ESPN Final Round Golf 2002

"A Very Fun Golf Game!"

I really like this golf game. Unfortunately if your reading this and looking to but this...good luck. It is hard to find new but used is pretty easy.

Final Round Golf 2002 is similar to Mario Golf on the GBC. The controls are very simplified using the tri-click method. There are 5 fantasy golf courses and 14 fantasy golfers that you can choose and some which don't unlock until you have played through the majority of the game. There is also multi-player capability. Up to four players can enter stroke play, and in match play it's one-on-one with a single friend. It's obvious that this game is for the casual gamer, because it is so easy to play. No, it is really easy. But that (in my opinion) isn't a bad thing. One thing to be mindful of is you have to MANUALLY save your data! Dont forget this after playing through 18 holes and unlocking the extra courses!

The putting interface is almost too easy as you can slam a ball into a cup 2 feet away at max power, when really it would over shoot the hole. It is a GBA game not a detailed in depth console or PC golf game. Some background trees and obstacles could have been done better but it still is good. The overhead map is nice and detailed. The 3D perspectives might not be everyone's bag but I think it is really decent. The golfers are done pretty well but not as detailed as say Tiger Woods on the GBA. There are also some neat effects that occur when you hit a ball perfectly.

The sound is really good. Catchy Japanese tunes, ambient noise like birds, rains, clapping from the crowd really bring home the experience.

In closing, this is a fun golf game for the GBA and looks 50 times better on the SP. Funny how games that were just ''ok'' now are so much better thanks to the new and much improved SP! The graphics are good, gameplay is fun, and the music is fitting. Is the game worth the original retail of $40? No, but I picked mine up for $11. Is that worth it? Uh.....YEA! I lucked out....I got a copy that had NEVER even been played. I bought when it launched originally then traded in later on.....dumb. If your a golf fan this is a good buy...so get it!

Gameplay: 10
Graphics: 9
Sound: 10
Options: 9
Replay: 10

Total: 10 (overall)

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 04/14/03, Updated 04/14/03