Rockstar Games presents Table Tennis is one of SPOnG’s most anticipated Xbox 360 titles for the summer, if not the most anticipated. We enjoyed a lager-fuelled day of Table Tennis abandon at Rockstar Games last month and have been pining for the preview code to turn up on the doormat ever since.
You can read our full preview of the game here. We kind of summed up pretty much what we thought about the game in that preview, noting that: “What Rockstar has done with Table Tennis is simple and genius. It's said: 'table tennis is fun, let's make a table tennis game that combines everything that’s good about Virtua Fighter and Virtua Tennis - but let's make it better than those games too.' And it has, unbelievably, achieved this. And more.”
A bold claim, you may think. Well, all we can say is that when the game is out at the end of May, you can see for yourselves what we have been banging on about.
The game captures the speed, energy and fun of ping pong like nothing you’ve yet experienced. Bear in mind that Table Tennis, Ping Pong, whatever you want to call it, is one of the most popular games in the world in terms of player numbers. Play is fast and each shot is crucial; ball placement, spin, counter-spin smashes and soft shots are all at your disposal.
The game sticks to the latest Olympic rules which dictate that the winner of each game is the first to score 11 points, with each player alternating serves every two points. So no playing to 21 as you did when you were a mere slip of a lad (that is, if you are the same age as SPOnG’s median age). At 10-10 (or deuce) the players alternate with every serve until one player wins with a two point lead. Table Tennis matches work on a ‘best of’ format of any odd number of games.
Rockstar have been kind enough to send us a detailed glossary of shots, which we’ve reprinted below, along with a load of training videos corresponding to different shots, which you can download from the links below. As they remind us: “To be a champion of Table Tennis you need to practice hard and master each shot with a finesse that wipes your opponent off the table.”
Check out these videos demonstrating a range of individual shots:
Backhand backspin
Quicktime (3.8MB),
Windows Media (2.9MB)
Cross Court
Quicktime (4.6MB),
Windows Media (3.3MB)
Down The Line
Quicktime (4.3MB),
Windows Media (3.0MB)
Forehand backspin
Quicktime (4.5MB),
Windows Media (3.3MB)
Pen holder
Quicktime (3.3MB),
Windows Media (2.4MB)
Sidespin
Quicktime (6.5MB),
Windows Media (4.3MB)
Smash
Quicktime (3.8MB),
Windows Media (2.4MB)
Forehand Top Spin
Quicktime (4.3MB),
Windows Media (3.1MB)
May 26th. £30. Xbox 360. Buy it.
You can read our full preview of the game here. We kind of summed up pretty much what we thought about the game in that preview, noting that: “What Rockstar has done with Table Tennis is simple and genius. It's said: 'table tennis is fun, let's make a table tennis game that combines everything that’s good about Virtua Fighter and Virtua Tennis - but let's make it better than those games too.' And it has, unbelievably, achieved this. And more.”
A bold claim, you may think. Well, all we can say is that when the game is out at the end of May, you can see for yourselves what we have been banging on about.
The game captures the speed, energy and fun of ping pong like nothing you’ve yet experienced. Bear in mind that Table Tennis, Ping Pong, whatever you want to call it, is one of the most popular games in the world in terms of player numbers. Play is fast and each shot is crucial; ball placement, spin, counter-spin smashes and soft shots are all at your disposal.
The game sticks to the latest Olympic rules which dictate that the winner of each game is the first to score 11 points, with each player alternating serves every two points. So no playing to 21 as you did when you were a mere slip of a lad (that is, if you are the same age as SPOnG’s median age). At 10-10 (or deuce) the players alternate with every serve until one player wins with a two point lead. Table Tennis matches work on a ‘best of’ format of any odd number of games.
Rockstar have been kind enough to send us a detailed glossary of shots, which we’ve reprinted below, along with a load of training videos corresponding to different shots, which you can download from the links below. As they remind us: “To be a champion of Table Tennis you need to practice hard and master each shot with a finesse that wipes your opponent off the table.”
Check out these videos demonstrating a range of individual shots:
Backhand backspin
Quicktime (3.8MB),
Windows Media (2.9MB)
Cross Court
Quicktime (4.6MB),
Windows Media (3.3MB)
Down The Line
Quicktime (4.3MB),
Windows Media (3.0MB)
Forehand backspin
Quicktime (4.5MB),
Windows Media (3.3MB)
Pen holder
Quicktime (3.3MB),
Windows Media (2.4MB)
Sidespin
Quicktime (6.5MB),
Windows Media (4.3MB)
Smash
Quicktime (3.8MB),
Windows Media (2.4MB)
Forehand Top Spin
Quicktime (4.3MB),
Windows Media (3.1MB)
Top spin – With a top spin shot, the basic offensive move, the top of the ball is moving in the same direction that the ball is traveling. The difficulty in returning a top spin shot is that the ball will easily pop up high or go off the table, so make sure you’re in a position to keep the ball low or counter spin with a top spin shot. The backhand shot is as above with the paddle on the opposite side of the player.
Back spin – With a backspin shot, the basic defensive move, the bottom of the ball is moving in the same direction that the ball is traveling. This shot can cause the opponent to shoot the ball into the net, so to return a back spin you should avoid lower shots such as a sidespin or counter spin with a back spin shot right back. When you ‘chop’ or ‘push’ the ball, you produce backspin. The backhand shot is as above with the paddle on the opposite side of the player.
Side spin – The side spin shot causes the ball to spin on its vertical axis and curves the ball left or right. This shot is going to cause the ball to go off the paddle in an unexpected direction so the opponent needs to stay focused and ready to reach out left or right to return this shot.
Crosscourt – Make your player run with the crosscourt shot which hits the ball diagonally from one corner of the table to another. Be cautious to centre yourself quickly after this shot as you can leave yourself wide open for your opponent to place the ball out of your reach on the other side of the table.
Down-the-line – The down the line shot puts the ball along the side of the table parallel to the side lines. The perfect shot to counter your opponent’s crosscourt maneuver.
Soft Shot - With this shot, also known as a ‘drop shot’, you need to position yourself close to the table, you are aiming to put the ball so short (close to the net) that the opponent has trouble reaching the ball. This shot is most effective when the opponent is standing away from the table. The opponent should quickly move into the table to dive for the ball.
Smash – The ultimate in attack shots. This shot is easy to place when the ball has been ‘popped up’ by your opponent, perhaps in a poor response to a top spin shot. This shot gives the ball so much speed and elevation it is very difficult for the opponent to make a return and is also known as a ‘kill shot’.
Lob – A great defensive shot to use against the smash shot. The shot puts the ball high in the air though still lands it on your opponent’s side. It provides extra airtime so that you can get back into position and if it’s hit properly it will take a low fast bounce when it lands which can throw off your opponents timing. Watch out though as the lob could set you up to receive another smash from your opponent.
Loop – The loop shot is a heavy topspin shot usually considered the most important shot in the game. It is an aggressive variation of the block shot and involves a controlled swing of the paddle around the body from behind the calf, meeting the ball at the peak of its bounce with a closed paddle. It sends the ball slamming at your opponent with a heavy top spin and a short hit.
Block shot – This is a quick, off the bounce return of an aggressive drive. The shot is executed by holding the paddle almost still in the ball’s path and simply shifting the direction to redirect the force of the shot.
Volley – A volley shot would be to hit the ball before it has touched your side of the table. In Table Tennis this shot results in immediate loss of a point.
Shake hands – This is the most popular grip. It gives the best balance of forehand and backhand, characterized by its name you essentially shake hands with the paddle.
Penholder – This is a type of grip mostly used by players in Asia. It gives the best possible forehand and a great range of motion in your serves, but is the most awkward backhand of the conventional grips.
Back spin – With a backspin shot, the basic defensive move, the bottom of the ball is moving in the same direction that the ball is traveling. This shot can cause the opponent to shoot the ball into the net, so to return a back spin you should avoid lower shots such as a sidespin or counter spin with a back spin shot right back. When you ‘chop’ or ‘push’ the ball, you produce backspin. The backhand shot is as above with the paddle on the opposite side of the player.
Side spin – The side spin shot causes the ball to spin on its vertical axis and curves the ball left or right. This shot is going to cause the ball to go off the paddle in an unexpected direction so the opponent needs to stay focused and ready to reach out left or right to return this shot.
Crosscourt – Make your player run with the crosscourt shot which hits the ball diagonally from one corner of the table to another. Be cautious to centre yourself quickly after this shot as you can leave yourself wide open for your opponent to place the ball out of your reach on the other side of the table.
Down-the-line – The down the line shot puts the ball along the side of the table parallel to the side lines. The perfect shot to counter your opponent’s crosscourt maneuver.
Soft Shot - With this shot, also known as a ‘drop shot’, you need to position yourself close to the table, you are aiming to put the ball so short (close to the net) that the opponent has trouble reaching the ball. This shot is most effective when the opponent is standing away from the table. The opponent should quickly move into the table to dive for the ball.
Smash – The ultimate in attack shots. This shot is easy to place when the ball has been ‘popped up’ by your opponent, perhaps in a poor response to a top spin shot. This shot gives the ball so much speed and elevation it is very difficult for the opponent to make a return and is also known as a ‘kill shot’.
Lob – A great defensive shot to use against the smash shot. The shot puts the ball high in the air though still lands it on your opponent’s side. It provides extra airtime so that you can get back into position and if it’s hit properly it will take a low fast bounce when it lands which can throw off your opponents timing. Watch out though as the lob could set you up to receive another smash from your opponent.
Loop – The loop shot is a heavy topspin shot usually considered the most important shot in the game. It is an aggressive variation of the block shot and involves a controlled swing of the paddle around the body from behind the calf, meeting the ball at the peak of its bounce with a closed paddle. It sends the ball slamming at your opponent with a heavy top spin and a short hit.
Block shot – This is a quick, off the bounce return of an aggressive drive. The shot is executed by holding the paddle almost still in the ball’s path and simply shifting the direction to redirect the force of the shot.
Volley – A volley shot would be to hit the ball before it has touched your side of the table. In Table Tennis this shot results in immediate loss of a point.
Shake hands – This is the most popular grip. It gives the best balance of forehand and backhand, characterized by its name you essentially shake hands with the paddle.
Penholder – This is a type of grip mostly used by players in Asia. It gives the best possible forehand and a great range of motion in your serves, but is the most awkward backhand of the conventional grips.
May 26th. £30. Xbox 360. Buy it.
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