innovation to the game of golf when it introduced the analog stick swing
mechanics. Shots were measured by how much the left analog stick was pushed.
By pushing the stick back, players could physically gauge how much power is
put into each shot. This made for a whole new ball game of trials to overcome.
The series was already difficult – now we had to play with refined analog
skills.
Tiger Woods
PGA Tour 06 throws another challenge our way via the right analog stick.
Double swings? Maybe in the 2020 edition in which humans find a way to grow
four arms. In Tiger Woods 06 the second analog stick is used to determine the
shot’s trajectory. No clicking and releasing, you must hold the right analog
stick into place and push the left stick at the same time!
This poses a new level of
sensitivity to gamers. Few titles use both analog sticks. Most of the ones
that do are first-person shooters. It’s a strange feeling having to manipulate
both sticks in different ways. Once the technique is mastered (after days of
playing) it becomes your best friend. Never again will you want to go back to
playing yesterday’s golf games.
Putting has been improved
with better controls and a superior grid system. Taking a cue from Mario Golf
(or whatever game Mario Golf took its cue from), the grid covers the area to
indicate hole distance and the unevenness of the terrain. Tiny beads run
across the grid, moving in the direction that the terrain is angled. The
faster the beads move, the faster the ball will roll. This sounds like it made
the game a lot more challenging, but it works to improve your ability to
score. Measuring the amount force that’s needed behind each swing, whether
putting or not – that’s where you’re going to spend the most time practicing.
Push too much or too little, or push slightly in the wrong direction and the
move will not be completed as planned. Reading the grid is the easy part.
The camera system works
but is still imperfect. You can change angles, going from an angled view
that’s slightly above the golfer to a view that places the camera down on the
course. Want to get a closer look at the hole? That can be zoomed in on as
well. You cannot, however, pan around and over the hole for player-initiated
views.
EA typically saves its
comedic features for their BIG Sports titles, but the create-a-player mode has
a few subtle elements that’ll earn some chuckles. The starting player is
realistically proportioned. Increase the size of one feature and the
proportions start to fall apart. Increasing the size of a player’s lips, for
example, without changing the head size makes the player look funny. If you
increase the head you gotta increase the body and it goes on from there. Beer
guts, big butts, big ears, wide hips – you can mess up the player’s appearance
without messing up his or her performance. Or attempt to birth something
attractive. That isn’t too easy to do in this game.
There are a number of
reasons to like and dislike the graphics. On one hand you can’t deny how
realistic the golfers look. Their facial features are really close to matching
the pros. The create-a-player feature doesn’t allow for that same kind of
realism, but it’s still impressive.
On the other hand it’s
hard to praise the backgrounds when they’re somewhat of a mixed bag. From afar
the courses (can, but don’t always) look great. The water texture is unreal.
Get a little closer and the pretty picture starts to deteriorate. Knock the
ball in the water and the splash reveals that the scenery is flat. Hit a patch
of trees and you’ll start to see grain. Not a lot, but any amount is
damaging.
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 06
is a stellar golf game with great features and a ton of replay value. It isn’t
100% better than the previous editions, however, the new gameplay mechanics
definitely push it over the top. Definitely a must-play, and a must-buy for
the most diehard gamers. To those who prefer action/arcade-type games like
Mario Golf – I encourage you to play Tiger Woods 06 as well. This is more of a
simulator, but it keeps moving (as long as you do!).
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Gameplay: 8.5
Great simulation
golfing that doesn’t take the sport too seriously. The rules are strict, the
courses are tough, and the gameplay is fierce, but that doesn’t mean the game
doesn’t know how to cut loose every now and then. Homemade golfers have a
number of different cheers and success animations that’ll taunt your opponents
as much as it makes them laugh.
Graphics: 8
Tiger Woods PGA
Tour 06 never fails to shine, but there aren’t any huge visual improvements
that make this version look better than the rest. The backgrounds still can’t
compare to Madden, FIFA, or NHL 06.
Sound: 7
Not enough
licensed music. The game is fairly quiet, which was likely intended to provide
the same sense of serenity that comes with playing the game for real.
Difficulty: Medium
The courses are
no more daring, but the dual stick controls will give your thumbs a new goal
to reach.
Concept: 8.5
The game’s
excellent use of both analog sticks gives Tiger Woods PGA Tour 06 the edge.
Multiplayer: 8.3
Golf is a
turn-based sport, all but guaranteeing that multiplayer games will take a
while to finish. If you’ve got the time and patience Tiger Woods 06 is a
blast.
Overall: 8.5
Not quite a
must-buy, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 06 is another attempt to reinvent golf video
games. The innovative dual stick controls pose a new challenge for masters of
Tiger Woods 05. Those who haven’t played the previous games will be awestruck
by how much depth the game has, and how much it takes to get the hang of each
function.
