Tiger Woods 2005

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The last release for the Nintendo DS of 2005 sees Tiger Woods PGA Tour being given the dual screen conversion. This is the second sports title from EA, closely following Madden 2005, that has already been launched for the DS and it is good to see that EA is committed to releasing their franchise sports titles on the new Nintendo system. Golfing simulators have been available since the early dawn of video games, and indeed so have the EA PGA Tour range, and so it is no real surprise to see this title as one of the ‘launch period’ release games for the DS. The step-up from the GBA version is obvious, with the clear 3D courses and sweeping camera movements and EA have even been able to incorporate the touch screen into the title. All together it sounds like a recipe for a pretty good game…



Graphics

One of the first things you notice about golfing games is the graphics. As there is never really a lot happening at once to grab your attention, you find yourself with a lot of time to look around the scenery of the courses and the graphics used in the game. On the earlier console and GBA versions this was near impossible – courses were displayed mainly in a 2D birds eye view with a quickly drawn up 2D display to show the view from the golfers eye. You’ll be pleased to know that the DS version makes use of the 3D capabilities very effectively and this is instantly noticeable as the camera pans over the course at the start of a hole. The courses are all rendered in full 3D and although slightly lacking in detail, you will still be able to recognise some of the real courses which in itself is a credit to the game. The models of the golfers are well rendered and although slightly blocky I found the animations to be smooth and natural which was a very nice surprise, especially after having played Madden a couple of weeks ago.

The second screen on the DS is used for the more ‘useful’ displays of the game. This includes wind speed, club selection, course overview and also the main swing system. Usually though you will be using it for taking a birds eye view of the course, and this is well drawn and easy to follow. I found it really useful to both a 3D view and 2D birds eye view of the course visible at once and although fairly uninteresting, it is one of the few moments I have experienced with 3rd party games so far that makes me really realise the worth of the dual screens. Overall the graphics are really nice and the presentation is helped with clear, well polished menus and text. The only minor niggles are that some of the scenery, such as the flag or trees, really don’t look that great but this is a portable console and it’s easy to forgive these. Don’t expect this to look anything like the console counterparts though or you’ll be slightly disappointed – in its own right, the graphics are impressive and I was pleasantly surprised.



Sound


Possibly not the most important factor of a golf game is the sound. This is quite clear from the lack of effort EA have put into it for this version. The bird sounds and other course effects sound clear and nice, and the sound of the ball being hit sounds all well and good, but there isn’t really all that much to it. Occasionally the crowd applaud your shots, but this sounds very ‘canned’ and you soon start to get annoyed by it. I know I was. The music is abysmal and quite frankly sounds at home on a computer running Windows 95, not a Nintendo DS with stereo speakers. I think you get the idea. The one saving grace however is that TW2005 is a golf game, and ultimately you won’t lose anything from the game by playing without sound. That’s a good job as you really won’t want to play it with. Moving on…



Gameplay

Golf may have been on almost every games console ever but it’s never just the graphics that improve. The way in which the player ‘swings’ the clubs has always challenged game developers as obviously using buttons is never going to give the same feel or challenge as the real thing. Over time we have seen things progress from stopping a moving bar, rotating analogue sticks even rocking a d-pad back and forth as was found on the GBA version of TW in 2004. So when I heard that this game was being launched for the DS, I was sceptical as to how EA would implement a swing system into it – naturally they would use the touch screen, but how would that work? Well, pretty well I must admit. The bottom touch screen displays a ‘U shape’ that has to be traced with the stylus in order to hit the ball with the perfect swing, and although at first it may seem difficult and frustrating it soon becomes natural and a really good way of playing. Basically, you swipe the stylus down and round the left side of the shape to set the amount of power on the swing before flicking up the other side to determine how straight your ball is hit. Believe me, it is a lot easier to use than it is to explain. All the extra shot features are also included and you can even set the spin of the ball while it is in the air by rubbing the ball on the touch screen in the appropriate direction, and this is a nice ‘touch’.



However when the ball lands on the green the style of hitting changes to a completely different putting system. You aim the cursor to set the direction of your shot before hitting a putt button to send your ball on its way. That’s all there is to it, and it does feel slightly rushed but it does its job. Sometimes it can be difficult to judge the lie of the green and so you have to rely on your caddy’s advice on where to aim and I found this to be rather disappointing. It just feels fixed and more down to luck as to whether your ball lands in the hole or not and I would have preferred EA to spend more time making the greens bumps and curves more obvious than implementing a caddy advice feature. Once I played more and got more used to the gameplay though, this became less of a worry and I soon found myself putting some very impressive shots from reasonable distances.

Multiplayer is also a nice addition to the title and to make use of the DS’ Wi-Fi abilities; however it does require each player to have a copy of the game. It supports 1-4 players over a series of gameplay modes – these include match play, stroke play and skins, with the options of playing a full 18 round or various choices of 9 holes. It’s a decent multiplay and EA have made it quicker by the fact that each player takes a shot simultaneously, rather than having to wait in turn. It’s fun and if your mates are as equally talented as you at the game then you will enjoy it for a while, but it doesn’t really add anything major to the games selling points.




Lifespan

The game features 6, full 18-hole courses, some of which are unlockable. Game modes include a career mode, challenges and single round, the obvious array really and certainly plenty of things to keep you entertained. Character customisation is also included which is fun and more professional golfers can be unlocked from playing through the career mode. The thing I found about TW was that the more I played it and got to grips with the unusual control styles, the more I really started to enjoy it. As I became able to sink a ball for a Par, from a bunker where I would have previously given up all hope, the game began to become more fun and a pleasure to play. The best thing about the game is also that it is perfect for a portable console like the DS. If you are just travelling on the bus for 5 minutes and don’t fancy starting a level on Mario, then you can just pick up TW and play a quick few holes for fun. The style of gameplay and the fact it is so fun to play mean that it really is the perfect pick up and play title and I think that suits a portable console down to the ground. Add to all of that the Multiplayer mode and I certainly think that this is a game that will keep you entertained well through the next few months…



Summary


While by no means a perfect golf simulator, the touch screen controls, 3D graphics and pick up and play nature make TW2005 a sheer joy to play, even for non-golfing fans. Once you have got to grips with the unusual controls and had time to perfect your golfing style the game really opens up and you will find yourself popping the cartridge in even for 5 or 10 minute for a quick round. The dual screen display of the course is brilliant and the graphics, although not the most impressive or detailed we’ve seen, are nice to look at and work really well for the game. The career mode will have you hooked as you try to unlock that extra feature and the added challenges will add variety to the normal rounds of golf found in the game. It’s a very good game, and although I have no doubt I’ll look back at this review next year and wonder how it scored so highly, I have to recommend it. If you are a golfing fan then you probably will already have this game and I won’t have to recommend it – but even if you aren’t a fan but are looking for a DS game to keep you occupied well into 2005 then I’ll recommend it. Its fun, it’s playable and it makes good use of the DS’ features. Now, to beat that course record…




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Graphics - 8/10

It looks very good, and although the detail and textures could be a lot better it certainly moves along at a fast rate and shows what the DS can do with 3D.


Sound - 3/10

Sounds include a ball being hit, a ball bouncing, a ball being sunk, canned applause and the occasional birds tweeting. Music isn’t good either. Sound stays off…


Gameplay - 8/10

Golf can be fun! The touch screen controls take a while to get used to, but once you do its great. Multiplayer is a nice added bonus.


Lifespan - 8/10

The more you play, the more fun it gets. It’s great fun to pick up and play a quick round too. Lots of modes and good challenge will see you coming back to this game.



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A good example of what EA Sports can produce. The touch and dual screen features steer away from feeling gimmicky and actually help the gameplay. Fun to play, nicely presented and although not ground breaking in any way, it will keep you busy until next years selection of games. Definitely above par.