Top Spin 2 E3 2005 Preshow Report

A next-generation tennis game has plenty of promise, especially when it comes to graphical quality. But with 2K Sports' upcoming Top Spin 2 for the Xbox 360, the sequel to the Xbox tennis title, there's more to look forward to than the best-looking reproduction of Maria Sharapova yet seen in gaming. After all, it was the first Top Spin's gameplay that held fans in its sway long after the sheen had worn off the graphics.

With Top Spin 2, the developer is aiming to create a tennis game that will support a wide variety of styles of play, mainly by offering a wider variety of shots than ever before, including slices, drops, chops, lobs, and drives. The risk shot, which added another layer of depth to the original Top Spin, will return for Top Spin 2. In fact, several new risk shots should make their ways into the game, along with other advanced controls we hope to see in action at E3.

Along with the aforementioned Sharapova, the next-generation Top Spin will feature one of the more star-studded tennis rosters we've seen in a while, including Venus Williams, Lindsay Davenport, and Ai Sugiyama on the women's side, and male tennis luminaries Lleyton Hewitt, Andy Roddick, and Roger Federer, among many others, on the male side. All these well-known players should be instantly recognizable thanks to the graphical prowess of the Xbox 360. If you're not interested in playing someone famous, the game's create-a-player feature, dubbed "DigitalIdentity," will give you a good degree of control over your netter's look. Everything from your player's hairstyle to his shirts, shoes, and shorts will be customizable.

We're hoping to see more of Top Spin 2 for the Xbox 360, which is currently due for a fall 205 release. However, at E3, it remains to be seen as to exactly what state the game is currently in. As curious as we are about the game's looks, we're also eager to find out what the game has in store for online play. Could we see something the likes of the old XSN ranking system found in the Top Spin predecessor? Hopefully we'll have our answer at E3. So be sure to stay tuned to our coverage.