Switching the Shot Stick and the Shape Stick from the left to the right analog does not help at all. That is also the only thing you can change for the button configuration. The Xbox 360 controller is better for most every game, just not for Tiger. But as I said, when you get used to it, it feels just as easy.
If anything the game may be a little more challenging because the Shot Stick is more sensitive then on previous controllers. The slightly better ball physics of the Xbox 360 version also means the ball rolls, and stops, more.
Gaming on Xbox Live has never been as much fun as in Tiger 06. The online lobby system is pretty good. You won’t find anything that special but it is above par compared to the other 360 launch games.
The biggest setback in Tiger 06 is the lag and severe stuttering you will see during an Xbox Live match. Sometimes there is no lag at all, but most times you will see anywhere from dropped frames to jerky game play. This is a big disappointment and does not matter if only two players or a complete foursome are hitting the links.
Most of my complaints with Tiger 06 have nothing to do with the Xbox 360 version though.
This game severely needs an auto save feature. Every time you make a change or progress through the single player game you have to save. This involves selecting Yes, selecting the hard drive (or memory card) and then confirming that you indeed want to overwrite your save file. In short it goes like this: A, A, Up, A. That might look like a cheat code, but that is what you have to do every single time you save your game. It is painful, and quite frustrating.
Save mechanics in general need an overhaul in video games, and this is a prime example of how bad it can get.
I also find ‘My Skills’ out of place, found under ‘Game Face' in the main menu. But then ‘Game Face’ seems to be a catch-all for your single player settings. Renaming ‘Game Face’ to something like ‘Player Options’ might help with the confusion.
Article comments
1 - Aaman
EA is terrible with control design
I think Links is the best console golf game
The reduced courses makes one think they rushed the game out to meet the release date.
Well, EA roolz:(
2 - Matt Paprocki
Links was fantastic on the Xbox 1. I believe 2K has the rights to the series. It's a shame they haven't done anything with it. Tiger needs competiton.
3 - Ken Edwards
I know Microsoft Game Studios developed Links 2004, and I did not play it at all. I knew someone in college that worked on the PC version of that game for years. It is still a Microsoft IP, so I am not sure about 2K.
Most people (myself included) probably did not see Links 2004 on the radar because EA pushes Tiger so hard. Even though it is a well know franchise on the PC, I don't think it got the respect on the console. But I have played many versions of Links on the PC, great game indeed!
Oh and I had to add my beef about the instruction manual :)
4 - Ken Edwards
EA, rush a game? No way! Six courses seems too slim, considering what we have been used to for years.
On the other hand, the 360 version does have four new ones: Riviera Country Club, Pinehurst No. 2, Carnoustie, and Turnberry, Ailsa Course.
But do you think it would have taken too long to add St. Andrews or any of the other real courses to the 360 Tiger?
I think not. I think it is just EA cutting corners again because it knows it can.
As you say, it needs competition. But it has an exclusive license.
5 - Ken Edwards
This is utterly ridiculous. All the Achievement Points are online based! I have well over 100 birdies offline, but not achievement for that has been unlocked.
I just found out that all the games Achievement Points are earned online only. That is just plain dumb.
6 - Aaman
In Links 2004, you could match your offline play against online players, I think,
But, do you mean you get no kudos for offline play at all? That's dumb and rare to the point of singularity!
We must not let stupidity infect the Singularity!
7 - Ken Edwards
No No Aaman. Achievement Points are something every 360 title has. It is how you get your Gamerscore up. This just makes the Achievements in Tiger harder *shocked*
In your offline game, you still have trophy balls, and trophies for winning majors - all the standard kudos from Tiger games. But those do not get you any Achievement Points. Which is lame. Not everyone is playing Tiger online.
8 - Ken Edwards
Also you take your offline player online. So the better you do offline, the better your player will be online. This also is a problem as all the stupid Equipment Modifiers can artificially jack up your ability past what a player can actually achieve.
The other thing bad about online play is that players can play as Tiger Woods. Even if the player is bad, they can kill the ball and so end up winning because they are using Tiger and not their own created player.