When the developer of one of the most popular and most violent franchises, Grand
Theft Auto, released a ping-pong on the Xbox 360 last year, the general gaming
public let out a resounding “HubadaWHA?” One year later, the same game has now
been ported to Nintendo’s record-breaking console and, survey says, the Wii
makes a heck of a lot more sense. And while the game still retains a lot of what
made the 360 game such a streamlined, minimalist experience, the overall Wii
product loses a lot of the polish.
Essentially, Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis is possibly the most purely
concentrated sports game ever released. Just like in the 360 game, the Wii
version is just as economical and sparse. The games capture every bit the
intensity of a real ping-pong match, and that is what Rockstar does right with
Table Tennis. The matches are constructed with an absolute eye for detail and
the developers really nail the escalating tension of a round. For example, the
techno beats pulse over the volleys of your match, but when the game ties at
10-10, the lights turn off and a single spot light hits the table as you battle
out your victory, or defeat – the best any game has ever captured the intensity
of a sport.
But in the same regard, some might feel ripped off by what isn’t in the game.
The game modes only include a tournament mode, an exhibition mode (includes
multiplayer), and training. The tournaments are very engrossing, however
difficult they might become, and will challenge every nuance of your ping-pong
skills. Training is relatively boring and presented in the most uninteresting
way possible; the product of hyper-realism. Multiplayer is where the game really
opens up and becomes the most engaging, but, as we’ve come to expect from the
Wii (or Nintendo for that matter), there is no online play. That absence really
hurts the score of this game, because if there is ever a need for online play it
is for a game that has relatively few modes and little replay value. There is no
excuse for the lack of online play in this day and age; if the Wii is as
inclusive as its name suggests, online play should be a mandate by Nintendo.
The controls are the biggest difference between the Wii and 360 versions of this
game. There are three different control setups for this game: “Standard”, which uses
the Wii-mote exclusively; “Control Freak”, which uses the nunchuck attachment to
move and the Wii-mote for gestures; and finally “Sharp-shooter,” which uses the
nunchuck for ball placement and forgoes gestures (this feels most like the 360
controls). The Wii motions are measured in quadrants: swing up and to the right
for a deep right shot, and down and to the left for a near left placement. You
can just swing squarely for a centered shot and there are degrees of placement
(from what I could tell) in the controls. The gestures are not 1:1 and are
actually initiated right after your opponent hits, with significant delay; you
also control spin with the D-Pad. While the game is relatively fun to play and
will probably be enjoyed by most casual gamers, I was not nearly as impressed as
I had hoped. Wii Sports tennis did a much better job with the controls,
recognizing spin and gestures one-to-one.
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Gameplay: 6.5
While the gameplay is fun and intense, flailing right/left and up/down for depth
are the only motion controls utilized. When the gestures are that generalized
and delayed, it doesn’t feel much different from a controller (and you’ll
probably wish you had one at times).
Graphics: 7.0
The graphics are a solid port from a much more powerful console; however, the
frame rate seriously drags, making matches look like “bullet time” almost all
the time – even the menus sputter along!
Sound: 10
Absolutely the coolest part of the game is the thumping music synchronized with
your intense volleys. It goes well with the sheik 80’s art style.
Difficulty: Medium
While it’s easier on the Wii to pick up and play, the difficulty can ramp up in
the tournaments very quickly.
Concept: 9.0
Even though it is a year old, this game is a perfect fit for the Wii. Rockstar
did a really great job nailing the feeling of playing ping-pong, beyond the
bland motion controls.
Overall: 6.5
The jettison of online play significantly hurts this game. Playing multiplayer
with a friend can be hours of fun, but if you don’t have that friend, the replay
value on this game plummets. Also, this game should be $30. It is a year old and
no effort was made to add any Wii specific modes on Rockstar’s part, not even
mini-games – much less online play. If fans and critics don’t start demanding
more from developers, the Wii is continually going to get half-baked ports such
as Rockstar’s Table Tennis. It’s worth a rent if you’re with a group of friends,
but I would still recommend Wii Sports any day.
