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I finally got the anticipated Nintendo DS on Decmeber 23. I got 4 games, including Mario 64 DS. Surprisingly, Tiger Woods is the game I have spent the most time playing. I haven't played a Tiger Woods console game since TW 2003 on GameCube. The DS version is very similar in many ways.
Graphics: 7.5/10
The graphics are good but not great. I give a 7.5 because I feel the graphics are well done (Nintendo 64ish) but will likely improve drastically in future versions. The graphics are a bit blocky at times and I believe this is due to the game likely being rushed out of development. The courses are very recognizable if you watch golf or have played the console versions. TPC at Sawgrass is well done, as well as a few other notable courses. I will say I was 'satisfied' with the graphics.
Control: 8.5/10
I love the swinging mechanism of this game! If it were not for some of the putting miscues in this game I might even give a 10 here! The game as you may know has a swinging meter on the second screen. You start at the top of this 'U' shaped meter on the bottom screen and trace along until you get to the end. You may make the shot go left, right, or straight, depending on where you trace. I have read reviews where the reviewer stated that it took a bit of getting used to this meter and how it was awkward to them. I could not disagree more. This control scheme feels right to me and it took literally no time to get used to. Sitting beside the 'U' shaped meter is a bar. Before you swing, you can rub it up and down to give extra power to your swing. The more red the bar gets, the more power you will add to your swing. This bar replicates the power up that the console game has, but on the console you power up by hitting the Z trigger on the GC frantically during the swing. While the ball is in the air, their is a ball on the seond screen with an arrow on it. Using your stylus, you try to spin the ball the way you want it to go when it hits the ground. The console version also do this, just not using a touch screen! It is so much funner spiining a ball on a touch screen than it is by justing hitting a button. In the console versions, however, if you have a nicely hit ball in the air the game will slow down into a slow motion cut scene and let you spin however you think will make it actually go in. It does this on chips as well. The DS version does not do this slow down cut scene, making it more difficult to have a hole in one or a chip in. All in all I like 'swinging' a club better on the DS than on the GameCube or PS2 versions I have played. Putting is another story. The caddy tells you the distance you need to aim (i.e., 10 inches right, 1 foot 4 inches long) which is great. It is just like in the console game. Sometimes, though, on long distance putts you do not have any info. It will simply say 'Unavailable.' In this instance one would like to switch to a club and chip. The problem is you can't. You go to the clubs and the only club at your disposal is that putter.
During game play, the second screen is utilized in so many ways. As I stated, the swinging is done very well utilizing the second screen. The screen also is where you change your clubs, type of shot (chip, flop, punch, etc.). You can quickly navigate through all of these aspects of your shot using the stylus on the second screen. The second screen, when not being used as a swinging meter or for club selection, serves as an overhead view of the hole you are on.
Gameplay: 8/10
The game is fairly deep. You do have several modes to choose from. Quick play is fairly self explanatory. You can play strokeplay, skins, or match in quickplay. Legends tour is the meat of the game. This is where you battle other golfers on your way to being a star. You start by creating your own golfer, and you work your way up, earning money each match you win. You can build your player up using money you made from the matches to buy attribute points. You start out as a rookie, and earn your tour card at the end of the rookie tour by beating Tiger Woods. Events include Match, Stroke, Skins, and tournament play on different courses. I have not had a chance to try multi-player yet, but I am sure that it is an exciting way to play the game.
Sound: 5/10
The main complaint is the music. It has a midi sounding soundtrack. I know they can do better because Madden 2005 on DS has an actual song playing through out the menus. I also would like to have David Feretty (or whoever the guy is on the console versions) commentating. The game does have a few different crowd cheers and jeers. Not much here in the sound department.
Conclusion:
If you like golf or golf video games you will not be dissapointed. In fact, if you have a DS and like golf games you might as well go buy this one. It is a nice solid game that has room for improvement but is still very fun and will occupy you for a long while. I have played TW 2003 on GC and PS2 and TW 2004 on GBA. This game resembles the console versions more so than the previous portable versions. I am glad to see EA sports give us a solid game after they gave us the not so solid Madden DS.
Total score: 8.25/10
The game has room for improvement in the audio and graphics department. The putting game needs to be tweeked and maybe add a few features and your looking at a very nice golf game.
Hopefully I will have reviews of Spiderman 2, Mario 64 DS, and Madden 2005 up soon!
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