Swingerz Golf (GameCube)

GameSpot editors' review

• CNET editors' rating: 3.0 stars Good
  Detailed editors' rating
  Overall score: 6.5 (3.0 stars)

• Reviewed by:
  Ryan Davis
• Reviewed on: 11/06/2002
• Released on: 10/23/2002
• Originally published on GameSpot: Swingerz Golf (GameCube) Review

Sony's Hot Shots Golf series has unquestionably been a singular force in the field of console golf games since its inception. Hot Shots' polished, anime-influenced style and intuitive gameplay have garnered the series a small legion of fans and made console golf games generally more accessible. Filling the void of arcade-style golf games on the GameCube is Swingerz Golf, a game released under the Eidos Fresh Games label that is inspired heavily by Hot Shots Golf. It doesn't quite live up to the quality of the Hot Shots series, but players looking for an arcade-style golf game with a low learning curve may have some fun with Swingerz Golf anyway.

The overall look and feel of the game are highly reminiscent of Hot Shots Golf, but Swingerz abandons the digital three-click swing in favor of a newfangled analog swing system, which uses a down-and-up motion on the C stick to determine the strength and accuracy of your shot. You are also aided by a swing meter at the bottom of the screen, which makes it easier to govern the power of your swing. Putting is handled similarly, though a grid is placed over the green to give you a better feel for the contours of the turf. During your first few times off the tee you may find that the analog control can be very touchy, and too much lateral motion on the C stick during your swing can completely botch a shot. But as you progress through the different gameplay modes in Swingerz, you'll earn better gear, such as precision clubs and longer driving balls, which ultimately make the analog swing system more forgiving.

The different modes of play available in Swingerz Golf are slightly less robust than what we've come to expect from a console golf game. The standard stroke and match play modes are present and accounted for, and there's a small collection of minigames included as well. There's a near-pin contest, which, oddly, cannot be played against AI opponents. The fighting-game-styled survival mode tests how many holes you can beat the computer at consecutively. The mission mode consists of a series of skill-based challenges, like getting the ball within 3 feet of the hole or driving the ball into a specified area on the course, and these challenges prove to be an excellent way to sharpen your skills, as they tend to focus on certain core competencies.

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