Author
Cody Sharp
Price: $4.99
Publisher: Gameloft
Let’s Golf 2 may be a Hot Shots Golf clone but who cares? It’s awesome. From the crystal clear graphics to the perfect golf course settings, this game is a sure bet to hold even the amateur video game golfer’s attention. The graphics in particular look absolutely outstanding on my iPhone 4 and better yet, show no noticeable slowdown despite the higher quality.
Gameloft’s newest golf game is incredibly full featured for its 5 dollar price point. You have the ability to play either as a single player or in a multiplayer setting. Within the multiplayer setting you have the option to play locally (through either Bluetooth or Wi Fi) or the more awesome ability to play online versus users across the world. In my testing, the online version worked just as smooth as the single player experience, though it was challenging to find people to play with. That is probably due to the game just being released but it is worth mentioning.
The single player mode includes 4 sub sections; Instant Play, Career, Challenge and Free Hole. Instant Play brings you right into the action. Simply tap the Instant Play button and the next time you tap the screen you’ll be on the green. Career mode is the most full featured of all the modes. It allows you to unlock different courses throughout the world (6 come with the game). Each one you unlock has several different unlocks as well. The end result is 5-10 hours (and likely much more) of play time to unlock all of the courses and medals you can win on each one. You will also be able to unlock clothing items, clubs and balls that will help you on your way. As you golf more, the character you use will gain ability as well. One unique aspect of the game is that you have the ability to use one of 8 characters within the game to play the Career mode. You can mix and match as your leisure.
The Challenge mode includes some standard golf outing shots that you will be tasked with completing. Thing like digging out of a sand trap and putting from 30 feet. Each of the different challenges has 5 different levels that get progressively more challenging. Winning a challenge means unlocking additional items you can use throughout your career. The final mode, Free Hole lets you play the game exactly as you would like. You can tell it exactly how many holes you want to play, what course you’d like to play, etc. It allows you to practice and at the same time, helps you earn achievements.
There is so much content to this game, it’s hard to believe it’s available for under $5. The music included within the game is standard golf game faire but if you want to use your own play list, feel free. The game has a built in audio player for doing just that. The controls are outstanding as well though they use the same method for hitting a ball that you have likely seen in hundreds of golf games before. The metered tap to start your swing, tap to determine power and tap once more for accuracy system is really a good fit for the iPhone. Let’s Golf fans will see enough new content for this game to be a must buy (especially if they have an iPhone 4 and want upgraded graphics). As for people that have never given this series a try, there’s no better time. Let’s Golf 2 is the best arcade golfing experience on the App Store – period.
Overall Value for it’s $4.99 price point
Overall: 5.0 out of 5.0 stars Graphics: 5.0 out of 5.0 stars Sound: 4.0 out of 5.0 stars Controls: 4.5 out of 5.0 stars