Fore! Launch Yourself into One of the Best Golf Sims!

User Rating: 8 | Golf INTV
WARNING: This game is old. If you are expecting a modern-day game with 3D graphics, may I suggest that you look to another platform. I am rating this game based on nostalgia factor, as well as its level of fun today.

And So It Starts...

One of the first, and best, golf simulators available on a console. You and up to 3 friends pick up your clubs and head to the virtual 18 holes that Mattel has created for you.

Control

You use the disc to aim the ball, and can choose between one of three power levels (controlled by the side buttons): Short, Medium, or Long. The clubs available are: Driver, 3 Wood, 5 Wood, 3 Iron, 5 Iron, 7 Iron, 9 Iron, Wedge, and a Putter. Club choice actually affects the ball's speed and distance. Between the multiple club choices and power levels, this gives you a lot of control as to the ball's placement.

Graphics and Sound

For its time, this game is very good. The sound when you hit the ball is realistic, and the sound made when the ball hits a tree or sinks into a sand trap is great. I can still remember the sound when the ball drops into the cup, making it very clear that you have finished the hole. Each hole is different, and includes all of the traditional components of a real golf course: tee, fairway, green, rough, water and sand traps.

Will This Gather Dust?

I don't play this game a lot, probably because multiplayer is one of its best assets and I don't have a lot of friends that will sit through its "retro" graphics. Some of my best family memories come from playing this game together, and watching the ball get bigger when its chipped out of a sand trap. I can still remember learning how to score golf through playing this game and trying to understand the penalty strokes awarded when the ball was hit out of bounds or into the water!

Overall Recommendation:
Buy this if:
* You like golf.
* You want a fun multiplayer game.
* You played it when you were young. It's still as good.