to keep the fundamentals as close to the series high point as possible. This results in a gameplay experience that will feel eerily familiar for long-time fans, but fear not if you’re a newcomer, as the game introduces all the basics via the comprehensive TopSpin Academy.
The biggest new addition is a timing meter. This assist feature offers a clear indication of exactly when you need to release the swing button to strike the ball with the perfect amount of power and accuracy. You also get instant feedback that grades your timing after each swing, which clearly explains if you swung too early or late, or if your shot was perfect. The timing meter is extremely useful, but you can’t lean on it like a crutch. Swinging at the right moment remains pleasantly challenging even after several hours of play.
You don’t only need to consider when you swing but also how you swing. In TopSpin 2K25 there are five different shot types, and picking the right one in each situation is key. Of course, that’s a lot easier said than done. When the ball is sailing over the net at speed and you have just a few milliseconds to pick the right shot type, it’s easy to make a mistake.
Throw in the fact you also need to consider your positioning on the court, and there’s a lot to mull over. All these aspects blend together to create mechanically engaging matches and make the simple act of winning just a single point feel highly satisfying. Emerging victorious thanks to a perfectly executed shot after an exhausting rally had me fist-pumping with joy.
The long road to superstardom
Once you’ve got to grips with the basics in TopSpin Academy, and maybe played a couple of Exhibition Matches to put some of your training into practice, I suspect that most players will gravity towards the Career Mode, known here as myCAREER (in synergy with NBA 2K).
The career mode’s structure is pretty straightforward. You create your player using a very extensive suite of customization options and then set out to become the number one ranked tennis star in the world. Naturally, you start at the lowly ranking of 80 and must work up to the very top.
Each in-game month you can participate in a training session, a special event and a tournament. Completing each earns you XP to level up your attributes and VC (virtual currency) which is used to hire stat-boosting coaches and purchase licensed equipment.
The progression in career mode can be rewarding. Your player’s initial level is so low that just hitting the ball within the lines is tricky, but the more you play, the more you’ll improve. However, if you want to seriously compete in major tournaments like Wimbledon or the U.S. Open, prepare for a lengthy grind. Or you could whack the difficulty down to “Very Easy”.
Career mode is harmed by uneven difficulty in general. During the early stages, you will frequently be matched up against players that vastly outrank you. For example, when I was level 3, I entered the Golden City Open, and the first round saw me face the player ranked 49th in the world, who was a level 16. It wasn’t a surprise that he beat me with total ease.
Taking on the world
If the repetitive grind of the career mode starts to wear you down, and you’re craving the level of dynamic challenge only another real-world player can provide, you’ll want to jump into TopSpin 2K25’s online modes.
If you fancy a more casual game, “Online Exhibition” lets you compete in unranked friendly matches. However, competitive types should select the “World Tour” mode that allows you to enter your created player into fiercely contested online tournaments. The game does an admirable job of matching you with players of a similar level, so even novices can compete.
Bizarrely, TopSpin 2K25 doesn’t offer the option to play against friends online. Oddly, you can’t organize a custom tournament and invite friends to compete for ultimate bragging rights. At launch, the online offering is a little sparse with tournament play the only option beyond unranked single matches, which are fun but don’t offer a sense of progression.
Sparse is an apt word to describe TopSpin 2K25’s selection of modes in general. Both online and locally, there is a feeling that more could have been done. For example, there’s no way to play a licensed tournament offline outside the career mode. Furthermore, a fantasy mode incorporating mini-games and more creative objectives could have been a fun inclusion.
Encouraging extra spending
Sports games have become synonymous with microtransactions, and TopSpin 2K25 is certainly not a title looking to buck that trend. The game offers the now grimly predictable array of purchasable cosmetic items, and a season pass (Called the Centre Court Pass).
Even those who cough up for the uber-premium Grand Slam Edition (which costs $119 at launch), won’t have access to everything TopSpin 2K25 has to offer. To give developer Hanger 13 some credit, there is plenty to unlock that doesn’t require additional real-world spending, but desirable items from real-world brands are locked beyond micro transactions.
Perhaps most egregious is how often TopSpin 2K25 highlights its Pro Shop and Center Court Pass. The game’s home screen features four tiles, two of which are set to advertise micro-transaction elements. There’s also an advertising board on the main menu that displays new items available in the Pro Shop to encourage additional player spending.
An authentic experience
2K-published sports games have a reputation for delivering a level of near unparalleled authenticity, and while TopSpin 2K25 is a step below the unrivaled NBA 2K24 in the visual department, it offers an impressively close proximation of watching the real-world sport.
The pre-match cutscenes do an excellent job of simulating an actual tennis broadcast, and the abundance of real-world licensed gear from top brands including Nike, Adidas and New Balance further aids the sense of realism. Plus, the menus are slick, and the music fitting.
The roster of instantly recognizable icons is respectable. There are greats of the game like Roger Federer, Serena Williams, Andre Agassi and Maria Sharapova alongside current stars like Carlos Alcaraz and Frances Tiafoe. However, there are some gaps in the selection, most notably Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal. Fortunately, more pros will be added post-launch.
Player likeness are incosistent. Cover stars Federer and Williams look excellent and even boast custom animations to replicate their trademark swings. However, some players, such as Andy Murray, are virtually unrecognizable compared to their real-world counterparts.
TopSpin 2K25 verdict
TopSpin 2K25 is a highly-quality franchise revival that retains the series’ roots while also meeting modern-day expectations. On the court, it shines especially brightly, offering a virtual game of tennis that is fast-paced, challenging and seriously satisfying.
Things aren’t quite up to the same standard when it comes to mode selection and the microtransactions overload is a tad off-putting (but sadly par for the course in 2024). However, if you’re looking to play tennis without paying a hefty membership fee at your local club, then TopSpin 2K25 is pretty much the next best thing to swinging a racket in real life.
