The Top Spin franchise is finally back after it had been dormant since 2011’s Top Spin 4. While the tennis landscape has changed tremendously, TopSpin 2K25’s cover stars haven’t, as it features legends Roger Federer and Serena Williams on the box art, who both were on the box of the 2011 game. In a way, this choice largely sums up Hangar 13’s revived tennis game as it gives the series new life by focusing on what worked in past games, but there isn’t much in terms of innovation or landmark new additions. It’s not a bad thing or even a complaint, but one would hope for a bit more in terms of new ideas after 13 years away from the spotlight.
Gameplay will feel quite familiar to fans of the franchise, which again isn’t a problem, as just how fresh can a tennis game feel? There’s a nice tutorial that features John McEnroe as your coach going over the basics, and it’s the same easy-to-pick-up, difficult-to-master gameplay of past titles. There are five different shot types that players can employ depending on which face button they choose on the controller, and the real skill comes down to positioning on the court and timing the button presses as it determines both the power and accuracy of volleys.
What’s really nice about the skill-based play is that it punishes those who are simply going through the motions. Even if you are playing as a tennis pro with the best stats, you’re liable to be upset in a match if you are playing sloppily. Every player has a chance if their timing is good enough. Skill is the great equalizer, and this makes every tennis match a fulfilling one.
The TopSpin 2K25 roster launches with 25 real-life tennis stars. These range from current players to legends of the past, such as Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, and Steffi Graff. It doesn’t have a complete who’s who of current players, although there are a number of current top players, such as Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev. It’s a solid starting point, and more player likenesses are expected to be added in the future, so it’s a good mix of past and present.
Besides the extensive tutorial and standard exhibition matches, the main single-player mode is MyCareer. This sees players taking their own created player through the ranks, competing in tournaments, and earning skill points as they level up. There’s a good layer of strategy off the court, as you’ll have to hire coaches for gameplay boosts and purchase homes across the globe to lower your stamina cost for traveling to the various global events. There are also plenty of stages to unlock for other modes, plus mini-games to hone your skills. It’s quite the detailed offering, giving solo players something to really sink their teeth into, and is a lot of fun once you start facing off against tennis legends in the more difficult tournaments, like Wimbledon and the Australian Open.
Online play and getting into an unlock loop of new gear seems to be 2K25’s big hook. The 2K Tour and World Tour modes are quite fleshed out and allow players to compete in online tournaments while earning points and attempting to scale the leaderboards. The difference between the two is that the 2K Tour uses real pros, while the World Tour features MyPlayer creations. Given the lack of highly polished tennis games and how good the core gameplay is, this will hopefully find a solid online user base for the foreseeable future.
The Final Verdict: TopSpin 2K25
TopSpin 2K25 doesn’t reinvent tennis video games, but it didn’t have to. Providing a well-playing and good-looking tennis game with lots of recognizable faces is more than enough. Hopefully, future entries will experiment more with the modes and provide a fresher experience, as this provides an incredible base to build off of with rewarding, skill-based gameplay that makes every match an enjoyable one.
SCORE: 8/10
As ComingSoon’s review policy explains, a score of 8 equates to “Great.” While there are a few minor issues, this score means that the art succeeds at its goal and leaves a memorable impact.
Disclosure: The publisher provided a PlayStation 5 copy for our TopSpin 2K25 review. Reviewed on version 1.003.000.
