Tiger Woods Pro Tour 06 Updated Hands-On

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 06 continues to look like a big improvement over last year's mobile game, which was developed by Digital Bridges (now reformed as I-Play). The 3D title performed remarkably well on the midrange LG VX7000, obviously having benefited from its association with EA's PSP version of the game. Boasting unique swing control and downloadable content, Tiger Woods 06 will likely represent a leap forward for the series.

The console Tiger Woods games are known for their unique swing mechanic. You use your controller's analog sticks to determine a shot's accuracy and power. The mobile version's control approximates the fluidity of this system by letting you guide the swing motion with the forward and back keys on your navigation pad. You can also change the shot direction and length, of course. An overhead view can be selected for this purpose.

We played Tiger on the LG VX7000, but encountered downloadable content usually reserved for V Cast devices. Five PGA courses and five PGA golfers, including retired legends Arnold Palmer and Jack Niclaus, were playable after 30-second downloads. Each item uses around 100k of phone space, though, so those with older phone models might have to budget a bit. Whether the final version of the game dynamically manages content remains to be seen.

It must be said that Tiger Woods 06 is presented extremely well. It's in this department that the title has made the greatest developmental strides since last we saw it. The courses are rendered beautifully, and each shot is shown from several camera angles--all without visible signs of slowdown. Some of the commentator vocal clips from the PSP version have made their way into the mobile game and add a lot of ambience.

It's safe to say that Tiger Woods 06 is shaping up extremely well. Featuring both Tiger and Vijay, this game's got some big names to live up to. Look for our review of the game later this quarter.