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May 13, 2009 2:54 pm US/Central
Review: Mobile "Tiger Woods" On Par With Others
By Phil Stauskas
FORT WORTH (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
It's that time again, for the yearly editions of the various EA Sports video games to start landing on store shelves. First up is the newst version of "Tiger Woods PGA Tour," which is coming out on the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, PSP, Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii. As expected, the latest version ups the ante again with improved graphics, dynamic changes in the weather, the addition of the U.S. Open, mini-games and (in the case of the Wii) a totally new control scheme.
But it also costs anywhere from $30 to $60 depending on your system of choice.
Don't have the cash to drop on another installment in the "Tiger Woods" line? If you're an iPhone gamer, then you need not fear. EA has released a mobile version of the game, currently priced at just $9.99 in the iTunes App Store. Do you get all the features of the console versions? Well, no. But you do get a very impressive substitute for what is, relatively speaking, a bargain price.
That's not to say that the mobile version is low on features. There are seven 18-hole courses including St. Andrews and Pebble Beach. You can choose to play as one of five golfers including Vijay Singh, Natalie Gulbis and Tiger himself. And there is support for up to four players.
There is also the ability to create your own profile and design your own personalized golfer. The options are far more limited than what you would find on a console, but it's still a nice feature. And when you're ready, enter yourself into a full PGA Tour to see if you can hang with the big boys. It's very fleshed out, for a game on the iPhone.
The biggest appeal of the "Tiger Woods" titles, and almost all of the EA Sports video games, is the level of skill that is required. The franchise is built for avid golf fans. It's easy enough for any old couch caddy to pick up and start playing, but requires all the precision and strategy of an actual round of golf.
The mobile version of "Tiger Woods" is an accurate representation of this. The touch controls demand an extreme amount of precision, but nothing so exact that skill shots are too difficult to pull off. It's the perfect balance, considering you're playing on a cell phone.
As with almost every golfing video game, there is a slight learning curve. Don't be discouraged when you complete your first hole with a triple bogey, or worse. (I did.) Practice makes perfect. The game certainly gets easier as you push yourself through. Before long, you'll be finishing 18 holes well under par. And then, skill levels and option settings allow you to challenge yourself further.
Depsite the number of options, details, power bars, status bars, club choices… the screen does not feel cluttered. You can actually see your golfer, and more importantly, a clean view of the course. Granted, it's not the lush landscape you'll be seeing on the Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3, but for a game on the iPhone, I was extremely impressed.
And that's ultimately where this pocket-sized version of "Tiger Woods PGA Tour" stands. Comparisons to the console counterparts are inevitable, only because the franchise tends to excel in its genre. And I think many fans of the franchise, serious golf fans as they probably are, would probably be happy to pony up the bills for the full home game.
But for those gamers yearning to golf on the go, the iPhone version of "Tiger Woods PGA Tour" stands out as a fantastic representation of a respected sports franchise.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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