Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11

Review

Common Sense Media says

Excellent golf sim features expanded online play.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

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Kids say

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 11 is a fairly safe play, but it is not all that different from last year's version. Aside from some minor "comic mischief" (the crowd will react to balls hit in their direction) the only caveat for mom and dad is that people playing the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 version of the game can communicate by voice while playing online. We heard nothing offensive in our testing, but there is potential for profanity and the sharing of personal information. Common Sense Media does not recommend open online play for pre-teens. Also, recent personal controversies in Tiger Woods' life have left him a less than sterling role model.

 

  • Positive messages1
    This is simply a golf simulation without any overt messages aside from general encouragement of friendly competitive competition in a social atmosphere.   
  • Positive role models0
    Woods remains an inspirational figure for kids although his influence has been tarnished by the scandal involving his extramarital affairs.
  • Ease of play3
    The game is quite easy to pick up and play. It also includes a thorough tutorial.
  • Violence1
    There is no violence in the game, but it's possible to whack the ball towards spectators. If a player hits the ball towards spectators in one of the online challenge modes, successive players must also attempt to make that same shot (think H.O.R.S.E.).
  • Sex0
    Not applicable.
  • Language0
    Not applicable.
  • Consumerism3
    There is some branding in the game, such as Nike apparel and EA Sports logos. Players spend virtual money to acquire these items in a shop.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking0
    Not applicable.
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What's it about?

As with its predecessors, TIGER WOODS PGA TOUR 11 lets you play as Tiger Woods or a handful of other PGA and LPGA pros. There's also an option to create a unique golfer from scratch. Select from hundreds of facial combinations, body types, and apparel or simply randomize it all if pressed for time. Alternatively, you can create a realistic 3D likeness of yourself in the game by uploading a couple of photos. Next, it's tutorial time. The narrated, interactive lessons do a great job teaching the mechanics of the game, including the new True Aim yardage marking system. The biggest new addition to this year's game is the inclusion of the Ryder Cup tournament at Celtic Manor in Wales, home of the 2010 Ryder Cup. Led by Tiger for the U.S. squad and Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy for the Europeans, these match play games include various competitions (foursomes, fourball, or single), whereby players can show off their skills and earn XP (experience points), a kind of currency that helps boost golfer attributes. Plus, PlayStation 3 owners will be interested to know that the edition for their console supports Sony's upcoming "Move" motion-sensing controller, out in November of 2010, to give gamers an authentic interactive swing experience similar to that of the Wii edition, which uses Nintendo's Wii remote and MotionPlus attachment.

Is it any good?

 

The latest iteration of EA's popular golf sim doesn't feel or look much different than Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 10 -- at least not on the Microsoft Xbox 360 version tested for this review. That means owners of last year's model need not necessarily drop $60 on this new disc. That said, many might like the new Ryder Cup mode and ability to play over the Internet with up to 24 players -- a first for the Tiger Woods PGA TOUR series. It also includes the option for teammates to chat via a headset microphone (excluding the Nintendo edition).

If you haven't purchased a new Tiger Woods golf game in a few years, you'll no doubt be impressed with how well the 25 million unit-selling franchise has evolved over the past few years. But if you're still swinging at Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 10, there's little reason to drop the cash for this new game -- unless you're a huge fan of the Ryder Cup tourney.

Online interaction: Up to 24 players can play as teams online (excluding the Nintendo Wii version, which supports 4 versus 4 play). Parents should be aware that kids can communicate via headset microphone on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of the game, which opens the door for sharing inappropriate language, information, and subject matter.

 

 

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What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about what impace the Tiger Woods highly-publicized sex scandal will have on this video game. What kind of role model is Tiger Woods? 

  • Parents can also discuss online safety. What should kids do if they run into immature players or players that make them feel uncomfortable? What kind of things should you not say while playing with strangers?

This review was written by Marc Saltzman
Topics:sports and martial arts
Platforms:Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3
Available online?Available online
Genre:Sports
Developer:EA Sports
Release date:June 8, 2010
Price:$59.99 ($49.99 for Wii)
ESRB rating:E for Comic Mischief
This review was written by Marc Saltzman

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
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