65 lines
3.6 KiB
Plaintext
65 lines
3.6 KiB
Plaintext
|
||
|
||
HOLE-IN-ONE MINIATURE GOLF
|
||
|
||
HOLE-IN-ONE MINIATURE GOLF is a four-player, mini-putt simulation from DigiTek
|
||
Software. This family-oriented program offers fine graphics and excellent
|
||
gameplay, two 18-hole courses, 2 levels of difficulty, foolproof mouse control,
|
||
and the DigiTek promise of additional course disks. The Atari ST version is the
|
||
basis of this review; at the time of this writing, IBM-PC, Amiga, and Apple IIgs
|
||
versions have also been released.
|
||
|
||
Although HOLE-IN-ONE is not nearly as graphically detailed as the
|
||
highly-acclaimed ZANY GOLF (Electronic Arts), it is certainly more like
|
||
real-life miniature golf. Each hole has a 3-shot overstroke limit, but you can
|
||
still complete the first 18 holes regardless of how many strokes you use. What's
|
||
more, the graphic displays of the holes, even the special-effects holes of
|
||
Course Two, are tied directly to the physics of play, rather than being
|
||
marginally related to elaborate, slow-mo animation routines. The creators of
|
||
ZANY GOLF exercised their programming talents; the programmers of HOLE-IN-ONE
|
||
created an wonderfully realistic game.
|
||
|
||
Course One features obstacles, sand and water hazards, and topographical
|
||
contours that cause the ball to roll weirdly. Each hole is seen from above in
|
||
its entirety, and each can be thought of as an individual pool table, especially
|
||
since you must pay close attention to angles and bounce vectors.
|
||
|
||
After making it through Course One at or under par, you'll be able to play
|
||
Course Two, which is spiced up with trick holes: There's more than one
|
||
labyrinth, a pinball machine, and a bizarre cityscape. Curved borders replace
|
||
the sharply-angled borders of Course One, and the marvelous Cave hole is
|
||
upside-down or inside-out or something. Par for these holes is naturally higher.
|
||
|
||
The ST graphics display consists of a single hole. A Menu bar above the hole
|
||
tells you its name, par, and how many shots you've taken. From the Project menu,
|
||
you can select Score, which tells you everything about the game up to that
|
||
point. Replay lets you rerun your last shot, and Retry lets you do the last shot
|
||
over. The Contour menu allows you to view a hole and its topograhical features
|
||
from different perspectives.
|
||
|
||
The mouse controls HOLE-IN-ONE, and it works perfectly. A click places the ball
|
||
on the tee; the white line that extends from the ball indicates direction and
|
||
the relative power behind a putt; a second click does the actual putting. Expert
|
||
Mode, when selected from the Options menu, eliminates the white line.
|
||
|
||
HOLE-IN-ONE is special in that it is family-oriented (families being the user
|
||
group most often neglected these days). Anyone can play it, and be entertained
|
||
without melting into a mass of neurotic, quivering goo. The game is a snap to
|
||
learn, the mouse works like a charm, and it's hard to imagine anyone becoming
|
||
bored.
|
||
|
||
The graphics are not great, at least not in the same sense as those of ZANY
|
||
GOLF, but they are very good and have not been slighted in a game where the
|
||
physics of play is the salient feature. HOLE-IN-ONE doesn't dazzle or distract
|
||
with color or animation. It entertains at a basic level, that of clean family
|
||
fun (a rare commodity), and it does so without resorting to car chases,
|
||
explosions, or bouncing hamburgers. Assuming sales warrant it -- which I hope
|
||
they do -- DigiTek plans to release additional course disks.
|
||
|
||
For once, the review blurbs on a game package are accurate. HOLE-IN-ONE
|
||
MINIATURE GOLF is a jewel glittering in the sand.
|
||
|
||
HOLE-IN-ONE MINIATURE GOLF is published and distributed by DigiTek Software.
|
||
|
||
*****DOWNLOADED FROM P-80 SYSTEMS (304) 744-2253
|
||
|