I was able to join in on a conference call with Anthony DeLuca, producer for Top Spin 3 this week along with other gaming journalists. We picked Anthony’s brain about the new upcoming tennis title and got a feel for what this new version is all about.
DeLuca said this latest edition was his favorite. "We’re most proud of Top Spin 3. We wanted to bring it up a notch instead of the game being a back and forth version of "Pong"…[in other words] more realistic control in the game. It has something for everybody…hardcore and beginner."
I asked about unlockables and special content and it looks like there will be a ton of them to keep virtual tennis fans out there occupied. Some of the things you can expect to see are special equipment, clothing, animations, brands, racquets, shoes and "lots of stuff."
Matches played online will be based upon a new world tour mode. You’ll be matched up with leaderboard people and you can always improve your status by taking on more formidable opponents or those that are equally talented. If you defeat a stronger opponent, you’ll move up in the leaderboards.
The game offers 20 big name top tennis pros and will also have more than 40 different locations to smash to your heart’s content. The game is shaping up to offer a lot of eye candy, so graphics will definitely be a big improvement in this game.
DeLuca mentioned that getting all the real life pros they wanted into the game was no small feat, but said that all of them were quite cooperative in helping 2K Sports with the development of the game regarding photo sessions, direction and the like.
"We had to deal with each player individually…not as a group like the NBA or other sports organizations. It went smoothly with the agents and the big name players. They were all definitely cooperative. Boris Becker was one of our top three that we wanted. He was really easy to work with."
Game control is the other big-ticket item. Top Spin 3 will offer two ways to play the game. For old-school people, they can play the game with just the button controls. For others who want more precise action, they can use the analog sticks to control spin, direction, speed and other attributes.
One thing that gamers wanted in the next iteration of Top Spin was an in-game tutorial. DeLuca listened and this has been implemented into the game via an on-demand feature.
The game will be released for the PS3, Xbox 360, Wii and DS on June 23. Stay tuned to GamerNode for our review of Top Spin 3.
