Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12: The Masters

Review

Common Sense Media says

This year's golf sim is easier to play and can be active.
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
 
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Parents say

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12: The Masters is a golf simulation. You can tackle the game by yourself, against virtual competitors, or against friends and family, if desired. The game is meant to be an accurate reproduction of the real game of golf -- including access to some of the world's top PGA Tour courses -- and the ability to take part in the Masters Tournament at Augusta National. There is no inappropriate content in this game, but be aware online players can talk and hear others talk, which might include profanity or other potentially offensive comments.

  • Positive messages2
    This video game is a professional golf simulation, which encourages excellence on the fairway. The game also covers the Masters Tournament, which features the best of the best of pro golfers.
  • Positive role models1
    You can select which of the few dozen golfers you'd like to play as in this game -- or create your own from scratch. The golfers don't act good or bad in the game but represent golfers in real life. Tiger Woods, for example, was a good role-model for kids, but his personal life (including alleged extramarital affairs) has tainted his image over the past year or so.  
  • Ease of play3
    On one hand, the game is easier to play than past years, because of helpful tutorials and assistance from a caddie by your side, but on the flipside, EA Sports doesn't include a paper manual in this year's game.    
  • Violence0
    Not applicable.
  • Sex0
    Not applicable.
  • Language0
    Not applicable.
  • Consumerism3
    The game has visible brands, such as Nike golf apparel, worn by Tiger Woods, as well as branding related to the Masters Tournament. In fact, you can accept sponsorships in the Career mode, from companies like Nike, which has various levels of involvement.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking0
    Not applicable.
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What's it about?

As with past years, EA Sports' TIGER WOODS PGA TOUR 12: THE MASTERS aims to deliver a realistic professional golf experience -- from the motion of the swing (now taking advantage of PlayStation Move and the Wii MotionPlus peripherals) to authentically-modeled courses ripped from real world locations (such as Pebble Beach and St. Andrews). While it doesn't look or feel much different than last year's offering, the new game features a revamped career mode, the addition of caddies (who offer helpful tips while on the green), as well as new golfers and courses to choose from. EA Sports says they've laser-scanned every hole at the historic Augusta National Golf Club to recreate the Masters Tournament down to every digital detail. Finally, the game offers a handful of solo and multiplayer game modes (for up to 4 players).

Is it any good?

 

Fans of Tiger Woods PGA Tour golf games are well aware that some years are bigger than others. While not remarkably different than past games, the new career mode now takes you from working your way up from an amateur to the coveted PGA Tour. A lot of the online buzz surrounds the Caddie Mode, where you're paired up with a caddie who gives you helpful advice based on the course, wind, and such (and they can "level up" like a role-playing game, too). Unlike past games, you can tackle fun "Masters moments," where you can relive some of the best moments from Masters history as you vie for the green jacket. Major fans of the series won't be disappointed with this sequel as there are enough new goodies to justify the purchase, but casual players might think twice if they're still happy with last year's game. Note: The Wii version supports the Wii Balance Board (primarily for balance), plus it offers 25 courses instead of 19, and minigames, too; visually it's not as good as the high-definition Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 games (which can be played using the Move controller.)

Online interaction: In both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of the game, you can play online with 2 to 4 players. Plus, there will be downloadable content, says EA Sports. Gamers who play each other online can also chat using a headset microphone, which means kids could potentially hear offensive language.

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What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about celebrity role models. Do gamers still want to play as Tiger Woods, or has the world's most famous golfer lost some of his appeal because of his widely-publicized personal problems?

  • Do you prefer to play sports video game on a system where you can be active? You can if you play this game using the Move controller for the PS3 or the Wii MotionPlus for the Wii.

This review was written by Marc Saltzman
Kid, 12 years old
February 25, 2012
AGE
5
 
5 years old can play it
the guys a bad role model
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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:April 1, 2011
Price:$59.99 ($49.99 for Wii)
ESRB rating:E for N/A
This review was written by Marc Saltzman

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ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
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