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System: Microsoft X-Box 360
Publisher: Rockstar Games
Developer: Rockstar San Diego
Game: Rockstar Presents: Table Tennnis
Release: May 22, 2006
Price: $39.99 MSRP
Players: 1-2 Offline, 2-4 Online/X-Box Live
Graphics: 10
Controls: 8
Sound: 10
Gameplay: 10
Replay Value: 9
Learning Curve: Easy to learn, hard to master
I picked up this game last night and I haven't been able to put it down since. The game is simple, 'ping-pong'. We've all played it in some form or another, but in an interesting move, Rockstar San Diego has developed a full-on Table Tennis game for the 360.
The controls are simple once you get the feel for them on the controller. You anticipate your next move by placing yourself with the left analog stick. Then, you hold the right analog stick in the direction you wanna spin the ball. The longer you hold it the more spin you put on it. Then, when you're in the 'charging' position you use the left analog stick to point in the direction you wanna shoot the ball to. The longer you hold it the farther toward the edge it will go, but hold it too long and you'll shoot it out. To prevent this, the controller will start to rumble when you're getting too close for comfort.
The music of the game is all lounge-techno based affair, but they way they impliment it gives this game it's zen-like presence. When you start hitting the ball back and forth a rally counter keeps track of each hit, when you get to about 10 or so the music in the background starts to pick up a bit, then by 15, it turns up to full volume. The farther you go the more intese the music will play to go along with how you and your opponent are playing.
To add to this both players have a 'focus' meter. As you charge your spin shots, the bar charges a bit with that. When you get to full, you squeeze the right trigger and the following shots have more spin, speed, and power than before. If both players are in "focus" mode, the outside of the arena turns pitch black and an overhead light becames more visible to give the game that intense feel, like all eyes are on you. This definately puts you in the 'zone'.
All in all, I thought this was a brilliant game. The simple ping-pong gameplay is accented nicely by the beautifully rendered graphics and models. The sounds of the arena puts you into the mood with chants and the like. And when you get done unlocking the myriad of items in single player mode, Online (or Off) multiplayer is alot of fun with round-robin tournaments and singles matches to be ranked or unranked over X-Box Live. And for the low price of $39.99, as opposed to everyone's $59.99 price tags, this game is a steal.
Final Score: 9.5/10
Publisher: Rockstar Games
Developer: Rockstar San Diego
Game: Rockstar Presents: Table Tennnis
Release: May 22, 2006
Price: $39.99 MSRP
Players: 1-2 Offline, 2-4 Online/X-Box Live
Graphics: 10
Controls: 8
Sound: 10
Gameplay: 10
Replay Value: 9
Learning Curve: Easy to learn, hard to master
I picked up this game last night and I haven't been able to put it down since. The game is simple, 'ping-pong'. We've all played it in some form or another, but in an interesting move, Rockstar San Diego has developed a full-on Table Tennis game for the 360.
The controls are simple once you get the feel for them on the controller. You anticipate your next move by placing yourself with the left analog stick. Then, you hold the right analog stick in the direction you wanna spin the ball. The longer you hold it the more spin you put on it. Then, when you're in the 'charging' position you use the left analog stick to point in the direction you wanna shoot the ball to. The longer you hold it the farther toward the edge it will go, but hold it too long and you'll shoot it out. To prevent this, the controller will start to rumble when you're getting too close for comfort.
The music of the game is all lounge-techno based affair, but they way they impliment it gives this game it's zen-like presence. When you start hitting the ball back and forth a rally counter keeps track of each hit, when you get to about 10 or so the music in the background starts to pick up a bit, then by 15, it turns up to full volume. The farther you go the more intese the music will play to go along with how you and your opponent are playing.
To add to this both players have a 'focus' meter. As you charge your spin shots, the bar charges a bit with that. When you get to full, you squeeze the right trigger and the following shots have more spin, speed, and power than before. If both players are in "focus" mode, the outside of the arena turns pitch black and an overhead light becames more visible to give the game that intense feel, like all eyes are on you. This definately puts you in the 'zone'.
All in all, I thought this was a brilliant game. The simple ping-pong gameplay is accented nicely by the beautifully rendered graphics and models. The sounds of the arena puts you into the mood with chants and the like. And when you get done unlocking the myriad of items in single player mode, Online (or Off) multiplayer is alot of fun with round-robin tournaments and singles matches to be ranked or unranked over X-Box Live. And for the low price of $39.99, as opposed to everyone's $59.99 price tags, this game is a steal.
Final Score: 9.5/10
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