So it seems that Rockstar Games (the very same that released Grand Theft Auto) is coming out with a table tennis game for XBOX 360.

From checking out the trailer and screen shots, the game definitely looks good graphically; there is amazing detail on the players' faces and bodies (even some sparse leg hair on Liu Ping), and if you only get a quick glance, you could mistake them for real photographs. But the action looks a bit awkward. It doesn't look like they analyzed the ball movement that much; chopped balls seem to move just as fast as loops. Also, they're almost always hitting the ball with a flat racket angle, like in the serves in the trailer. But being the first table tennis game to actually have bodies (instead of just rackets), this is a good step in the right direction, and hopefully there will be future titles that can improve on these things. I definitely look forward to trying it out.





The game definitely looks to be worth checking out (as a rental) when it's released on May 22.

Check out the trailer and screenshots on their official website at www.rockstargames.com/tabletennis.

PPGEAR - Ping Pong Apparel

I found an interesting video on YouTube called "the amazing serve of Keiko Okazaki". She has a very unique style of service that is sort of fun to watch. She starts with a pre-windup that looks similar to Ichiro Suzuki's baseball batting stance. She can also put a mean sidespin curve on these balls.

Have a look: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47xO1TxUr8I.

That's one of the beautiful things about table tennis; you can really be unique and develop a style that nobody has ever tried before. In most other major sports, there is very little style variation; almost all of the players look the same. Same tennis serve, same baseball swing. Table tennis has so much diversity to appreciate, even in our equipment (cork in our bats isn't a crime!).

I'll always admire creativity in this sport. It really sets table tennis apart from the sports that are so heavily focused on just physical strength. An experienced 50-yr-old can defeat a 24-year-old at his prime when he uses his (or her) mind to employ strategy and exploit the opponent's weaknesses.

PPGEAR - Ping Pong Apparel

There's a movie that y'all should check out. It's a Japanese movie called "Ping-Pong" (don't worry, there are subtitles). It's a great movie featuring a penholder with a bowl-cut (Peco) and his quiet, chopper friend (Smile).

Together they tackle all sorts of issues like personal crises of pride, letting people win, tournaments and such.

There are some pretty cool special effects as well. If you've seen the Chinese movie, "Shaolin Soccer", you'll get the same kind of feel in this movie. There is even a CSI-esque sequence showing the ball bounce off of some long pips.

Go run to your nearest Asian movie store and pick up a copy. You can see the official website at www.pingpong-movie.com.

You can also get shirts with Peco's red star or Smile's blue moon in the PPGEAR store.

PPGEAR - Ping Pong Apparel