Tiger tightens trophy grip
Cons: Graphics look spotty at times; no online play
As if being the world’s greatest golfer and having a Swedish supermodel wife weren’t enough, Tiger Woods tightens his grip on the trophy for best golf video game franchise with “Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07” for the Wii.
Any questions gamers have about the motion-sensing controls unique to Nintendo’s console are answered in a tutorial the first time the game starts. You simply swing the wireless Wii remote like a golf club, and after a few slices (or hooks, depending on your swing’s real tendencies), wannabe golf pros will hit their drives straight almost every time.
Drives are easiest, putting is slightly more difficult and chip shots are the biggest challenge - shortening your swing can be maddening. Sometimes the swing is glitchy and goes into the backswing when you don’t, but releasing the “B” button resets the swing to fix to that. It helps that gamers can take unlimited practice swings, which show how far the ball hypothetically would go.
Aiming is as simple as pointing at, grabbing and dragging a circle with an animated golf glove-clad hand.
Similarly, the game’s menus are stylish and easily navigable - buttons automatically scroll in the direction you flick the controller.
The Tiger Woods series remains ahead of the curve with its fantastic GameFace. Gamers can create a virtual version of themselves to an astonishing level of detail.
All the amusing made-up characters from past Tiger Woods games are rendered nicely, as well as pro golfers. All told, 35 golfers and more than 1,000 accessories are unlockable.
The 18 real and imaginary courses generally look good, but have eyesores: critters appear fake and trees sometimes are pixilated. However, the purposely sun-bleached, weathered look given to many of the courses provides the Wii version with a unique style.
Gamers can tee up in many ways: play a PGA Tour season or battle your buddies in 12 multiplayer or eight arcade games, build your abilities with mini-games such as SkillZone’s bull’s-eye target practice and Skills 18, where gamers hit the ball through colored rings.
Tiger Challenge is the game’s best mode. Gamers face characters in a variety of formats -- match play, one-ball – as well as skill tests to move ahead. A final showdown with Tiger awaits. It’s a great way to sample all that the game offers, with the difficultly ramping up gradually as you play.
The game’s drawbacks are few but nagging: on-screen hiccups, random frame-rate problems and squandered potential from lack of online play.
Still, “Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07” is one of the best games for the fledgling Wii. Hopefully, future versions will have the kinks worked out and will take advantage of the Wii’s forthcoming online capabilities.
“Tiger 07” is a must-have for golf fans, and anyone who has a Wii should consider adding it to their collection.