Everybody’s Golf World Tour Review (PS3)

Time to put the fun back into golf

If you have been a fan of Sony consoles & golf games, chances are you are already familiar with the Everybody’s Golf series. They have appeared on the Playstation, Playstation 2, PSP and now on the Playstation 3. Everybody’s Golf has always been a perfect balance between fun and serious play. Between colourful, over the top, cartoon style graphics and solid gameplay mechanics. Making the games a favourite with golf fans and non-golf fans alike. Unlike the Tiger Woods series, Everybody’s Golf has stayed with the easy 3-click system of control, as apposed to using the analogue stick to emulate the golf swing.

Everybody’s Golf has always been about fun, and this is no different

. As well as the usual control method, this version of Everybody’s Golf has an advanced method. This still has a 3 click method, but instead of using a bar to attain the distance and direction. This time you click the button and watch your golfer swing their club back?when it gets to the top of the swing (to get max distance) you click for a second time. This starts the down swing, then as the club gets close to the ball, a circle appears around the ball and this signifies time to click the button for the third time. The smaller the circle, the better the contact with the ball, and the straighter the shot. If you click after the circle has gone, then you slice the ball, and it goes about one metre away from your golfer, causing you to utter a few choice expletives.

The advanced control method takes a bit of getting used to, and like the proper game, still has you getting your timing wrong and slicing or hooking the ball even when you think you have it sussed. Initially you may be a bit disappointed with the choice of golfers to choose from. Tiger woods has tons of professional golfers and a stunning face creator to put your own face on your golfer. And wii golf lets you use your Mii. With Everybody’s Golf World Tour you have a choice of a male or female golfer and about 3 different colour clothes for each. Not exactly awe inspiring, but as you progress. More golfers are unlocked, including Shigeki Maruyama who is in fact a well-known Japanese professional golfer.

Everybody’s Golf has always been about fun, and this is no different, although for me, the step up to the PS3 could have brought about so much more, as it is, this is just a prettier version of the PS2 game. If you love Everybody’s Golf, then you will love this. Just don’t expect the next generation version to be anything more then an evolution, as apposed to a revolution. It plays excellently as always, and looks very shiny. Animation and sound are spot on as ever and the caddies do bring a smile to your face.

To be fair, it is hard to fault what you have here, its funky and fun, and does what it says on the tin. If you haven’t played Everybody’s Golf before, or just want an visual update from the PS2 version, then you will find this your money well spent. Personally I expected a little more to make me fork out 40 bucks this time around (sixaxis control anyone?).