f you’re looking for a pick-up-and-play tennis title, stick to Wii Sports and its “anyone can do it!” philosophy. Top Spin 3 is the tennis game for hardcore players who wear K-Swiss, know the difference between syngut and polylon strings, and think of Prince as a tennis company and not a rock star.

Top Spin 3’s new gameplay system is based on true tennis timing. Players must select their shots and hold the button down well before the opponent returns the ball to their court. Once the shot arrives and you are properly aligned, release the button and hold the direction you want the ball to travel. This takes getting used to, but it properly reflects the anticipation, timing, and footwork required in real tennis, which aficionados will appreciate. The analog serves also feel more natural than the simple button presses of games past; if only 2K incorporated the analog swing into the forehand and backhand strokes as well.

Unfortunately, the gameplay falls apart in transition to and from the net. Your player moves with a grace of an overweight ball boy, incapable of changing directions quickly, and the hold-and-release formula breaks down completely at the net, where quick reflexes (and button presses) are paramount. The drop ball and lob shot are also inconsistent, which leaves the game feeling like a recreation of wood racquet era where net players were the most difficult to defeat — the complete opposite of the modern game.

The gameplay may be a mixed bag, but the career mode is the best yet. After you create your player, you must work your way though amateur and junior circuits before taking on the big guns like Federer and Sharapova. As you win matches and tournaments, you’re awarded points you can attribute to skills like baseline strokes, service, and return. You cannot max out every skill, so deciding whether you want to buffer your weaknesses or cement your strengths is key to rounding out your game.

2K Sports deserves credit for this bold attempt at redesigning the tennis interface. With more responsive movement controls and a better transition game Top Spin 3 could have been king of the court, but for now it will have to settle for being tagged as a promising but flawed prospect.