Rockstar Games presents Table Tennis

The game provides the perfect amount of depth mixed with some of the best visuals seen on a console and tops them off a whole lot of fun. At budget price, Table Tennis is a game that should be in every X360 owner’s library.

Rockstar Games did a fantastic job at creating an authentic ping pong simulator that may even be more appealing than Top Spin for many gamers. With an unparalleled amount of shot control and a meager price tag of only $39.99, there’s no real reason for you to not have a copy of this game already!

Table Tennis may be mocked as a spiritual cousin to Pong, but gaming experiences this pure haven't come along that often since.

The fast and frenetic gameplay is a moment to pick up and many hours to master. Those with no gaming buds or a Live account are going to be disappointed, but just about everyone else is going to have a good time.

It's the sign of a great sports game when you can't think of anything you'd want to change in the next version. It doesn't need another version...This is brilliant, whichever way you spin it.

As a pure videogame there's nothing on Microsoft's next-generation format to touch it in terms of instant accessibility, rewarding depth and immensely entertaining and addictive gameplay - maybe it's not a sports sim, but more a spiritual successor to the legendary PONG.

The bottom line is that while there are not a lot of extra bells and whistles to this title, Rockstar’s Table Tennis is a tremendously fun, fast paced game that’s tough to put down once you get started.

For half the price of most 360 games, you get one of world’s most original games in a long long time and one of the best 360 games to boot as well.

It’s the perfect zone game, with matches ebbing and flowing as you or your opponent get ‘in the zone’, and the more you play the better you will become. Rockstar Games presents Table Tennisis a perfect example of how a sport should be digitally replicated.

Without going on about the amazing graphics, the addictive gameplay, and fantastic replayability in the form of unlockable characters and outfits, and of course, the online mode, I'm just going to say two words. Must have.

The game is as intense as it is addictive.

Rockstar bounces back from their Hot-Coffee fiasco in style, with a fresh take on table tennis. Think of it as Pong for the 360, a truly fluid and fun budget title.

But much like a fighting game, Table Table tennis is meant to be played with friends, whether you know their real names or not.

If you enjoyed those fierce ping pong competitions at summer camp then you owe it to yourself to give Table Tennis a try. Single player is quite challenging and multiplayer matches ought to be considered a spectator sport in itself.

Rockstar Games presents Table Tennis shows that there is room for focused, small games that do one thing very well. The game is very exciting and will soon have you at the edge of your chair. The game is definitely recommended even if you only have a small interest in it.

On one hand, you have a game missing the most vital element of any sports game – the career mode. On the other hand, Rockstar has put together a game with great graphics and sound, excellent ball physics and incredible multiplayer options.

A surprise hit. It doesn’t try to offer anything other than what the title indicates, and yet this is exactly why the game succeeds. It doesn’t offer a robust set of playing modes, and instead simply does one thing really well.

Though it might be lacking in game modes, what is there is done so well that it will keep you playing despite the lack of a drawn out Career Mode.

If you ever played ping-pong a day in your life, you will have instant respect for this title. I just wish it had more depth to it.

The best thing about the gameplay is that it's all about reflex and intuition --accessible to all, but hard to master online competitive play.

Find another game that makes gamers anew to it feel like they’ve been playing it for years, and the masters feel as if they’ve never played before. This is the engine talking to you, thus making Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis a true triumph as an implement for having fun.

By focusing almost exclusively on extremely intense one-on-one competitions, Table Tennis more than compensates for its lean set of options.

Although basic and a little dry when it comes to game modes Table Tennis makes up for with a high level of polish, easy to learn controls, and addictive and fun gameplay.

Table Tennis not only triumphantly brings a sport comparatively new to gamers to the table (embarrassing pun not intended), but actually manages to wipe the floor with the likes of the disappointing "Top Spin 2" into the bargain.

Rockstar Games Presents Tabel Tennis may seem like an unlikely sports game, but it ends up being one of the best playing games of the year.

It is cheap on your wallet, an addicting party game, and Xbox Live play is great.

Pong's fabulously simple gameplay may have been used as a blueprint during Rockstar's development of Table Tennis, but that's certainly a positive attribute and only further enforces the notion of aspiring to create a comparably addictive experience that's completely free of unnecessary padding.

If you’re a "Virtua Tennis" fan you simply owe it to yourself to play ball with Table Tennis.

An undeniably pleasant deviation from all that carjacking and violence, plus the low price-point and focus upon Xbox Live means Table Tennis is certain to carve itself one heck of a niche on 360. [July 2006, p.68]

Presentation-wise, I think you’ll find a good amount to like here. The sound effects are spot-on, including the way the ball-to-paddle tone will vastly diverge for dramatic effect during a high-count rally. The visuals are a tad on the shiny and plastic look, but nevertheless they’re very well done, with superb lighting, texturing, and animations. Not much to complain about here.

If you are looking for extensive character development, careers, and complex gameplay in your sports title, then you might want to check out Top Spin 2 or some other game, but if you want to immerse yourself in the best version of pong since…well…pong, then this might just become your new favorite addiction.

If you enjoy mindless fun and playing games with friends, then Rockstar’s Table Tennis is the right game for you. If Rockstar continues to churn out sports titles, EA and 2K Sports may be ousted from their throne of sports games with gameplay.

The presentation may be a tad simplistic and the options a bit sparse, but the lower retail price makes this experience worth checking out.

It captures everything that makes the game fun as well as frustrating and is certainly worth every penny.

It's a lot of fun – a keeper – no doubt.

If you do enjoy the challenge of playing other humans and you have an interest in Ping Pong, you should definitely give Rockstar’s Table Tennis a try. You’ll be amazed just how well the game captures the essence of the sport.

Executing killer spins, tricky drop shots and monster rallies makes Table Tennis a cult-worthy game that breeds unhealthy competition.

The single-player experience is pretty sparse and really only worth playing to gain more characters, Achievement Points, and practice. Multiplayer is at the core of this game.

The presentation is uncanny and takes advantage of the Xbox 360, and the gameplay, complete with spins and smashes galore, captures the nature of ping pong and keeps it simple and fun.

Table Tennis is about two things: focus and polish. They took a simple game of table tennis and gave it incredible levels of both accessibility and depth.

One of the most easily accessible games on the Xbox 360.

A fantastic gaming experience for the money.

Forget preconceptions - Table Tennis is king. While it may be a little empty in terms of structural depth, the hugely addictive gameplay more than makes up for it. Don't let it pass you by. [Issue 7, p.90]

It's a labor of love, yes--and one that you'll love playing. [July 2006, p.81]

The only bad thing to say about the game is that it's so entertaining that you want to be able to do more. As a multiplayer game it's an incredible amount of fun, but lone players who can't access Xbox Live will feel a little short changed.

Its well put together, well finished and is lifelike.

You can breeze through everything it has to offer in less than a week, which is probably the game’s biggest downfall. However, if you’ve got some friends to enjoy it with, or plan on spending some extensive time on Xbox Live, then the $40 dollar price tag that accompanies Rockstar’s Table Tennis is a steal.

The game really shines in multiplayer, where the variety in play styles means that every match is different and challenging. Often players will volley well over 30-40 times on each point, which creates some very intense matches that can easily go either way. Whether playing online or against a friend, multiplayer is the best Table Tennis experience by far.

As such, the game has to be recommended but with certain caveats. Be aware of the skill levels needed to do well in both single player and multiplayer and if I’ve done my job correctly, you have now been well warned. If you have the mettle for the game, you’ll be delighted at what Rockstar has done and you’ll no doubt go on to great things on Xbox Live.

I enjoyed the game, but not as much as I enjoyed wondering how Rockstar came to make it. It seems like a bizarre departure for a company whose previous games have all revolved around something illegal.

Tabel Tennis is sheer, simple fun, and might well be the killer party game that Xbox 360 owners have been waiting for. [July 2006, p.107]

Once you delve in to the game, you’ll find that there are tones of unlockables and Xbox 360 achievements that will take many hours to complete, making the game well worth its budget price tag.

Thanks to next-gen graphical flair, elegant controls, and a sparkling sheen of packaging polish, Rockstar Presents Table Tennis manages a near miracle.

While the polish is there, the Rockstar sense of humour and typical depth and complexity of experience are both sadly absent. [July 2006, p.80]

Table Tennis offers surprising depth. Games against accomplished opponents are intensely gripping.

Slamming a little ball from one end of the table to the other one just gets really repetitive after a while and there’s nothing Rockstar could’ve done about it. This is really one of those games that you have for a quick fix when you’re bored or when you have a bunch of friends over but as I said: it does a good job at that.

Stylish, simple and elegant. A budget price and a compulsive social ethic make this one of the most surprising and desirable games of the season.

At the same time, it's difficult to really get excited about Table Tennis. That seems to suit Table Tennis just fine, as it doesn't seem to want to put a lot of effort in to excite you.

If you want a table tennis game that's strictly focused on great mechanics and addictive gameplay, but that lacks a reasonable single-player mode and is shockingly sparse, Rockstar Presents Table Tennis is your game.

The gameplay has a lot of depth, it can be played in short bursts like most of the Live Arcade games currently available, and you can always have a match on your hand against a human opponent on Xbox Live.

When it comes to creating an accurate table tennis simulation, Rockstar aced it. [July 2006, p.89]

The 360's graphical capabilities are pushed hard here. The ball's bounce always looks true, even when it nicks off the table. After particularly good points, replays show off the physics with close-ups of the ball spinning and bouncing.

Sadly, there is none of that witty humor that we come to expect from Rockstar; which may have beefed things up a little bit if it was included.

Visually TT is nothing to write home about, the AI is brutal and the learning curve is mega-steep, but if you've come for some seriously fine tuned tournament competition, TT offers a deeply nuanced excursion through the fine art of ping-pong. [July 2006, p.72]

Although this game obviously isn’t for everyone, it has solid features and great multiplayer functionality. If you’re into sports titles, this is a must have.

Rockstar’s Table Tennis definitely looks great and plays solid, but it’s hard to get past the fact that it’s very feature-less. Even at a budget price, there just isn’t enough here to keep you going; especially if you don’t get hooked on the gameplay.

A fun distraction that’s easy to pick up and play, but that won’t really detract from the more feature-packed games on the 360.

But because the "sport" itself is so simplistic at its core and there's not much beyond the standard exhibition and tournament modes, $29.99 would be an easier price to swallow.

There's simply not that much to say. After all, it's freakin' ping pong.

In no way the cheap plug for the market gap that some have suggested, it may point the way forward for a new model of next-gen development. [July 2006, p.83]

Table Tennis really shines as a videogame representation of the long-neglected sport that’s both authentic and extremely fun. [July 2006, p.116]

While not the most riveting game experience ever, Rockstar have still done the table tennis community (if there is one) proud with this game.

Once it drops in price a bit, go ahead and add another point or two to the score, because it’s really a victim of poor pricing than poor gameplay.