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Net Points: Looking at the My Career mode in Top Spin 4

by: Peter Skeritt -
More On: Top Spin 4
Top Spin 4 is almost ready for its retail debut, and 2K Sports has released another Developer's Diary to cover one of the more significant modes of play that the tennis title will offer: the My Career mode. 

Similar to the My Player modes in 2K Sports' other titles, the My Career mode in Top Spin 4 will revolve around a created player and his or her development from Newcomer to Legend. Along the way, there are eight status levels to obtain, dozens of events and tournaments to play through, and plenty of opportunities for training and skills development. Don't expect My Career to be a short or lean way to play Top Spin 4; instead, expect to play through at least several seasons just to earn the ability to play against the best tennis talent in the world. 

Each month will consist of two events that players can take part in. The first is called a Preparation Event, and these allow players to earn valuable experience and skills as they climb the ladder to ultimate success. There are several different types of Preparation Events to choose from each month, but players may be limited as to which ones they're able to pick from early on. Sparring Partner Training matches allow players to scrimmage against other players and hone their skills and stats. Exhibition matches are more for earning experience points and fans then for training. Sponsor Challenges can be attempted in order to earn new gear by defeating the company's signature athlete. As players reach more advanced statuses, Dream Matches can be set up against some of the game's former greats. If none of that seems interesting or if the player needs a break, non-tennis activities can be picked to build experience or to further increase the player's fan base. 

Players can also compete in one tournament each month and will have to choose which one to participate in from a different list each month. Some tournaments are for sponsorships, while others are for patriotic pride. There will be major tournaments and tournament series to play through. Players will earn points for each tournament, depending on how for they advance, and World Rankings are influenced by these points. More prestigious events will earn more points and fame, so players will have to choose wisely. 

My Career in Top Spin 4 looks like it will be quite deep and will potentially offer many hours of gameplay. If the demo is any indication, there will be a bit of a learning curve for the controls, but early impressions have been pretty favorable. Look for our full review soon of My Career-- and the rest of the overall Top Spin 4 package-- later on this month.