2K & Hangar 13’s ‘TopSpin 2K25’ Looks & Feels Like The Franchise Hasn’t Lost A Step

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2K continues to build its sports video game library. The video game publishing company is looking for an ace with TopSpin 2K25.

It’s been several years, 13 years to be exact, since Hangar 13 released 2011’s TopSpin 4 on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Nintendo Wii consoles.

Flash forward to 2024, and 2K is resurrecting the franchise and adding its signature flare to the famed tennis video game franchise with TopSpin 2K25.

I had the opportunity to get hands-on with TopSpin 2K25 while visiting Palm Springs, which also happens to be the home of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells.

I didn’t know what to expect, especially since I had never played a TopSpin game. My only video game tennis experience came from SEGA’s Virtua Tennis on the Dreamcast in 2000.

Yeah, I know, don’t judge me.

After my 2 hour experience, I walked away with plenty of thoughts.

The 2K Presentation Is Very Present

Hangar 13 linking up 2K is very evident the moment you look at this game. It screams 2K’s touch thanks to the on-point presentation, beautiful arenas, and, of course, gorgeous and damn near life-like player models.

We saw several arenas during our demo, including Indian Wells and Arthur Ashe Stadium. As expected with any 2K Sports game, the attention to detail is on point.

Hangar 13 fully utilizes next-generation consoles and PCs to bring the arenas, crowds, and players to life while delivering authentic tennis action in video game form.

You will notice everything from how the players move on the different court surfaces to their grunts when hitting the ball, the crowd reactions, and even their signature celebrations.

TopSpin 2K25 isn’t as visually impressive as the NBA 2K series, but in its simplicity, there is still something to marvel at, and it still has that signature touch we expect from a 2K Sports game.

TopSpin 2K25 Is Fun & Challenging

During the preview, of course, before I hopped on the court with any of the pros, I went to school to learn the ABCs of the game with the legend John McEnroe serving as my instructor.

Once I was done with training, I started with a singles match; of course, I picked Serena Williams and faced off against Steffi Graf.

From the onset of the match, I was getting my ass handed to me, quickly going down two sets. This was on the normal difficulty. But once I got into a flow, I did mount an incredible comeback, something Serena would do in real life, and it was pretty rewarding to walk away with the victory after it looked like the computer had my number.

For my next match, I decided to bump the difficulty up to the hard setting, this time running with Coco Gauff and facing Serena Williams, and it wasn’t close.

On hard, you almost have to be a picture of perfection, making sure every return hits the green on the NBA 2K-like shot meter that tells you if your swing is either bad, good, or perfect.

It’s not disheartening on the harder difficulties. Instead, it makes you want to step your game up.

I also played a doubles match, and those matches are very challenging and much harder to win, being that you’re playing with a controlled teammate. It was fun to see the small volley back and forth that took place at the net while also being sure to stay vigilant because the ball can come your way.

I didn’t win the two doubles matches I tried, and I would have gone for a third, but my time ran out. I definitely wanted to run it back to get a W because it was so much fun.

The Controls Are Buttery Smooth

As far as controls, TopSpin 2K25 looks as good as it feels. I’ll even go as far as to say the game feels more responsive than the latest NBA 2K video game.

You never feel like you don’t fully control your player. Navigating the court, running toward the ball, and returning shots all feel buttery smooth.

The real question is, how does that feel when you play the game online? NBA 2K can be a miserable experience when lag is introduced. I imagine the same can be said if you’re playing in a TopSpin match and your opponent’s connection is causing some severe lag, leading to annoying input delays.

But we’ll have to wait until the game drops to get that question answered.

Game, Set, Match?

Based on the small sample size I experienced, TopSpin 2K25 looks like it’s back and better than ever. It seems to be checking all the boxes for what a next-gen tennis video game should look and feel like.

During our preview, we saw a signature MyPLAYER feature and a mode allowing you to take your amateur to tennis greatness and become a Grand Slam champion in the MyCAREER mode.

For those who would rather play the game with established tennis greats, TopSpin 2K25 boasts an impressive roster featuring tennis legends like Serena Williams, Roger Federer, Steffi Graf, and Andre Agassi.

You can also play as current stars like Francis Tiafoe, Coco Gauff, Carlos Alcaraz, Iga Świątek, and others. Hangar 13 boasts a roster of 24 superstars available.

TopSpin 2K25 features four editions of the game: Standard Edition, Standard Cross-Gen Edition, Deluxe Edition, and Grand Slam Edition.

The Standard Edition and Standard Cross-Gen Edition launch Friday, April 26, 2024; Deluxe and Grand Slam Edition owners get three days of early access.

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