Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that, unlike most sports games, this golf game requires kids (and kids at heart) to get up on their feet and swing the remote as if were a real club, so they'll get a little exercise here. Like golf on TV, brand names are visible on sports apparel. And while this experience can't mirror playing golf outside in real life, it does allow kids to play with the pros and on courses they would never have access to.
Families can talk about how the Wii's unique motion-sensing remotes add to the virtual golf experience. Do you think playing golf on the Wii is more fun than playing outside on a real course or not? How does it feel to walk the courses with the pros? Do you think you can learn to play golf or at least improve your swing with the Wii? Why not test that theory on a real course?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Marc Saltzman
Unlike the other console versions of the 2007 Tiger Woods golf simulation, Nintendo Wii's TIGER WOODS PGA TOUR 07 (out 5 months later) lets you hold the motion-sensing Wii controller with two hands as if it were a real club. To drive the ball a few hundred yards, start with the controller pointing toward the ground and then pull away from the TV into your backswing before smacking the imaginary ball forward. The effect is seen on-screen in real time, measuring your power, direction, and spin. If you slice off to the right in real life, chances are you will in this game, too.
While not perfect -- sometimes the in-game golfer swings or putts before the controller has connected with the "ball" -- it feels a lot more like real golf than other video games. Chipping and putting also feel remarkably authentic. Want a practice swing? No problem. Anytime throughout the game you can tap the minus "-" button on the Wii controller for a practice shot from that exact spot on the course. The game also includes an instructional tutorial, which younger or newbie golf gamers may find helpful.
PGA Tour 07 offers more than 35 pro players and fantasy golfers (or create your own) and includes multiple single- and multiplayer game modes, including the globe-trotting "Tiger Challenge" with 18 championship courses. An "Arcade" mode has a handful of fun games, including "Battle Golf," a kind of match play competition for two players, and "T-I-G-E-R," a unique take on the game "H-O-R-S-E," where you make a shot and your friend must match or beat it to avoid collecting letters. There is no online mode for two or more players -- but then again, the Wii is more of a social system that encourages play with someone beside you.
Golf fans who own a Wii will want to take a swing with this exceptionally good game.
Another fun golf game is AboutGolf's Infamous 18, a sub-$20 fantasy golf title for the PC. Families looking for other fun Wii titles might want to check out SSX Blur and Wario Ware: Smooth Moves.
Reviewed: 04/16/2007
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CommercialismSome brand names are clearly visible on apparel, such as Nike caps. |
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Educational ValueYou might just learn how to golf from the comfort of your living room! |
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