This is a pretty standard top down viewed golf video game.  It reminds me of an above average 8-bit golf title, like NES Open tournament Golf or something.  It’s available on Switch and PC, but reviewed on Switch here.

Play control is pretty standard, and if you’ve ever played a video golf game before, you’ll know what to expect here.  Pick a club by pressing up and down, and your direction by pressing left and right.  Swing by timing button presses on a meter for your strength and hook and slice if you don’t line it up right.  You can also adjust your top spin and back spin with the R control stick, so you really feel like you have a lot of control where the ball goes.  But it still takes a bit of practice.

There are four different 18 hole courses in all, and in order to unlock them, you have to place in a tournament.  But you can’t enter the tournaments until you have enough stars.  Earn stars by completing missions or practicing 9 or 18 holes.  When you complete any activity, you’ll earn experience points and then divvy them up to improve your accuracy, strength, and more.  Although I didn’t really notice much difference when I did that.  On the courses you also have to watch out for fantasy obstacles like turtles and warp holes, but you can turn them off in the options screen if you want a more traditional experience.

The problem that I had with this game is that it’s too darn hard, and there’s too much padding to artificially lengthen the game.  You have to get a bunch of stars for a tournament, and the missions are very challenging.  And then once you do have enough, the tournament is even harder!  I’d be perfectly happy with everything unlocked from the beginning, because there is already a lot here.  But because of the steep challenge and padding, I lost interest quicker.

Kid Factor:

Nothing violent or objectionable here.  Reading skill is needed for the text, and younger gamers may find it too difficult.  Golfinite is rated E for Everyone.

Tags: Game Reviews