When people think of online computer gaming, fantasy quests and war-torn shooter sprees more than likely come to mind first, not a casual round of golf. Maybe that’s why Pangya, a cartoony, arcadey online golf game, has been so popular all over the world because it is so different. Pangya Season 4 has just been released in the US, so if you and your family haven’t tried Pangya before, now might be a good time.

Pangya plays like many other causal arcade style golf games. Use a three-click meter to determine the strength and accuracy of your shots, and selecting clubs is as easy as turning the mouse roller button. Play control is simple to figure out, and there is an extensive tutorial mode if you’re not familiar with golf games at all. Buy one-time-use items to take with you for online matches to give your character an edge with temporary power shots and other enhancements.

Downloading Pangya is free, and you can earn points by playing well to buy items, characters, outfits, and equipment for your golfers. But you have to play LOTS and LOTS of golf games to earn enough points for all the cool stuff. You can also use a credit card to buy points so you can get the neat stuff faster. That’s how they make their money, I suppose.

Pangya: Season 4’s new additions include a Self Design Feature that lets you customize every part of your character’s outfit. You can keep items in a safe, so hackers can’t steal them, and you can give items as gifts to your online friends. Other new things include a different character, more items, and other options.

With more than a dozen golf courses and tons of online matches, Pangya has plenty of replay value. Players who enjoy whimsical, colorful, arcade-style golf games on the home console systems will feel right at home with Panya, and it’s a highly recommended online PC game to try.

Kid Factor:
Pangya isn’t rated by the ESRB, but I would say it would be a safe E for Everyone. Kids will love the simple gameplay and cute anime cartoon style graphics as well as the whimsical, imaginative, and colorful courses. The helpful tutorials teach all the basics of golf in an easy to understand manner, but reading skill is required for the text. Pangya is non-violent, as matches are presented as friendly competitions. There are some mild suggestive themes with some of the female players’ and caddies’ outfits, but it’s mostly harmless. As with other online PC games, adult supervision is ALWAYS highly recommended. Kids can play offline in Family Mode, though, where each player takes turns on a single PC. So when your kids want to try an online PC game, suggest they try the (potentially) free Pangya. It appeals to both boys and girls and players of all ages. Heck, some of my younger teenage brothers, who mostly play more mature online games like World of Warcraft and Call of Duty, they have really gotten into Pangya as well!

Tags: Game Reviews