Super Swing Golf

"Barely meets par"

Burned out already by playing the same nine holes of golf over and over to death in Wii Sports? Have no fear, links fans, as Tecmo has come to the rescue with the Wii's first standalone, fully-featured golf game, Super Swing Golf (SSG).

Despite having a rather generic name that only implies enhanced Wii Remote functionality, SSG goes for more of a slightly-arcade/fantasy type feel, and like Hot Shots Golf. SSG places inspiring players in the fantasy world known as Pangya Island. Pangya Island consists mostly of tropical settings and a lot of the courses have all types of water hazards and other obstacles in the way of the green.

Now a lot of you are probably wondering how SSG controls in comparison to the golf in Wii Sports. There are some similarities, but a few vital differences that set the two control schemes apart big time. To pull off a swing in SSG, do the full swing motion as usual, and as you build up your backswing, you'll see a power meter fill up onscreen indicating how much strength is being put into the shot, when the apex of your backswing is reached, press and hold the A button as you come down with your backswing. To hook and slice shots, just come down with your backswing curving slightly to the left or right. As you can tell, it is a little more complex than the simple swing motions required to play in Wii Sports.

For the first half hour I hated playing like this and was mistiming a lot of shots. However, I quickly adapted to it and while it is still considerably tough to master this scheme (I still find myself hitting water hazards and going out of bounds a little too often), I grew much more comfortable with it. Putting can also be a pain, as SSG doesn't understand the concept of a “tap-in”, where you can automatically sink a put if your ball lies under a yard from the hole. I already had a few mind-numbing instances where the ball was under a yard away and I hit it at the full suggested power and I still came short of sinking a putt.

It is worth noting that Tecmo added in a traditional button control scheme (which I prefer more for putting), and while that is nice, I recommend at least giving the motion-sensing controls of the Wii Remote a try. One other gripe I have is that for a game trying to go for an arcade-feel, SSG is paced too slow for its own good. Why do I have to watch the CPU shoot every time? There isn't even an option to fast forward through their shots.

There are a few ways to play SSG. The main single player mode is called Pangya Festa. It is disappointing there are no create-a-player options for this. The story isn't all that captivating, before facing off against each CPU opponent in match play, there are little cut-scenes where your character and the rival engage in banter that maybe a 10-year old would find amusing. Keep defeating these rivals in order to unlock more courses and clothes to customize your character with.

Other ways to play SSG are the standard match and stroke play options found in nearly all golf games. Those two modes can be played either against the CPU or up to four players. There is also one bonus mini-game called Balloon Pop, where players try to bust as many balloons within a time limit. A few more mini-games and other multiplayer options would have been cool, what here does suffice but I just get the feeling of wanting more out of this game.

Graphically, SSG has some nice tropical settings which are flushed out with many, many beaches and palm trees and other luscious island-life. The characters all have that over-the-top anime look to them. The highlight of the graphics is the special effects for specialty shots that add a wealth of explosions that follow them. While the graphics are totally serviceable and well designed, they are extremely outdated. I think this would have been a great looking game for an early PS2 title. It's too bad Tecmo didn't do a lot to spruce up the visuals for the Wii.

I got mixed feelings as far as the audio goes for SSG. I do like the happy-go-lucky background music which is very fitting for gameplay. However, I am puzzled as to why Tecmo didn't take the time to add voice acting to the brief cut-scenes between each stage. The story itself is pretty quirky with over-the-top characters, I would have loved to hear how their voices matched up to their personalities.

If you are looking for a deeper golf experience on the Wii, Super Swing Golf may be up your alley, though I recommend you try before you buy. There is a fairly deep single player mode, and a lot more courses and personality to this game. However, Tecmo is just a few steps away from nailing the Wii-Remote controls, and a character-creator and a few more multiplayer modes could have benefited this game greatly. Let's keep our fingers crossed for a sequel.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 01/22/07