Table Tennis

Rockstar serves up some seriously addictive gameplay in their title Table Tennis and the GamePros take it all in tournament style!

We were as surprised as everyone else when Rockstar Games announced that their first Xbox 360 game would be Table Tennis. We were all hoping for a little game called Grand Theft Auto . . . you may have heard of it. But after getting our hands on the final version of Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis, our GTA dreams have been replaced with small ping pong balls and sweaty Swedes named Jesper. Fitting for a game of this multiplayer magnitude, each GamePro editor took part in an office-wide Table Tennis tournament and share their thoughts about this surprisingly addictive game.

Playing Table Tennis is like going out on your first date after a hurtful breakup. You awkwardly fumble about in the beginning, but after spending a few hours getting your rhythm down you instantly become a pro. 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. Setting up power shots, killer topspin, and hitting the corners of the table becomes easy in short amount of time. This game is an instant classic and is guaranteed to please the masses. -- RiceBurner

This game is undeniably fun, especially when you really get into a rally. I have to say that I'm a little bit disappointed by the controls when using buttons to direct your shots; the response to button presses feels slightly laggy. However, I really like that you can use the right analog stick -- it feels more like a ping pong (erm, table tennis) paddle. It's limited, but it's not trying to be anything deep. -- Lunchbox

Rockstar might have a surprise contender for Game of the Year on its hands here -- Table Tennis is fantastic! It especially shines as a mass market-friendly showcase for Xbox Live, something that Microsoft sorely needs at the moment. The controls are so simple, it's almost criminal. I was able to pick up a controller and hand Lunchbox his ass on a plate with no training and no practice. That's one great interface! But the good news is, there's enough gameplay meat to keep pros mastering spin techniques, focus moves, and other subtleties for months. At the moment, Table Tennis is probably my favorite exclusive Xbox 360 title. -- Vicious Sid

Honestly, I didn't expect to like Table Tennis. I mean, how can any other virtual racquet sport beat the best--Virtua Tennis? But Table Tennis surprised me with its sharp visuals and gameplay accessiblity. In fact, the controls are simple enough to grasp for beginners, yet challenging to master for veterans. My only gripe is that on-screen players sometimes felt sluggish and didn't move as fast as you'd like. -- Four-Eyed Dragon

The online component of Table Tennis really pings my proverbial pong, so to speak. Rockstar set us up in a bunch of online games, some single matches, and a couple of tournaments against other journalists/now mortal TT enemies. Games are simple to set up or join, and with multiplayer tournaments, separate bracket games are played simultaneously meaning you don't have to watch each and every game played. And though the basics of online play are the same as in single-player matches, there are a few subtle differences that Rockstar did a nice job with, presentation-wise. First, you'll always play as the bottom character on Xbox Live, so there's no janky top-down compensation. Also, you won't see your competitor's serve meter, which is much more realistic, as you won't know the height or power of a serve beforehand. And finally, the Xbox Live gamertag of both players are constantly displayed between points -- not a necessity, but adds a bit of a personal touch. -- Mr. Marbles

Wow, this game really, really surprised me. Sure, you could shrug this game off and make up excuses like there's no market for it or "it's just table tennis." But, doing that would spit in the face of what is probably one of the most realistic sports sims to come along in quite some time. The initial gameplay mechanics are simple enough, letting newbies pick up the controls rather easily. But, to truly master the game you need to learn the slight nuances and subtleties of the game. Thankfully, you get those in spin shots, trick serves, and lightning-fast rallies. The game isn't trying to go out and change video games forever, but it is trying to give you one heck of a good time playing table tennis. And in that regard, it does resoundingly well. Multiplayer only adds more fun to an already impressive experience. -- JohnnyK

First Place: Mr. Marbles (although he cheats)

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