Golf

Nintendo of America, Inc., T&E Soft, Inc.

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Product Details

UPC:	045496770082
Release Date:	1996
Platform:	Nintendo Virtual Boy
Genre:	Sports
Style:	Golf

Review

Is it me or does the Virtual Boy have a lot of sports titles? That's a good thing for any new system; sports games are one of the most popular genres on the market. It also makes sense to use the 3D capabilities of the system to immerse fans into the game. Golf for the Virtual Boy doesn't skimp out on the features, either. You can create seven golfers, store individual or course records, and even save your best shots to battery. If you're familiar with T & E Soft's line of golf games, then you'll feel right at home with this one. The game uses a five-step system to set up your shot with icons to walk you through the process.

The first step is to determine the direction of your shot. Keeping an eye on the wind direction and speed, you must position a cursor to the left or right of the screen. An overhead hole diagram will help you determine the right approach. The second step involves choosing from 14 possible clubs based on your distance to the pin. Next, select the stance icon to adjust your foot position and then determine the amount of draw or fade on the ball by moving your feet left or right.

After fiddling with your stance, you're ready to begin the swing. A 3D arc meter will appear in the center of the screen with a line at the top signifying 100% power. Press a button and a little ball will move up the arc until it reaches the top; press the button again to determine the amount of power. Once the power is selected, a large golf ball will appear on the screen with a dot that zig-zags its way across the surface. As the dot reaches the desired point of impact, hit a button and a golfer will carry out the shot.

Golf doesn't provide a very convincing sense of 3D. The problem is that the camera system doesn't follow the ball as it sails into the air, which would have given the game a believable sense of depth. Another issue is that a golf game doesn't look very attractive when you're looking at red grass and trees. While there is some excellent shading to give the game a realistic look, you certainly won't mistake this course for the real deal. I'm also a little wary about sticking my face in the system for such a long period of time -- this game isn't exactly a fast round of golf.

The process could have been streamlined if the golfer was visible on the screen at all times: going through each menu takes too long and removes you from the action. Still, I'm very impressed with the attention to detail and depth of features for a Virtual Boy game. If you love golf and own a Virtual Boy, it doesn't get much better than this. An added benefit is that Mario and his buddies are nowhere to be found. Come to think of it, that might not have been such a bad thing... ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Credits

Name	Role
Mario [Nintendo]	Character
T&E Soft, Inc.	Developer
Nintendo of America, Inc.	Manufacturer/Publisher