Zzap
1st October 1988World Tour Golf
Polish up your spike-soled loafers, pull on your gaudy plus-fours and your Pringle sweater, and do all those other things that golfers do - there's just time for eighteen holes before you have to switch off the Amiga.
Over twelve of the world's most famous courses are available for your round, and when one has been chosen, the screen splits into an overhead view of the first hole on the left of the screen, and a view from behind and above the golfer on the right. In the upper right of the screen are displayed the course name, club selected, wind speed and direction, hole number, distance to green, and other useful information.
When you start to get the feeling that you know the position of every blade of grass, entering the game's editor mode allows the course to be completely redesigned, with the positions of trees, bunkers and water all open to change. A redesigned course can then be saved out to disk for future use.
GH
As Leaderboard is the undoubted king of the golf simulations - hence I wondered why Electronic Arts released World Tour Golf on the C64! - I wonder even more why they have now released this horrendous Amiga version!
The Swing meter is just a circular form of the Carvers' Hookometer, and the golfer's view of the course takes obvious inspiration from the Access game.
Graphically though, it's a lot worse, and only nearby trees are adequately defined. I can't pour enough contempt upon the ball movement... it's just so unrealistic! The most comic thing is the cries from the audience when you putt the ball...
Keep an eye out or US Gold's Leaderboard Birdie Double Pack instead!
ME
There are good, average, bad and utterly awful golf simulations and I'm afraid World Tour Golf fits into the last of tese categories. The 3D just isn't at all credible, and the game appears to be taking place on a large green carpet dotted with a few minuscule plastic trees.
I almost choked laughing when the ball flew off on the most horrifically jerky flight path imaginable. The control method is equally bad, requiring four hits of the mouse button before you even hit the ball!
One of the screen-shots on the package makes note of a 'typical hole' - well, this game certainly is one!
Verdict
Presentation 61%
Good on-screen appearance and in-depth instructions, but inferior control method. Changing most of the game's parameters isn't much fun either.
Graphics 29%
Generally poorly defined, and golfball movement is very unconvincing.
Sound 40%
A few samples, including a comical crowd sound.
Hookability 37%
Poor graphics and lack of realism are an immediate turn-off.
Lastability 36%
After a couple of games, there only exists a minimal level of interest for creating original courses.
Overall 20%
A poor golf simulation at a high price.