Nintendo Touch Golf: Birdie Challenge

[Stocka]

This is looking better and better, if you look at it now compared to back at E3 is really has come a long way.

And like the title suggests, Nintendo Touch Golf: Birdie Challenge is to be the european name for the game, with a release date of 18 November.

http://www.jeux-france.com/Webmasters/Images/42331020050614_163348_10_big.jpg http://www.jeux-france.com/Webmasters/Images/42331020050614_163348_5_big.jpg
http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/game/docs/20051005/ndc05.jpg

[Stefkov]

looks great i might pick it up, if i have money

[1upking]

has to be better than tiger woods - that was just awful

[Owen]

I'm guessing you use the touch-screen to swing your club? If so, i'll be buying!

:smile:

[MikeMania]

tiger woods was just yor typical "first generation game" It was decent in using the touchscreen and stuff... you can see the development teams get familiar with the DS with Fifa 06.

from the 3rd screen, it seems you will drag the driver to hit the ball?

graphics look nice, but character is a bit blocky.

[Triple_C]

I'm definately getting this :D

[antster1983]

Better be careful with this - if I get it, my dad'll want to play it, and he probably won't give it back :) LOL

[Triple_C]

thats what happened with mario golf on the 64........

[DS MaNiAc]

has to be better than tiger woods - that was just awful

Tiger Woods was great!

[Triple_C]

what?! Tiger woods is terrible!!!!!

[DS MaNiAc]

I really enjoyed it actually, I spent hours and hours playing it. I really liked it.

[Triple_C]

Well, some of my friends like it, but, I can't stand it.

[DS MaNiAc]

What a shame. I love it.

[Triple_C]

I like the Mario Golf games, do you?

[DS MaNiAc]

They are ok....best in multiplayer

[Triple_C]

yeah probably. I used to love playing it with friends.

[Hero-of-Time]

Mario Golf series is brilliant. Its the simplicity that makes the game and its so relaxing to play even when you play against mates.

[Triple_C]

I know, its not as competitive and the music is cool.

[|Laguna|]

Aye, that's wha's so appealing about the Mario sports games. Thry make even the most complex sports into a pick up and play system that anyone can play yet there is a lot of depth. Mario Tennis (64) is a prime example of this.
I thought they somewhat moved shallowed the depth (?) this gen by adding in little gizmo's like the power shot in Tennis and the ole 2 racers in Double Dash. But it looks like they've learnt their lesson in making MK DS a pure racer and Mario Baseball (yes, I know it was developed by Namco but i think nintendo oversee it) making the game easy for us English to play from the off but also providing depth then adding just a pinch of Nintendoness (e.g Nintendo courts, Chain chomps on the pitc etc) and no annoying game distracing gimmicks.

[Retro_Link]

Aye, that's wha's so appealing about the Mario sports games. Thry make even the most complex sports into a pick up and play system that anyone can play yet there is a lot of depth. Mario Tennis (64) is a prime example of this.
I thought they somewhat moved shallowed the depth (?) this gen by adding in little gizmo's like the power shot in Tennis and the ole 2 racers in Double Dash. But it looks like they've learnt their lesson in making MK DS a pure racer and Mario Baseball
Yeah, Mario Tennis (64) is a fantastic game!

I think the problem Nintendo had with Mario Kart on the GC was that they had run out of ideas for it and so they really needed some way to take the series in a new direction.
However, as with Mario Kart DS i think Mario Kart on the Revolution will return to single kart racers because the feature they can include in the Rev version (and therefor not have to worry about where to take the series) is online!

[Triple_C]

i don't know where nintendo failed in DD but it was terrible

[Stefkov]

i was just playing DD before and it lacked something then i played SC and it was great, there was something like, Triple_C said, missing

[Ninty 182]

I liked DD, the only thing wrong with it was that it was too easy. Oh and the Multiplayer courses were a bit crap

[monkeyDluffy]

http://www.nintendo-europe.com/NOE/en/GB/games/coming_soon.jsp

on the nintendo Uk site the coming soon games section has a new release date of the 25th November or mario kart day.

[Kurtle Squad]

DD isn't terrible Triple C. It's just not what people expected. I actually really like the game against mates. It took me a while to get into the game though, I forced myself to play it so I'd like it more. Now I'm good at the skid system, it's great.

I'm keeping my eye on Pac-Man World Rally too. Looks okay at the moment. Hopefully it wont end up a complete flop.

I wish they'd port the arcade Mario Kart to Cube or something!!

[Stocka]

http://www.nintendo-europe.com/NOE/en/GB/games/coming_soon.jsp

on the nintendo Uk site the coming soon games section has a new release date of the 25th November or mario kart day.
NO WAY! If thats true Nintendo are absolute FOOLS. Why don't they keep it as it is(18th) otherwise it will be Mario Kart DS,Sonic Rush, Kirby and Touch golf all out one day. Nintendo need to learn how to space out their games, not cram all into one day like they always do.

[monkeyDluffy]

tony hawk the week before as well!

[Stocka]

Famitsu have rated it 30/40. (75%)

[bencallis]

Famitsu have rated it 30/40. (75%)


:hmm: Meh , suppose good score sorta was hping more as was gonna pick this up . What did they rate tiger woods?

[Owen]

NO WAY! If thats true Nintendo are absolute FOOLS. Why don't they keep it as it is(18th) otherwise it will be Mario Kart DS,Sonic Rush, Kirby and Touch golf all out one day. Nintendo need to learn how to space out their games, not cram all into one day like they always do.

I agree, they have crammed so much in on November 25th that one of the game sales is going to be effected badly...

Talk about stupid, you wait for a ' Official Nintendo' DS game to come out and all of three come out on the same day! that would mean you would need £90 to buy the games (if you bought them from Gamestation of course, you can get them cheaper on the net) and another £25-£30 for the USB access point!

The only reason it would make sense to release this on 25/11/05 is if it's online compatible??

I haven't heard hardly anything about the game to be honest, i wanted it for Xmas but i bet it will be delayed to Q1 2006!

:hmm:

[Stocka]

Anyone got it? Impressions?

[Hero-of-Time]

Anyone got it? Impressions?

I went to pick it up at my local game store today but they didnt have it in stock. It seems that this release is pretty low key. I dont know whether to take that as a bad sign or what.

[Stocka]

Nintendo should of never released Kirby and this the same day as Mario Kart.

[Hero-of-Time]

Yeah I said that as soon as they announced the dates. Why hold something like Kirby back and then release it on the same day as the DS killer ap? Guys at Nintendo Europe want shot for such a stupid move.

[Twilight]

I saw it when I went to pick up Mario Kart earlier today and I live in Finland so I quess it´s not that hard to find.

At least it has pretty cool boxart! :kiss:

[khilafah]

gonna pick this up on monday when i get paid! hopefully someone will have it by then so they can give impressions

[Flaight]

To be fair though, we usually complain at Nintendo (in europe at least) for spacing out their games so much. Now they cram it all in a day. In a weird sort of way I'm enjoying feeling spoilt by Nintendo, that doesn't happen very often (if ever) :)

Still, I agree they could've at least spaced them out by several days. I saw touch golf in GAME store on oxford street. Didn't buy it as I bought MKDS, but I'll definitely buy it later. I usually don't buy 2 games on a same day as I'd spend the day messing with just 1 game anyway.

[Twilight]

To be fair though, we usually complain at Nintendo (in europe at least) for spacing out their games so much. Now they cram it all in a day. In a weird sort of way I'm enjoying feeling spoilt by Nintendo, that doesn't happen very often (if ever) :)

Well, look at next March: Animal Crossing, Tales of Phantasia, Phoenix Wright, Trauma Center, Brain Training, Harvest Moon, etc...

And in February, nothing (we don´t know dates for RE: DS and FFIV which are both listed as Q1 titles, though.)

[Stocka]

Well, look at next March: Animal Crossing, Tales of Phantasia, Phoenix Wright, Trauma Center, Brain Training, Harvest Moon, etc...

And in February, nothing (we don´t know dates for RE: DS and FFIV which are both listed as Q1 titles, though.)

Ah well, we get Viewtiful Joe Feb.

[Flaight]

Yeah I take your point Twilight.

I guess Nintendo decided that DS is at a point of its life span where they need games fast. If there were lots of games out already, then new releases would get burried in the crowded shelves and releasing too many in the same month would obscure each other.

But DS isn't like that yet. There are only dozen games in a store. A friend of mine the other day said to me looking at DS section in HMV, "What, are these the only games out for DS?". His kind wouldn't care if games come out nicely spaced out. Those who are already interested would most likely know roughly what they want, and in what order. Those who weren't interested in the first place wouldn't bother anyway. Only aggressive advertising can change that.

Then DS will benefit from having a wider range of games sooner than later. At this point of DS's life span I don't see this as a bad thing. It just looks bad on paper, but in stores it might work. It's a fair gamble at any rate. An average buyer knows very little about all these finer details we go into in these forums. I think we are sometimes victims of information-flooding and we end up overanalysing the logic behind what is ultimately an inexact science.

Maybe.

(like me, I'm planning to get touch golf next weekend. This is a Mario Kart week and I'm set on that, regardless of when they came out ;) )

[Goron_3]

My mate just got this game and he said that it's way better than Tiger Woods and though i won't see him until next weekend, I'll ask him his opinions of the game when he comes on MSN. If it's as fun as Mario Golf I'm happy! :p Anyone know if it's multiplayer?

[khilafah]

i just got the game. it has 4 player single card download play.

i have never played tiger woods but i do like this. the graphics are nice and look much better than the screens and vids i have seen of tiger woods

the controls take time to get use to but like i have said i have never used the stylus on a golf game so thats why.

think my only gripe so far is the putting. I might need to look in the instruction book. i dunno how you read the breaks etc.

[Ninty 182]

the only problem with DD was that it was too easy. Eveything else about it was great.

[Flaight]

This is looking better and better, if you look at it now compared to back at E3 is really has come a long way.

And like the title suggests, Nintendo Touch Golf: Birdie Challenge is to be the european name for the game, with a release date of 18 November.

http://www.jeux-france.com/Webmasters/Images/42331020050614_163348_10_big.jpg http://www.jeux-france.com/Webmasters/Images/42331020050614_163348_5_big.jpg
http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/game/docs/20051005/ndc05.jpg

My rough review on Touch Golf Birdie Challenge:

I got my copy yesterday and been playing till now. In a nutshell, it's well made and very enjoyable. This isn't a "crazy" sport title Nintendo usually makes, but a regular golf game.

I think golf games have its specific audience, as some of my friends have told me in the past that they don't see the point of golf games in video gaming. I guess I can see their point. But for those of us who like golf games in video gaming, Touch Golf is a VERY welcome addition to its never ending incarnations.
Like me, I've always liked regular golf games and I've always had some on every system. I don't know why I like golf games, I don't even watch professional golf on TV or play it in real life (other than long ago when I went to a small golf course with my father). I tend to find golf games addictive for no apparent reason. At the tee I would try to get a good shot as I'd get satisfaction out of one of those hot spot shots (with THUNK! sound). I would try to ride the wind high or avoid it low and roll on to get some distance. Or land with back spin onto an ideal, tight spot along the course. Once in a while you get one of those PW shots near the green which ends in a flukish yet well calculated (you know it) chip-in. Hurrah!

If you can relate to that sort of golf gaming madness, then the chances are that you like golf games and you will likely find yourself attached to this one.

At the core Touch Golf is just "another" golf game with typical physics built into it. It has decent graphics and sound that you would expect from golf games these days (resolution permitting). Here you get generic modes such as a quick play mode and campaign mode as you would expect.

As for the parks you get to roam about, there are 7 "categories". Kind of like, in-land category, tropical category, snowy category, etc. Each category contains some courses (each being 18 holes), but these are mostly unlockables alongside those "categories" so I haven't seen all yet; I've only unlocked a couple so far through the campaign mode.

You win cash prizes as you progress, and you get to spend it - You can buy cosmetic stuff like various shirt, trousers and caps (some really weird), then more importantly you can buy golf equipment, from special golf balls (each with technical characteristics), gloves/shoes (for technical modifications) to golf clubs. You'll have fun collecting these as their effects help you in a match.

Touch screen shots are fun. This, again, is well implemented. Unlike the mouse driven ones you may have seen on the PC, it feels tidier and more well controlled because of the non-arbitrary movement within the fixed size touchscreen of DS. The quality of a shot is a direct effect of your stylus movement. Nice shots are fairly easy so long as you can keep a reasonably straight movement, but great shots are pretty hard. I think your mind plays a part just as much because you tend to get jittery when taking critical shots and that affects your stylus movement. How many times have I told myself "Listen, this is an important shot..." and then strain too hard and skew the path from too-quick a movement.

Putter mode is nice. In some ways it's very easy, I guess. You get a rough estimate of the course of the ball drawn, so you won't screw up too much - this has been an annoyance in some golf games in the past as it's damn hard once you're on the green. Of course, the exact movement of the ball will depend on the condition and power as well, so you still need some experience and intelligence. In this way, the system allows us armchair golfers to simulate a real golfer's dilemma without going back and forth around the hole like a blind noob (really frustrating in some golf games).

All in all, it's a golf game that allows you to feel and play like a real golfer with your technical ability, without over complicating the guess work. In a sense, it allows you to concentrate on the most important part - the swings.

Why would you want to bother with all that in a video game? Well, that's a question that has boggled the great minds since the first golf game hit the streets. Provided that you like golf games, I'd recommend Touch Golf.

[Triple_C]

I have to get this after christmas.

[Stefkov]

is this going for full £30 or is it one of those that go for £20 like polarium did, cos i really want to get it

[Flaight]

Hmm good question stefkov. At the moment its going for about 29, if Im not mistaken. Some online sites knock off 5, but P&P would probably make up for it.

I wonder if it'll be considered as a "budget-candidate", because as a golf game it's complete. On one hand, it's nothing spectacular in its genre, but it does what a modern golf game is meant to do, and pulls it off very well. It's clear to me that it's not a half hearted effort. It's innovative in its own right and fun if you like golf games. It may not be for everybody, but its a joy for those who like this sort.

So I would expect this title to have a much more persistence and deeper dugout than the likes of Polarium. That is, until a real competitor shows up in DS market. At the moment Touch Golf is a lonely front runner, particularly when faced with the fact that Tiger Woods is so blatantly obviously a quick cash-in by EA.

You could just go for second hand at ebay :D Or pray that Touch Golf flops so badly (as in there are too few golf lovers with DS to fuel the demand) that it goes straight into a bargain bin. :shakehead