Gameboy Color ~ Tiger Woods 2000 Review

Overview

Well you all know Tiger Woods, and for those of you who don't, then he is a super duper golfer who is better than most of the other pros. So as you would expect, EA Sports try to make big bucks off him by slapping his name on the title of their PGA Tour series of golf games and hope it sells millions. L.

Gameplay and Realism

Unlike those other em old 3D golf games, THQ have opted for a downwards 2D view of the courses. Hitting the ball is like the conventional 3 click arc swing system, but except here, it is just a horizontal bar. After you decide to hit the ball, the game will switch from the downwards 2D view of the course to a pre animation of Tiger hitting the ball. Then the screen will switch back to the view of the course, with the ball making flight to it's destination by raising up to the air as if it's coming up to you, then going back down again.

Firstly I must how these view switches when you hit the ball hardly adds any value to the game. You can't even see yourself hitting the ball on the course. Its just an animation of Tiger swinging his club from left to right with a change in the backdrop, but its not like you'd notice it anyway. When you're on the green, it just shows the putter putting the ball. These animations are nearly pointless, since you can't see where you are and in turn making the use of the horizontal swing bar in the wrong way.

As for realism, the ball will veer off direction depending on the wind direction as expected. When hitting in sand bunkers, the ball will travel further than what it is suppose to. And when you're putting, sloping terrain is represented by these little dark green arrows. Overall, there is nothing special about the gameplay of this golf game, I can fairly say that it is fair.

5.5 out of 10

Graphics

The off-game screens look nice. A nice picture of Tiger, a glossy looking scene of the golf course you're playing on before the game starts.

Going into the game, THQ have done a good job of re-creating the golf courses. I guess the holes, trees, water and stuff are where they're meant to be. However, it looks as though as if all the courses are in the middle of nowhere with an outer brown barren background.

4 out of 5

Sound and Music

There are hardly any sound effects in this game. I only two I recall are the ones when you hit the ball, which sounds more like dropping a handful of sand to the ground; and the one when the ball goes up and down through the air. Like the gameplay, this is very slack work. As for the music, it's a nice little tune to listen to.

2 out of 5

Playability and Versatility

Due to some pretty some average gameplay, surely the game's interface can make up for it? Well, no. It gets very annoying when you want to aim your shot. Firstly, you need to switch from the view of Tiger getting ready to swing, to the overhead view of the course to access the interface. Then you have to push right three times to select the target cursor that pops up on wherever you are on the course. Then you have to drag it all the way up to where you want it before the screen pointlessly scrolls all the way back to where you are. Made a mistake? Well then you gotta repeat that all over again! This alone was enough to piss me off to even mention the alternative pro swing in the game, which I certainly don't know how to use.

So for the rest of the interface options, you basically just push the "B" button to switch from swinging view, to overhead view. Seeing the swinging view is quite pointless, then switching views is pointless too!

2 out of 5

Options

Three courses should keep you entertained for about three hours straight. You got the normal strokes mode, along with skins where you play for money. You got the tournament and shoot off modes where you essentially play against computer opponents which is time wasting and aggravating, where you have to wait for all computer opponents to aim their shots and watch them swing their clubs. Ah yes, lets not forget password saves. Oh yippe.

2.75 out of 5

For: pretty good graphics, nice menu music, more than one golf course, an easy game to play.

Against: pointless animations of golfers hitting the ball, its only 2D, hardly any sound effects, poor versatility when activating the interface, computer opponents time consuming.

Overall, a very mediocre golf game from the boys at THQ and EA Sports. As an officially licensed game of Tiger Woods himself, it is well over par and should've been a hell of a lot better.