There have been a number of surprising portable golf games over the years. Tiger Woods has been EA's poster boy since they nabbed exclusive PGA Tour rights in 1999, and the on-the-go versions have been seriously hit or miss. The DS version is an obvious rush job, one that suffers from a number of nagging problems. It still manages to be highly enjoyable, but it does scream "wait until next year."
Borrowing almost everything from the home system version, "TWPGAT" allows players to customize their own golfer and take him into the Legends Tour. It's not quite a fully-fledged career mode, but the sheer variety offered here makes up for the lack of tour play. As is the norm, basic exhibition holes are available as is some expected multi-player gameplay.
On the course (you can select from 6), you'll be using the stylus to hit the ball. This totally unique system offers up not only a challenge, but also accuracy not available on any other console. "Swinging" the stylus in a U-shaped motion, you control your backswing and downswing. Power is determined according to where you started the swing. You can add a boost by rubbing the screen off to the right. It's much easier to get a powerful drive off in this version, but staying straight is much more difficult. Note that it can be brutal to hit accurately while bouncing around in a car.
It does have some other issues, notably a lack of consistency. There are times when you'll hit the meter at the peak and only get 80% power. For a sport that requires such precision, this is unacceptable and will lead to some shots in the drink. As time goes on, you will learn to be more careful, but whether it's the touch screen or the programming, at least one or two holes will give you trouble on a course.
Putting is an easier affair, especially if you have spent time with any of the recent home console versions. Simply use the D-pad (you can use the touch screen, but the D-pad is far more accurate) to aim according to the caddy tip and hit A. That's it. Even with the simplicity, it still has some issues. Those caddy tips are critical. There are far too many instances where they just aren't available. Had the greens been readable, it might not be an issue, but the graphics engine just isn't strong enough to show the flow of the greens properly.
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