Gameloft has a certain reputation in the handheld gaming world … oh, let’s be blunt: they make blatant clones of successful games! Halo becomes N.O.V.A, Final Fantasy XIII becomes Eternal Legacy, StarCraft 2 becomes Starfront: Collision, and on and on … so the obvious question is – what game does Let’s Golf 2 clone? And more importantly – is it any good?
The Hype:
Looking for a faster, more colorful and fun golf experience? Then this newest edition of the popular Let’s Golf series is just the thing you need for the most exciting golf adventure you’ll ever find!
– Select from 8 fun 3D characters that you can customize with unlocked caps, clothes and golf balls.
– Watch your character gain experience with each game & unleash special powers like rewinding time.
– Play 108 holes in 6 far-out spots like an Aztec Jungle, a winter wonderland in Greenland & a wild African Safari.
– See how you rate against the world with the online leaderboard, or challenge friends in multiplayer.
– Take on the new Career mode or just have fun with a variety of new challenges.
The Reality:
The reality is that there are two types of computer golf games: realistic ones like Tiger Woods PGA, and fun games like Hot Shots Golf. Since Let’s Golf is a clone of the latter … it is pretty clear how this one plays.
Let’s Golf will be immediately familiar to anyone who has played a computer golf game in the last 25 years. The basics are simple: choose your club and select the direction you are aiming, and then click to start your backswing. When you reach the strength of swing you desire you click again and then finally click as close as possible to ‘0’ to get the perfect stroke.
This is the same basic mechanic I used on Mac Golf in the mid-80’s, but it has evolved and been refined through the years. The accuracy of shot is based on how well you control your power, the wind speed and direction, and how accurately you strike the ball. A perfect strike can have a dramatic impact – for a drive you gain extra yards, and in a pitch situation I have had a shot stick and pull back almost into the hold from more than 100 yards away!
There is plenty of variety in Let’s Golf: there are eight playable characters (you start with two and unlock the others). Each character has their own skills and a special ‘magic power’ that you can unleash after the meter fills up. As you play you earn new outfits, hairstyles, balls, clubs and so on – and each has some impact on your skills.
There are six locations, starting in England with what looks very much like a clone of the St. Andrews club typically featured as the starter course in many games. From there you can go to Africa, Germany, and several other locations taking you from the desert to the arctic tundra.
Within each location you have a number of challenges such as traditional 3-hole, 9-hole, as well as closest to pin and a bunch more: in all, each course has 10 trophies possible!
Graphically Let’s Golf has a whimsical style, with anime-inspired characters, bright saturated 3D graphics and loads of detail. When you get a birdie your character jumps in the air and there is glitter flying around. As you play the courses you will encounter foxes, horses, birds and many other animals wandering around and reacting to your shots. It makes for great fun.
As I mentioned I have played computer golf games since Mac Golf (1985), and generally gravitated to the more detailed and realistic games. But when Hot Shots Golf landed on the PSP around the same time as Tiger Woods PGA Tour golf I came to a realization – I love the ‘fun’ of Hot Shots Golf more than the ‘realism’ of Tiger Woods PGA Tour. The same is true between Let’s Golf and Tiger Woods PGA Tour golf on the iPad … and now that Let’s Golf is on the Mac I absolutely love it! It is the most fun I’ve had playing computer golf in years.
Here is the trailer for Let’s Golf (it is for the iPhone version, but gameplay is identical)!
Where to Buy: Mac App Store
Price: $4.99
What I Like: Great course variety; skills really matter’; perfect balance of fun and challenge; great price!
What Needs Improvement: Lack of realism can dampen challenge
Source: Personal purchase