Avatar Golf | Xbox LIVE Arcade | Arcade | September 3rd, 2009

Avatar Golf is an indie arcade title released by Barkers Crest Studio and a sequel of sorts to Easy Golf: Course Architect which released last year. If you didn’t notice, the new release this year includes the integrated use of Xbox Live’s Avatars. Easy Golf: Course Architect is available on the Marketplace for 400 MS points if you want to check out what was previously released to inspire this new title. Avatar Golf is priced at 400 MS points and we’ll be taking a look at what makes Avatar Golf tick.

There are two gameplay mechanics behind Avatar Golf; designing golf courses and playing the sport itself. For those looking for something close in the vein of Hot Shots Golf on the Playstation for the Xbox, Avatar Golf just might be your ticket. To start, the game uses an easy three click system that uses everything you’d expect from an Arcade golf game. A blue bar measures the strength of your shots as well as using another button to change you club. You can also put a top spin or a back spin on the ball using the right analog stick to give the ball more torque.  Ball physics are as accurate as it gets for the arcade. The ball reacts more realistically to hills and wind factors. There are plenty of options included to make your round of golf a much more satisfying experience.

 

There are unfortunately no achievements to be had considering the game is an Indie title; however, you do unlock titles within the game. There aren’t any power-ups or level ups for your skill level and your clubs. No upgrades are available to make your experience more interesting which is something that is usually standard these days. There are six 18 hole courses available in the game with different difficulties to give you a challenge. The overall play style of the game is much more casual so anyone looking for a hardcore golf experience should probably head towards the Tiger Woods series.

With the customization of the game, you can design your own courses and add more replayability to the game.  There are many options to work with and many environmental elements. You can add everything from rain, snow or sunshine too tress, boulders and dirt traps. There are some very creative courses out there, so don’t be afraid to let loose and get that imagination running. You can create all sorts of terrain elements like bumping up the terrain making hills and mountains. It’s a great feature that implies creativity even though it’s a really basic level.

 

The inclusion of Avatars in the game, make the gameplay a little more interesting and personal. If your Avatar has any prop’s it won’t show up during gameplay like Jedi lightsabers or Halo warthog remote control cars. Only the likeness of your Avatar will bear his or her current outfit to your round. There is obviously the option of fitting your Avatar in golf gear just to make it a little realistic. There are certain triggered Avatar expressions based on the outcome of your hole outside of that. There are also statistics keeping track of your putts showing how many hole-in-ones you have as well as birdies and pars….etc.

Taking the game online allows you to set up matches either locally or online. You can join matches while one is currently in play if you are looking for a quick game. You can still create your own match and wait for players to join your lobby as well, so it’s not completely based on one item of matchmaking. There is also an option for “Quick Match” which quickly gets you into any game open to another player. However, you are at your own risk determining what hole they are on. The online play supports up to 8 players and even nicely supports user created content. 

 

The framerate in Avatar Golf holds up well and everything runs smoothly. The camera is customizable and able to move where ever you need it. The overall course designs are nicely constructed with many different backgrounds to choose from. The Avatars integrated from Xbox Live are nicely done and don’t’ hinder too much on the game itself. The game contains its own background music but that can get tiring after a while, so thankfully the game supports custom soundtracks.

What I found entertaining about Avatar Golf was that there was finally something to do with my Avatar. While there is one supported Microsoft game for Avatar there wasn’t anything else you could do with them. Thanks to Barkers Crest Studio we now have a game that supports our Avatars and allows us to play golf! While it’s definitely no Hot Shots Golf, with a few tweaks it could easily be brought up to speed on that caliber. Avatar Golf is a good first step into arcade golf gaming and should fill any casual gamers’ stomachs.

At the price point of 400 MS points, Avatar Golf is a great deal for anyone looking to play a round of golf with you and your friends. With the game supporting 1-8 players both online and off, co-op gaming just got interesting. Don’t go into this game expecting the next Tiger Woods, but go into this experience expecting new arcade golf everyone can enjoy. Avatar Golf is a great value at 5 bucks on Xbox Live Arcade.