RockStar Games shot to fame with titles such as Manhunt, State Of Emergency and, of course, the Grand Theft Auto series. Although they have clearly made the vast majority of their fortune through pushing the boundaries of taste and decency within the videogames industry, they have also been partial to designs of a more niche nature. Transworld Surf, Smuggler’s Run and Major League Baseball Featuring Ken Griffey Jr. being three examples of a more light-hearted approach. Back in 2006, RockStar Games Presents: Table Tennis only further reinforced RockStar Games’ attempts to show that they too can play nice.
Many may think it an unusual decision for RockStar Games to enter into the world of Table Tennis. And judging by the company’s more recent output, they’d be right. However, back in 2006 it was clear that it was a decision that was crafted through years of market analysis and development panache. Early in the Xbox 360’s life, there was little else to invest your time – and hard earned money – in.
Table Tennis, the Rockstar Way
RockStar Games Presents: Table Tennis follows many of the traditions that we’ve come to expect from modern sports releases. A Tournament Mode as well as exhibition matches are offered, alongside online play. The Tournament Mode features three levels of difficulty (Amateur Circuit, Rookie Circuit and Pro Circuit) to begin, with a fourth unlocked once you progress through the beginning circuits. Each has a varying pre-set amount of matches. As is the basic procedure in table tennis, ties are won by being the first to 11 points in each game, and first to two games in each match. Should both players reach 10 points simultaneously, the game enters a deuce which follows the same rules as tennis. For exhibition matches and online play, these options can be altered to the player’s preferences; first to seven points and win a single game, first to three games, first to 21 points etc.
Each player serves for two points before switching serving player. Performing a serve is immediately daunting, but within a few matches becomes a natural action. A meter appears denoting both spin and power with a press of any chosen button. The power is measured by a black bar scrolling from top-to-bottom. A white border rising from the bottom to the top signifies the level of spin placed on the ball. Releasing your chosen button will execute the serve with the designated spin and power. Each playable professional features a drastically varied scale to their service meter.
So, Table Tennis, then?
Basic play proceeds both inventively, but also in quite an obvious fashion. The face buttons represent each of the possible spins you can place on the ball: X for leftspin, B for rightspin, Y for backspin and A for topspin. While leftspin and rightspin are quite obvious, backspin slows the ball down and causes it to bounce higher when hitting the opponents’ side of the table. Topspin will cause the ball to speed-up. Holding the button early calls a more powerful shot and, as is the tradition, aiming is performed by holding a direction on the left analogue stick whilst pressing your designated face button. The left button comes into play for soft shots – dropping the ball just behind the net. The right button executes Focus Shots. This shot calls the camera into slow-motion mode and allows for vastly more powerful shots, should your Focus Meter have enough charge.
Rockstar’s Top Tier
The graphical presentation of the title is often astounding. Clearly not challenging the Xbox 360 with the need to render only two character models, a table and a few minor background details. Yet each of the character models is the closet interpretation in a release game to EA’s Next-Generation: Target Visuals presentation from 2004. The real-time lighting is spot-on. This is showcased when either a long rally is established, or a player’s Focus Meter charges. A trail is placed on the ball with the colour representing the spin by the returning player, corresponding to the colour of the face button pressed.
RockStar Games Presents: Table Tennis offers a realistic interpretation of the chosen sport and, while years of football, rugby, American football and tennis games may have tainted current interpretations to beyond the point-of-return, table tennis remains fresh. RockStar brought home a title that is the most realistic interpretation of it’s sport that videogames had ever seen. And it remains as such 20 years later.
Of course, the title may not appeal immediately to everybody. There’s a huge audience for Rockstar Games that will baulk at the idea. But any Xbox 360 owner looking for an inviting challenge would be fooling themselves should they overlook RockStar Games Presents: Table Tennis. It may not be the game that flowers RockStar Games’ reputation in the way most expect, however it clearly emphasises that the company is more than a one-trick pony. Fun and inventive, and no guns.
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