Mark Twain once said "golf is a good walk spoiled" and as a frustrated duffer who's accidentally hit more people with his clubs than Judge Smails, I tend to agree. To save us from getting sunburned and having to wear plaid polyester pants, someone invented video game golf, and it was good. Golf, or goff as the Scots call it, has been a success on every platform and now you can download Golf: Tee It Up! on XBLA.
Right from the start gamers will notice a resemblance between GTIU and the Hot Shots Golf franchise - cartoony looking characters playing a simplified version of video game golf - but in GTIU there are no special clubs, golf balls, caddies or player stats that can be improved. There's just a minimally customizable avatar and a golf course. GTIU is a stripped down Hot Shots Golf, which for $10 shouldn't be a surprise. Fortunately the lack of extras takes nothing away from the enjoyment of this title because the gameplay is excellent.
Any gamer will be able to figure out the simple controls by the second hole, but dealing with the unusual course layouts, mastering the Special Focus feature that controls the spin of the ball, and fighting the occasional green designed by a sadistic mini-golf course owner create a steep learning curve. Even after hours of play GTIU is still a challenge, you'll have plenty of fist pump moments and almost as many oh crap moments, just like a real game. The not too hard/not too soft difficulty also translates well in GTIU's solid multiplayer mode, where gamers can play with up to three other players online and offline in versus or co-op modes.
Golf: Tee It Up! loses points for its minimalist approach (only 2 courses and limited character customization doesn't help) but because it still has a full-game-for-the-price-of-an-arcade-game feel, attractive visuals, and holds the promise of more downloadable content in the future, it's a great value.
Pros: Multi-player works great, no Tiger lurking over your shoulder, you can wear bunny slippers while golfing
Cons: Only two courses, not enough character customization, evidently trees like to eat golf balls just as much as kites
Fun Factor: 4.5 -- Graphics: 4.0, Sound: 3.25, Controls: 4.0
The Info: Platform: XBLA, Publisher: Activision, Developer: Housemarque, ESRB: E, Players: 1-4 online and off, Price: 800 MS Points ($10)
