For the last five years, EA Sports has dominated the video game golf arena, not unlike the way its titular athlete, Tiger Woods, has ruled over the PGA Tour. With the Links series disappearing in 2004, EA has had a monopoly over the more realistic golf game. The lack of viable competition has made EA a little lazy in recent years with their golf game; the 2006 game for the Xbox 360 was absolutely despicable, and subsequent versions seem to have done little to bring the game back to the standard of quality it displayed earlier in the decade.
On the surface, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09's new features sound inconsequential. Does one really think that advice from Tiger's coach Hank Haney is really going to have a significant impact on the quality of the game? Dynamic skill adjustment is nice on paper, but has never really been put into practice effectively. Extensive club tuning will appeal to the most dedicated golfers, but would be lost on the majority of players. Yet these seemingly limp additions are actually pretty worthy and as a result, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 is a much better game than its predecessor.
Jamie gets teed off with Tiger Woods 2009 as he tries to score an ace in the hole achievement.
David Kenson writes "Tiger Woods 12 manages to squeeze out a few more improvements on Tiger Woods 11's already full rostrum of options. Like last year, MotionPlus allows the game to capture a one-to-one backwards and forwards stroke, but now it adds the Balance board into the swing equation for the first time."
He provides a comparison of the different version of Tiger on the Wii, which highlights the up-and-down nature of the EA franchise.
That's a very thorough look at the last five titles in the series as compared to the latest. I have to say that I'm occasionally addicted to golf games, although I prefer them on the arcade-y side (I loved Sensi Golf on the Amiga!). If I take the plunge again this will be really helpful!
Sensible Golf on the Amiga sold very badly and was considered a commercial failure, I believe; but, I thought it was an excellent title.
Not 100% sure about using the balance board. I suppose it isn't as vigorous as Raving Rabbids but the board isn't as stable as a golf course. Interesting use of the board though.
Good grief... well I guess if I played golf this could be an amazing teaching tool. As I don't Ill have to play it with features all turned off if I want any hope of success. Still good for EA to at least be trying to make use of the Wii peripherals and iterating on a franchise on a console where most developers just pump out lazy ports.
Teh at Gogaminggiant.com takes a look at the Tiger Woods franchise and its decline of quality over the years. Through the use of facts and cultural puns, Teh brings us an opinion piece that you don't want to miss out on anytime soon.
Replies(1)
The last and best golfing game I played was Links 2004 for the Xbox. It was an absolute blast with 3 other friends or through the old XSN leagues. I miss that game.
I wonder why MS has never brought Links golf to the Xbox 360? This is truly a injustice! I have always been a fan of Links golf since the days of the Amiga.
John Daly powerstroke golf was to come out this past holiday season, but after getting lousy reviews,it has been pushed back to late spring 2011. The BIG question is will the release delay make it any better?
Like the author of this story,I was a big fan of TWG for many years with my favorite edition being in 2004 with the "Tiger Vision" feature. The "Tiger vision" feature made it easy for non-console golfers to enjoy the challange of putting.
After TWG 2009,I decided that that was it for me and the TWG games. They have become so hard to play( driving,putting ) that playing it to the point of enjoyment was just not there and spent my gaming $$$ elsewhere.
This year though, I may break down and buy "the Masters" as I miss a good console golf game!
I've always hated golf games, I just dont see the lure of golfing games since they're both so boring.
Also, yes it would be fun to have the south park tiger woods fighting game. Pre-nup power-up!
This is quite off topic but....
whats absolutely crazy, I feel bad for Tiger, sure, he is a cheating a-hole, but he had to give his wife like 500 million dollars, this is an embarrasment, think about it, his stupid wife get's 500 million for not putting out, what a stain on society.
While some guy's wife who gets the shit beat out of her by his druken worthless ass, gets half a carton of newports and some state paid reconstructive surgery.
There should be a cap for what a woman is entitled to, she does nothing and gets everything.
The limit a woman should be allowed to get in a divorce should be like $50,000
alright lady, go off on you own, heres 50 g's, shiiiiit, Tigers wife would be blowing him right now then giving him a pedicure if she knew leaving only ment 50 g's.
not 500, I'm a big golf nut so I follow this stuff, but yeah everything you said is dead on. She was a nanny before she met Tiger. that does not pay that well.
