Review: Plenty to be excited about in TopSpin 2K25, which successfully recreates the joy (and frustration) of tennis

The beloved TopSpin franchise is officially back after more than 10 years—and its triumphant return to the sports video game landscape makes it the perfect subject for Tennis.com’s first Game Review.

Set for an April 26 release, TopSpin 2K25 features current and former stars like Roger Federer, Serena Williams, Iga Swiatek, Carlos Alcaraz, Frances Tiafoe and more gracing the cover of its various editions. Created by Hangar 13 and 2K—known for games licensed to the NFL, WWE and NBA—the tennis sim features 25 playable pros on launch and a series of visually lush venues from Indian Wells to Monte Carlo, plus a variety of appealing game modes to enjoy them in.

READ MORE: Carlos Alcaraz can’t wait to “play as myself” in upcoming TopSpin 2K25 tennis video game

But what’s the playing experience really like, and is TopSpin 2K25 worth the money? Tennis.com editor Stephanie Livaudais tested out the game on a PlayStation 5, while Tennis Channel’s Spencer Thordarson played on an XBox Series X to get to the answers in these categories:

• Getting Started
• Exploring Game Modes
• The Gameplay
• Highlights & What Needs Work
• Bottom Line

Getting Started

John McEnroe welcomes gamers to a Wimbledon final between Andy Murray and Roger Federer, where you control the retired Swiss legend. After getting a quick introduction to serving, returning serve and rallying, you’re suddenly thrown into a fifth-set tiebreaker—which Spencer ultimately wins. Stephanie, meanwhile, discovers that it's actually possible to fail the intro.

That’s enough of a tutorial for simple play, but the game recommends you start with TopSpin Academy, where McEnroe then helps you improve your skills and progress. The very first lesson is a handy explainer on how to reposition your player after a shot, and why to stay out of 'no man’s land'—a blend of essential tennis strategy and getting accustomed to the controller inputs and gameplay.

After a few rounds, you’re encouraged to check out 2K’s familiar MyPLAYER, where gamers create and customize their own male or female character. This is everyone’s favorite part in a video game, and TopSpin doesn’t disappoint: You can go for a preset or get pretty granular, tweaking everything from hair and skin color to chin type and eyebrow spacing, to each character’s on-court animations and playing style. This results in some pretty unique setups: Male characters, for example, can pick between a regular backhand and a “Medvedev backhand,” while female characters can have a simple “champion serve” (trophy position) or one featuring a high ball toss.

Your MyPLAYER’s apparel, appearance and animations can be changed in Locker Room, with even more customizable options available in the Pro Shop using in-game currency.

STEPHANIE: This part is familiar for most gamers. Creating a MyPLAYER was my favorite part, but the actual gameplay takes a while to get used to. The timing is tricky, and frustrating at first, especially as the shots and serves get more complex: A simple “control shot” is one tap of the button, but a defensive backhand slice takes way more coordination on a PS5 controller.

SPENCER: Starting up the play was tough! The timing on all the shots takes a while to get used to at the beginning, and some details are left for the user to figure out. I definitely recommend grinding through the lessons on TopSpin Academy—I learned a good amount of controls and how to use them that I wouldn’t have discovered just by playing more.

Exploring Game Modes

After you’ve created your MyPLAYER, you can launch right into your MyCAREER, where your player hits the road living the life of a tennis pro.

This is where the game particularly excels in translating the feeling of watching and playing tennis into a gamefied experience: You start the year Down Under, and take part in Trainings, Sponsor Challenges and Tournament to earn XP, rewards and, of course, precious Ranking Points. You have to manage your players’ energy levels—they can’t be too tired, or they risk getting injured—and can take time off from your season to recharge.

You’re also able to play one-off matches at a venue of your choice using a playable pro or your own MyPLAYER in Exhibition mode, where your opponent can be either a playable pro (AI) or your friends via online multiplayer.

Centre Court Pass is the incentive engine that will keep gamers logging back in every day. It’s a seasonal “Battle Pass” feature like the ones found in games like Fortnite and Apex Legends, where completing additional daily and weekly challenges earns you even more rewards. In one example, you’ll be rewarded if you finish a match with no service faults, or if you purchase items from the Pro Shop, and moving through the tiers can see you snag a “Rare” racquet (Prince’s Original Graphite) or unlock a new return animation for your player. Items in the Pro Shop can be purchased with in-game currency, but some exclusive bundles or rare items are only available on a temporary basis.

Heads up: A PlayStation Plus or XBox Live membership isn’t necessary to play TopSpin2K, but it’s definitely encouraged. The most fun parts of the game like World Tour (which lets you enter online tournaments with your MyPLAYER) require online multiplayer access.

STEPHANIE: The Centre Court Pass is a welcome and familiar feature, and it encourages players to check out different parts of the game. And while it’s a bit of a grind, it’s definitely encouraged to check back in at TopSpin Academy (so you don’t do what I did and sabotage your player’s season by arriving in Auckland unprepared for the competition).

SPENCER: MyCAREER was my favorite game mode. Creating my own MyPLAYER and being able to level up their stats however I wanted kept me playing more and more.

Unfortunately I wasn't able to try out online play, which is usually my favorite part in other sports games. Playing with and against other friends and players online adds a whole new dynamic that would keep things fresh and challenging. Thankfully Hangar 13 and 2K have confirmed that “multiplayer with friends will be added to the game before the end of May.”

The Gameplay

The toughest and most rewarding part of this game may be actually playing it. TopSpin 2K25’s tennis gameplay is fun and feels incredibly true to life, but mastering it requires a lot of practice and coordination. Every shot has a Timing meter, and a Power vs Control meter—the combination of these plus shot selection, court positioning and aiming can make the difference between a backhand winner, and a shot that sails wide.

In a way, that’s a bit like learning to play tennis in real life. It looks deceptively easy for a beginner who is first picking up a racquet, before they quickly realize that there’s actually a learning curve to being able to play a quality rally. But, similarly to real tennis, that’s what makes TopSpin 2K25 so much more rewarding once it all finally starts to click, and you find yourself hitting Good or Perfect shots more often—which will eventually come after a couple hours of play.

READ MORE: Coco Gauff wants to play as the Big Three after TopSpin 2K25 unveils full player roster

STEPHANIE: Admittedly I don’t usually play sports video games. Coming into TopSpin 2K25, I had no idea what to expect in terms of gameplay, so I can’t say if it’s any more or less difficult to pick up than EA’s Madden or FC, or even 2K’s other sports titles like WWE or NBA. But figuring out how to hit an inside-out forehand, or how to aim a perfectly timed first serve, was initially frustrating enough to make me take a break—and even McEnroe’s encouraging words couldn’t seem to help.

SPENCER: The gameplay was fun and the movements felt smooth, but the timing wasn’t intuitive, and still felt off even after more hours of playing. With more practice I started to get better at it and really nail it, but it still felt challenging—like the Perfect timing was at the wrong part of the swing.

I wish there was a sprint button that could be used once or twice in a rally, and also that the Power Shot charge-up meter was faster. You almost have to be powering up your shot before the opponent even hits the ball in order to get it, and even then you could still mistime the whole thing because you’re too focused the wrong meter.

The Highlights

Stephanie's Top Picks:

• Soundtrack: Featuring names like The Weeknd, Drake, Calvin Harris, Halsey, Fall Out Boy, Pusha T and more, the music of the game felt spot on and relevant. Some of the artists are genuine fans of the sport too, which makes for more organic promo from the likes of FOB frontman Pete Wentz, who is a real-life TopSpin 2K25 ambassador.
• Centre Court Pass: While this feature is great at keeping players engaged, all of the game’s daily, weekly and seasonal content keeps them aligned with the actual tennis calendar. In the future, I can see tennis brands getting in on it for limited-time drops, especially with more playable players expected to be added for free in upcoming updates.

Spencer's Top Picks:

• MyPLAYER and MyCAREER: It was really fun and rewarding to level up my player, plan out his pro season and see him go up and down in the rankings. I really enjoyed customizing which attributes to invest in, and rearranging a players' stats around different strengths (like Serve or Forehand or Speed) to fit the type of game I want to play.
• Multiplayer: While this feature is technically not available yet, I think this game will be even better when online multiplayer gets up and running. I always enjoy this part in other sports games like FC24, so I think bringing in friends—either for some friendly singles competition or teaming up in doubles—would really complete TopSpin 2K25.

What Needs Work

STEPHANIE: Playing on PS5, the graphics on the players and pros were a bit underwhelming. The realistic animations, gameplay and venues more than make up for it, but there are times when your MyPLAYER just looks awkward during the walk-out animation and in between points. The playable pros are a mixed bag, too, with some being spot-on recreations of their WTA and ATP counterparts and others less recognizable.

SPENCER: The roster of playable pros felt a bit limited, especially compared to other 2K titles which usually feature a pretty full lineup from launch. But Hangar 13 and 2K have already confirmed that more players will be added, though the names will be a surprise. Again though, the biggest con for me was the tricky gameplay and button combinations needed to hit shots with Good or Perfect timing—it takes a while to feel like you've got the hang of it.

Bottom Line

Both of our Tennis.com game testers agree: TopSpin 2K25 is a win for tennis and a genuinely fun playing experience. The depth of the details in the various game modes (like MyCAREER) and the items available for purchase in the Pro Shop will appeal to tennis fans, while the game’s reward system and smooth match formats will keep gamers engaged.

We wish that starting up was easier, because it’s not exactly the kind of game where you can hand a friend the controller and get right to playing. Maybe through a more generous timing meter, a sprint/dash button or more engaging Academy lessons developers can improve the beginner experience.

Either way, once gamers get past the initial challenges they’re in for a treat of a game—one that both Tennis.com testers say they recommend.

TopSpin 2K25 Grand Slam Edition and Deluxe Edition are out now PS5 and Xbox Series X as well as previous-gen consoles PS4, Xbox One and PC, while TopSpin 2K25 Standard Edition is set for a worldwide release on April 26.