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| The Entertainment Review |
| Genre: Sports Developer: Housemarque Publisher: Activision |
Everyone once in a while people may get the itch to hit the golf course and play through a few holes. However, for those that are owners of an Xbox 360 and may not want to actually leave the house, there are few options
to play golf in a more indoor style of play. Housemarque and Activision have worked together in changing the way that gamers play golf on a console with their latest release on Xbox Live Arcade, “Golf: Tee It Up!”
Gamers won’t want to pass up this chance to hit the virtual greens, so they will have to break out the virtual clubs, pick up a virtual caddy and tee up for a few virtual rounds on the fairways and greens.
The very first thing that is going to have to be realized about “Golf: Tee It Up!” is that it is geared more towards the casual gamer than it is towards the hardcore golfer. The game’s visual aspects takes certain parts of
top golf games like “Hot Shots Golf” and “Tiger Woods Golf” and combines them in a way that makes for an amazing golf game. Like the games of the “Hot Shots Golf” series, this game uses an exaggerated art style
that may appeal to a large audience. Players are able to customize the look of their golfer from head to toe, allowing players to change their characters head, hair, outfit, shoes, and accessories. The customization of
the player’s character is enhanced by the large list of options available. Players will also be able to customize their golfers either further by getting additional costume packs that will be made available for download on
the Xbox Live Marketplace further down the road.
The casual look that the game provides fits perfectly with the simple game play mechanics that are provided. The game uses the typical three click method to control the swing of the golf club. For any players who have
never played a golf game before, players start their swing by tapping the A button, tapping A again will start the players downswing and one more tap of the A button as close to the start of the swing will control whether
the player hooks or slices the ball. Players can also adjust the spin that is put on the ball by using the right thumb stick to adjust the point of impact on the ball. Also, by use the two bumpers, players are able to view the
hole from above and a projected path from the ball’s point of view. Basically, that is all the players need to know about the game play in order to pick up the controller and play, except for something called Focus.
Players begin each hole with a cartain amount of Focus which is measured in seconds. After hitting the ball, players can use the left thumb stick to slow down time and help direct the course that the ball takes. This
comes in handy when players mess up their swing and may be short of reaching the green or a fairway. Players can also use Focus to see where the ball will go during a put and to enable Power Shots. Since players
are only given a total of four seconds of Focus for each hole, it is important to figure out where to best apply it during a hole.
“Golf: Tee It Up!” also features a custom Quickplay mode that allows players to jump right into a round of golf. Also, for those that are looking for something a little more competitive, there is a Cup, Stroke, and Match
play for up to a total of four players in either online or offline action. Online games are easy to set up, though some players may experience lag during actual game play. Though this may be annoying, it never reaches
the point that it affects the overall game play experience. The game could have benefited by having more than just two 18-hole courses, but with new courses on the way through Xbox Live Marketplace, this isn’t much of
an issue.
Even though “Golf: Tee It Up!” is one of the better games to be found on Xbox Live Arcade, there are a few issues that the game has. The most obvious for gamers will be the fact that the swing mechanics are a little too
forgiving. Even when a hook or slice is dialed in, the ball still moves in a fairly straight line. The wind seems to have been more of a factor in the ball movement than the initial hit of the ball. Also, while the ball is on the
green, players have to guess what the roll of the green is. The roll indicators on the green are quite difficult to see and even more difficult to navigate through. Luckily, when players get close enough to the hole, the ball
is automatically chipped into the hole. Last, though the Focus feature of the game is a great addition to the game, it isn’t as useful as it sounds. It is a feature that could be an improved and important feature in future
games. The only time that it may be useful is with the putting previews.
Even with the before mentioned issues with the game, “Golf: Tee It Up!” is a very strong golf game that is very fun, considering it is an Xbox Live Arcade game. With customizable characters and easy to play game
mechanics, the game is a great addition to any Xbox 360 library.
to play golf in a more indoor style of play. Housemarque and Activision have worked together in changing the way that gamers play golf on a console with their latest release on Xbox Live Arcade, “Golf: Tee It Up!”
Gamers won’t want to pass up this chance to hit the virtual greens, so they will have to break out the virtual clubs, pick up a virtual caddy and tee up for a few virtual rounds on the fairways and greens.
The very first thing that is going to have to be realized about “Golf: Tee It Up!” is that it is geared more towards the casual gamer than it is towards the hardcore golfer. The game’s visual aspects takes certain parts of
top golf games like “Hot Shots Golf” and “Tiger Woods Golf” and combines them in a way that makes for an amazing golf game. Like the games of the “Hot Shots Golf” series, this game uses an exaggerated art style
that may appeal to a large audience. Players are able to customize the look of their golfer from head to toe, allowing players to change their characters head, hair, outfit, shoes, and accessories. The customization of
the player’s character is enhanced by the large list of options available. Players will also be able to customize their golfers either further by getting additional costume packs that will be made available for download on
the Xbox Live Marketplace further down the road.
The casual look that the game provides fits perfectly with the simple game play mechanics that are provided. The game uses the typical three click method to control the swing of the golf club. For any players who have
never played a golf game before, players start their swing by tapping the A button, tapping A again will start the players downswing and one more tap of the A button as close to the start of the swing will control whether
the player hooks or slices the ball. Players can also adjust the spin that is put on the ball by using the right thumb stick to adjust the point of impact on the ball. Also, by use the two bumpers, players are able to view the
hole from above and a projected path from the ball’s point of view. Basically, that is all the players need to know about the game play in order to pick up the controller and play, except for something called Focus.
Players begin each hole with a cartain amount of Focus which is measured in seconds. After hitting the ball, players can use the left thumb stick to slow down time and help direct the course that the ball takes. This
comes in handy when players mess up their swing and may be short of reaching the green or a fairway. Players can also use Focus to see where the ball will go during a put and to enable Power Shots. Since players
are only given a total of four seconds of Focus for each hole, it is important to figure out where to best apply it during a hole.
“Golf: Tee It Up!” also features a custom Quickplay mode that allows players to jump right into a round of golf. Also, for those that are looking for something a little more competitive, there is a Cup, Stroke, and Match
play for up to a total of four players in either online or offline action. Online games are easy to set up, though some players may experience lag during actual game play. Though this may be annoying, it never reaches
the point that it affects the overall game play experience. The game could have benefited by having more than just two 18-hole courses, but with new courses on the way through Xbox Live Marketplace, this isn’t much of
an issue.
Even though “Golf: Tee It Up!” is one of the better games to be found on Xbox Live Arcade, there are a few issues that the game has. The most obvious for gamers will be the fact that the swing mechanics are a little too
forgiving. Even when a hook or slice is dialed in, the ball still moves in a fairly straight line. The wind seems to have been more of a factor in the ball movement than the initial hit of the ball. Also, while the ball is on the
green, players have to guess what the roll of the green is. The roll indicators on the green are quite difficult to see and even more difficult to navigate through. Luckily, when players get close enough to the hole, the ball
is automatically chipped into the hole. Last, though the Focus feature of the game is a great addition to the game, it isn’t as useful as it sounds. It is a feature that could be an improved and important feature in future
games. The only time that it may be useful is with the putting previews.
Even with the before mentioned issues with the game, “Golf: Tee It Up!” is a very strong golf game that is very fun, considering it is an Xbox Live Arcade game. With customizable characters and easy to play game
mechanics, the game is a great addition to any Xbox 360 library.
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