Games for Lunch: We Love Golf!

In a nutshell: Mario Golf ... minus the Mario ... plus the Wii Remote.
1/27/2009 5:51 PM | 0 Comments | Page 1 of 3

Developer: Camelot
Publisher: Capcom
Release Date: July 15, 2008
System: Wii
ESRB Rating: E10+
Official Web site

0:00 I don't really love golf in real life, but I did love Camelot's Mario Golf on the Nintendo 64, so I'm looking forward to this one quite a bit.

0:01 The chorus of chipper voices screaming "WE LOVE GOLF!" on the preview screen is almost worth the price of admission all on its own. What a way to start the morning.

0:02 No cut scene intro, just a title screen with the logo and the same chipper voices screaming at me about their love for golf. They need to up their meds. Seriously.

0:03 The brightly colored menu buttons make tones when I pass over them. Everyone is smiling and determined. Man, this is a happy game!

0:04 I can choose my player from Meg, Leo, Annie and Jack. Each looks no older than 14, and has a vibrant animated pose to go with their something. I go with Meg, who's very cute in her white skirt, orange shirt and white visor. Her stats? Who cares!

0:05 I think I'd better start with training before diving into a tournament. There are three courses, including the excellently named Sweet Candy Putting Forest. Let's start at the Highland Leaf Country Club, though.

0:08 Swinging is an exercise in frustration. Aiming is easy enough: Just point at the screen and hold A, and the target moves where you want. "Point me down!" the Remote screams. I do, and all hell breaks loose. The backswing doesn't go far enough unless I let go with my front hand and reach all the way back. Then I try to "time your follow-through," but it always ends up "early." I feel like I'm swinging perfectly along with the on-screen club head ... What am I doing wrong?

0:12 OK, I think I got it now. On the backswing problem, I have to twist my wrists to send the Remote past vertical. On the front swing, I need to swing only when the club head reaches the bottom instead of while the club head is moving down the gauge. I'm still a little early but I get a nice 213.86-yard drive out of it. Whoo!

0:13 "Start your backswing. Stop! Swing!" the Remote says in time, helping my timing immensely. On the green now, I line up my putt, get the right power, perfect timing, and it's IN the hole! Wow ... I made a birdie? On my first try? Awesome! Let's move on to the tournament.

0:17 Another birdie this time, doing the exact same thing on the exact same hole as the practice. "Ya ha! No problem!" Meg cheers in her chipper voice. I really like how the power meter shows how your shot will fly and bounce before you swing. It takes some of the guesswork out of the targeting system ... makes it easy to visualize what's about to happen.

0:18 I'm lucky the fairways are nice and wide, because I keep being slightly late or early on my drives, which curves the shots quite a bit.

0:20 Drive, approach, putt, and another birdie. My closest competitor is at one over par, while I'm at two under. What can I say ... I'm a natural...