Hot Shots Golf 2

"It's in the hole!!"

Gameplay 10/10
If you like golf games, you will absolutely love this one! There are lots of characters to choose from and many play options. You start out with a limited few to play with against the computer. Each time you win a round, you get to use the defeated opponents character. At the end you even get to use a weird lizard guy. There are multi-player options, 9 or 18 hole games, closest to the pin and long drive competitions and even pro tours! As you progress through the tours you receive championship trophies, new wallpaper, cadies, announcers, camera angles, new balls and golf clubs. There are many ways to manipulate your characters golf swing, which is why this game is so great.

Sound 9/10
The music is fairly enjoyable, but the best part about the sound is the effects and the announcers. Each time you make your put the announcer will say something (based on their attitude) about your performance. A bogie will result in a fairly negative remark and birdies, eagles and the ultra rare hole in one will get you some nice feedback from the announcer. The courses are nice and quiet (the way they should be) unless you turn on the background music yourself. If you nail a drive perfectly you will even hear the crowd cheer for you. You can clearly hear the sound of the ball getting hit and the clubs swinging. When the ball lands in the water or a sand trap, you hear their distinctive noises as well. This game has great audio.

Graphics 10/10
One word describes the graphics: WOW! Every course is beautifully done in great detail. I really like the characters' reactions to their performance after the ball is putted in. Some characters do a back flip while others simply fold their arms in disgust. My favorite one is the ''pounding fists on the ground'' for doing bad on a hole. If you were to compare all previous golf games to this one, they wouldn't even compare. The NES golf is horrible compared to a gem like Hot Shots 2.

Replay 9/10
It's a lot of fun going through all the VS characters for the wallpapers, but at a certain point it gets very difficult to defeat your opponent. You will have to birdie or even eagle the hole to keep up with him/her. It's about the same when you get into the harder pro tours. This game is best played against another player because the computer does get boring. I love playing this game with friends and especially the 9 hole competitions. This game is very fun and you will not let too much dust collect on it if you like playing with friends.

Controls 10/10
The controls are absolutely amazing. You can change your camera angles, view instant replays, control the power and accuracy of your club swing and even the spin of the ball as you strike it. If your swing is off, you may miss the ball completely or drive it out of bounds or into a trap. If your swing is on the money, you can get great distance and if you're lucky a hole in one!

Overall 10/10
I must say that this is the best example of a fine golf game. Nothing competes with the graphics, sound effects and controls. It's fun to play alone and especially with friends to compete against in VS mode. If you own a Playstation you should run out and buy this game now! It's endless fun and well worth the money.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 04/06/03, Updated 04/06/03