With Wimbledon underway it's the perfect time to release Top Spin 3, although this is no mere cash in, as a short play will reveal. The real meat of this game is the rather exhaustive career mode, in which you make a player and take him or her on the road to the professional circuit. Before that, however, you must craft your would-be champion with the in-depth character creator.

This is some pretty deep stuff; everything from eye shape to jaw line can be tweaked to the hilt until you come up with a player who best resembles your likeness, or indeed anyone else's. It's easy to spend a good hour on this, but don't get too caught up because the game hasn't even started yet and you've got a long road ahead of you!

The career mode is your typical rags-to-riches scenario, starting out with a small tournament at a local court against three opponents. If you have ever played a tennis game before then you'll have no trouble beating these opponents, so consider this a brief tutorial before the real challenge begins. A separate 'how to play' mode can be selected from the menu for those wanting to get to grips with the many shots and movements available, which is a useful (and some would argue vital) inclusion.

The gameplay is chock-full of different shot types, and in this respect Top Spin 3 can be best compared to Pro Evolution Soccer, with its countless sneaky little manoeuvres that make the difference between a good player and a brilliant one. It's very simple, with A for standard shot, B for slice and Y for lob, and variations of these require you to stand in a specific sector of the court, or hit up or down on the left stick just before your shot connects, which alters the power, distance and arc of each return. It's incredibly simple to grasp but will take ages to master, just like any great control scheme. This is where the 'how to play' section comes in handy, as each shot type is explained in a good amount of detail and you are encouraged to try them out at your leisure to get a proper feel for the nuances of each.

Of course, remembering all of this can be a bit tricky in the heat of a quick fire rally, but it comes with practice and a lot of patience. Back in the career mode, every time you win a match you earn EXP, which can be assigned to different skills, such as stamina, power, backhand and volley. These are yours to tweak as you see fit, so it's probably best to level up the areas in which you feel you are lacking. Stamina is very important here and can be gauged by a small heart monitor symbol that pops up before each serve; if your player is knackered then the impressive sweat engine kicks in and you can literally see it running down your face and seeping into your clothes - disgusting, but pretty realistic!

After each win you also gain 'unlock' points that can be spent in the Top Spin mall to buy racquets and clothes from brands such as Nike, Yonex, Adidas and Elesse. There are many real-world brands and players here, giving an even more authentic feel to the whole package; it will be a long while before you meet the pros, however, as the junior league is your first port of call after winning the tutorial matches. This takes place as a season format where you pick a match for each month. These vary in difficulty, so you have a choice if you don't feel up to the task. However, even on the easiest mode these can be brutally difficult, which makes trips to the 'how to play' area all the more frequent. Success will come in time and it is well worth sticking through it, as Top Spin 3 is easily one of the most accurate tennis sims out there. Online play is a treat too, but be prepared for a drubbing if you haven't nailed the basics of the gameplay, because there is some fierce competition out there. Singles, doubles and tournaments are available online, the gameplay is the same but there is more human error involved, as AI opponents are sometimes - only sometimes - that tad bit predictable, making each shot that little bit more crucial.

So, Top Spin 3 is rammed full of substance but does it have the style to match? A resounding "yes!" is the answer here, with superb graphical clout and reactive animation, thanks to the inclusion of the Havok engine. Clothes ruffle and sway with players' movements, hair flops about and the motion capture is slick; just squint and you might think you're watching a match on the telly. The courts are bright and range from typical grass and clay to some more oddball venues such as marble courtyards next to churning waterfalls. The sound is meaty too, with each 'thwap' of the ball drowning everything else out. Even the menus have a neat play list featuring artists such as Calvin Harris, Jamiroquai and the Stone Roses.

Top Spin 3 defies the notion of the lazy seasonal update. A lot of work has gone into this title to make it challenging, rewarding and a lot of fun for the casual player (if a bit tough in places). The slick graphical gloss, inclusion of big brands and players makes this not just one of the best tennis games to date, but one of the most accomplished sports sims too. It's just a shame that it won't draw in as many receipts as the footy games always get.

Reviewed by Dave Cook for AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).