Another great thing about Table Tennis is that there are so many levels of skill and it seems like you can never completely master the game. In addition, there are many different techniques and ways to play the game. This is mostly noticeable while playing online. Some people always pick characters like Jesper because he has the highest power and he is quick, while other people always play as Kumi because she can put an insane amount of spin on the ball. But choosing a character for certain traits is just scratching the surface. Some people like to power hit everything that comes their way in hopes they will whiz it past their opponent, while others take a more sneaky approach by hitting the ball extremely soft all the time and then suddenly come out with a massive smash.
With all games there are usually weak spots, and Table Tennis does have a few. First off, the single player is very lacking. You just play normally against a computer in a few different tournaments and then it is over. There is no way to build up your stats or anything similar. You do, however, unlock new players, clothes and venues…but that isn’t as in-depth as a game like Tony Hawk where you can build up your entire career.
In addition to that, there are only two ways to play online--exhibition and tournament--and the gameplay is not very different. It would be really cool if you could play doubles or if there was some crazy mode where the table moves or something like that. Or even better if there was a fighting mode where you could beat each other up with paddles! (Maybe we will see this in an update? (…kidding.))
Besides the intense gameplay, the visuals of Table Tennis are well done; most noticeable is the different playable characters. Each player is modeled extremely well, has their own unique style and reactions to what is happening in the game. After each round the characters will react to what is going on, and this really brings the game to life and adds more interest to it. The animations during this reaction time are very well done and it actually looks like real people.
Other than the characters, there isn't anything else that looks stunning. The venues look real, but a little bland. The audience is a pretty neat addition and they will stand up when things get exciting, but you can barely see them. The graphics are good, but it's mainly focused only on the characters.
Just about every aspect of the audio in this game is amazing. The sound of the ping pong ball is extremely well done and sounds very realistic. The crowd cheers when somebody scores and goes wild once someone wins, and the background music speeds up when the match becomes more intense. The voice acting is great, but pretty limited. Overall, the sound of this game is great and sounds very realistic.
Rockstar Presents: Table Tennis is a superb experience at a very convenient price: $40. With normal games priced at $60, this game really sticks out of the bunch. Table Tennis offers extremely fun gameplay at a very nice price. However, if you don’t have Xbox Live you will be missing out big time. The online aspect far outweighs the single player, but for $40 it is still worth it to purchase and keep. In the end, Table Tennis may seem like a really lame sport, but Rockstar has managed to put a completely different spin on it.
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| The Core Score |
Overall
9 |
| Fun |
|
9.5 |
| Gameplay |
|
9 |
| Graphics |
|
8.7 |
| Audio |
|
8.9 |
| Replay |
|
8.5 |
|
| Kid Safe Score |
| 10 Great |
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Contrary to Rockstar's reputation, Table Tennis is perfectly safe for any kid. This game does have online features and voice communication over Xbox Live can be explicit. |
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