It had to be coming. Golf games are usually among the first crop
of games to be released on any new system. When the Saturn first came out in Japan,
Pebble Beach Golf Links followed shortly. The USA Playstation saw PGA Tour Golf soon
after its release. The Nintendo now has its first golf game in the shape
of Saint Andrews. How does the very first 64-bit golf game fare? The menus
are crisp and very sharp but the game graphics are comparable to the quality of a good computer
golf game. They're good but the flora and greenery don't have anything 64-bit about them. They could have easily be done
on a 32-bit machine. What would I have expected in a 64-bit golf game? I suppose more background animation would have added
a lot more atmosphere, maybe a few glistening pine cones swaying to and fro on the trees or a scampering squirrel here and there to add some life to the backgrounds.
As it is, the graphics are standard and do not showcase the 64's power.
You can choose from four golfers who all have the same handicap when you start the game. The golfers'
portraits are plain but one particular golfer looks exactly like the player character in Castle Wolfenstein and Doom. As the game opens up,
you will see the ball on the tee and the rest of the course in front of you. On the right side, you'll have a general overview of the course with your golfer's
position and the position of the target blinking. You'll have to rely on this overview to plan your shots and the general direction that you'll be
hitting towards. A full range of irons and woods are available to you with the simple click
of a button.
There is complete control over your vantage point which you can pan and spin around. The golf player's animations are well defined
and human-like. He will move his iron around slowly and take a couple of practice small swings if
you don't do anything. When you hit the ball into the trees, the character will do a turn that looks
very much like human disappointment. When you hit an eagle, your golfer will do a little victory move.
This is where Saint Andrews shines, the players act so human that it is uncanny to look at. Motion
capture isn't just for tennis and fighting games anymore, it works beautifully for golf games as well. When
you hit your first ball, the view is impressive. A camera follows the flight of your
ball as it travels through the air. Its a cool gimmick but one that can get distracting especially if
you continually hit into bunker or into out of bounds territory. The first impression of the view however is great. The controls
make full use of the Nintendo thumbstick. To swing, you pull back on the stick and time the arc of the golfer's
motion. At its height, you release the stick and you'll know immediately if your attempt was good or not. The thumbstick also controls
the direction of your swing. An female announcer
exclaims 'Good Shot' if you did okay. She won't say anything if your swing was poor which spares both ego and pride. The control
will allow you to position your golfer for what you think is his best angle for the particular course or shot.
It won't be easy to get around to the green but when you do, its an exercise in frustration for the
Sunday golfer. Your putt has to be exact and razor precise. Practice and experience with the physics
of the game will help a lot but those who have little patience and who get angry easily should not
go further in the putting game. It will only drive you to a raging stupor.
When you attempt a putt, you will see a quick take of your ball as it passes by the hole. A
successful putt is not only satisfying, its an accomplishment. Golf fans will enjoy Saint Andrews
but there are comparable, if not better golf games on the PC.
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