Title:  Hot Shots Golf (originally Minna No Golf in Japan)
Developer:  Camelot, dist. by SCEA
ESRB rating:  E (everyone)
Players:  1-4, multiplayer adapter compatible but you really only need
2 controllers
Saving:  Memory Card, 3 blocks
Where Bought:  Electronics Boutique, $39.99
Synopsis:  It's a golf game with real cutesy characters.
Grade: B+

	It's easy to see why this game was such a big hit over in
Japan when it was released last year--take your standard golf game,
strip down the controls so they're real intuitive, add some real
adorable little players, practically no load times, 6 well-depicted
golf courses, tons of options, and some nifty extras and you have an
extremely fun, addictive game.  
	
	The best aspect of HSG is that the learning curve is shallow
but the gameplay is deep:  go through the 3 super quick tutorials and
you'll have the controls down pat.  Dealing with each character's
strengths and weaknesses and negotiating the golf courses, however,
requires more thinking and practice.  It may be cutesy, but shank the
ball just a tad, try to hit over the water instead of laying up, or
don't get enough lift on a chip from the rough, and you're toast like
any other "pro" Golf game.

	Hitting the golf ball basically amounts to 2 taps on a bar,
one tap for power, the second tap for direction.  From this simple
interface, you can quickly learn how to put spins on the ball, doing
draws and fades, and also trickier shots like hooking left to right to
go around trees.  The interface tells you such useful info. as the %
power of your shot depending on the lie (such as only 60% in deep
rough) and the direction and force of wind.  The manual also give you
a quick glossary of golf terms as well as a nifty guide to
understanding differences between the various club heads.

	Options include a mini-golf course that's hilarious but also
helps a great deal in the putting dept.  There's also a training mode
so you can practice drives, putts, chips, etc.  Another area where the
game excels are the many options for multi-player games.  Go head to
head with some friends or cater your tastes using the "Bet" mode.  In
this mode you can set points for longest drives, best pin shots,
skins, Nassau, Las Vegas, Binbanbon, and poor play modes.  After
playing this with my roomies the last couple of hours, HSG is right up
there with Twisted Metal 2 as my fav multiplayer game.

	You start the game with only 2 selectable characters and one
golf course.  When you beat another character in "vs." mode you can
then select that player.  There are 10 characters in all.  You get new
courses by earning enough "experience points."  These points are given
by hitting good shots such as making birdie, good chip shots, hitting
the flag, etc.  We've been able to get the third character, Yuki,
fairly quickly.  As for saving, you have the option of saving in "vs."
or "tournament" mode after the first and last 9 holes.  You can get in
about 9 holes in 20 minutes or so.

	The graphics are well done (esp. on mini-golf) but nothing
that'll wow you.  Little extras like rain on the course, throwing
grass to test the wind, and the charactes themselves are all nice
touches.  The sounds are well done (although the caddy voice got on my
nerves after a while) and what music there is is serviceable.

	Now for the question that's popped up a lot:  will fans of
real golf simulations like it?  Personally, I've hated every single
golf game for the PSX; in fact, the last decent golf game I played on
console was European PGA Tour for the Genesis.  HSG, however,
definitely appealed to me bc the courses and gameplay are "realistic"
enough while the characters aren't so goofy as to be a distraction.
Because of the multitude of options and different styles of play,
along with the added fun of multi-player games, I consider this game a
keeper.  

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Hieu
jgnguyen@juno.com