While other games let you play as Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh Pro Golf 2005 simulates the experience of being the unseated champ by letting you lose repeatedly to Vijay Singh. Gameloft's last golf effort starred Ubisoft's lovable mascot Rayman, making Pro Golf 2005 the company's first foray into simulation-style golf. While Vijay himself would vouch for the importance of experience over innate ability, Gameloft's raw talent has once again served the developer and the consumer well, as it has crafted one of the best games of golf available on mobile. Pro Golf 2005 looks and plays like the best console golf sims of the 16-bit era, while thankfully sparing you Vijay's unpopular postgame commentary.
We tested the game on the N-Gage QD, which doesn't support Bluetooth multiplayer over Series 60, though the game unfortunately doesn't include multiplayer support in the first place. But what it does do, it generally does very well. Choosing from several golfer archetypes, ranging from the power hitter to the short-game wiz, you'll be able to take on Vijay on either nine or 18 holes. In any of the three difficulty levels, you'll be in for a challenge, as Vijay is bringing his A-game. As a result, it's extremely satisfying to best the Fijian phenom on any hole.
Pro Golf 2005's gameplay is by no means revolutionary; it's just implemented very well. You've got your standard swing meter, which uses timed button presses to determine a shot's power and accuracy. You'll be able to aim your shot by rotating your character. The impact this has on your shot's trajectory will simultaneously be shown on a map of the hole. Putting uses a familiar meter as well, and it takes place on a wire-frame grid, the purpose of which is to impress you with the complexity of golf's short game. In every shot situation, the control feels pretty tight, and there's a distinct difference between clubs. If you want to chip your way out of a bunker, you'd better use a sand wedge. This sort of realism is a must in the simulation category, and it's fortunate that it was included here.
Some recent mobile golf games have been venturing into the realm of 3D in a decidedly gimmicky way, and it's surprising that 3D glasses aren't included with those titles. Gameloft has remained circumspect, opting to release a very polished-looking 2D title that seamlessly shifts between camera angles. Your viewpoint will shift at least twice on every stroke, highlighting different parts of the shot. In this way, Pro Golf 2005 does a better job of approximating the presentation of televised golf than its 3D competitors.
Vijay's audio isn't nearly as good, although the appropriate sound accompanies your connection with a ball and that ball's landing. A short MIDI also plays over Pro Golf's splash screen. Fortunately, the game's limited audio means you'll never have to hear Vijay make tasteless remarks about female golfers.
Vijay Singh is a great, eminently playable game of golf. Pro Golf 2005 may be highly derivative of the console golf sims of yesteryear, but it still stands head and shoulders above most of its mobile competition.
