Electronic Arts have made quite a name for themselves with their Tiger Woods series on consoles in recent years. The popularity of the series stems from the fact that the game does not use the tired old golf game mechanic of pressing a button to stop a slider on a power meter. Instead, players use the analogue stick of their PS2 or Xbox for total control over the swing and backswing, and are able to pull the ball left or fade it right.

Now EA brings Tiger Woods PGA Tour to the Nintendo DS ... more >>

Electronic Arts have made quite a name for themselves with their Tiger Woods series on consoles in recent years. The popularity of the series stems from the fact that the game does not use the tired old golf game mechanic of pressing a button to stop a slider on a power meter. Instead, players use the analogue stick of their PS2 or Xbox for total control over the swing and backswing, and are able to pull the ball left or fade it right.

Now EA brings Tiger Woods PGA Tour to the Nintendo DS for launch. And if anything, the new console brings the game a step forward again in terms of intuitive golfing fun. Now a fixed analogue stick seems positively restrictive in comparison to a DS stylus. In the same way as on the home consoles, the handheld allows total control over the accuracy and power of your golf swing. And as on the consoles, the game revolves chiefly around the Tour Mode. Legend Tour, as it is called, puts you in the tasselled shoes of a total golfing amateur. Choosing from a real-life pro, or a fully customisable sportsman of your own creation, the player must compete in dozens of challenges at three skill levels: Rookie, Pro and Legend. The game starts you right at the bottom, rated zero for each of the nine skill categories, but you’ll soon begin to improve as cash that you accumulate can be spent on upgrading your abilities. And you don’t just get cash for winning – any good shot you manage will be rewarded with a bit of money. If improving your skills isn’t enough incentive to keep you touring, the unlockable characters might be. As well as our hero Tiger, other stars such as Jack Nicklaus, Vijay Singh and Arnold Palmer will be unlocked as you proceed. It’s not just players but courses that are unlockable. Though you start with just Pebble Beach and St. Andrews, keep playing and you’ll soon also have access to Emerald Dragon in Japan, Kapalua on Hawaii and Sawgrass in Florida, and more besides.

It wouldn’t be a DS game though, if it didn’t show the same commitment to link-up play that so many of the release titles show. Tiger Woods PGA Tour is no slacker here either. You can play against up three other friends and, being a DS, there’ll be no troublesome wires to spoil the fun. Not only have EA brought their best-selling golf game to DS rather ably, the stylus swing system means they may even have improved upon it. << less