Joystiq hands-on: Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10, now with frisbee golf!
We took Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 through the paces recently -- Wii MotionPlus included -- and encountered a fair bit of confidence from product manager Randy Chase, who said, "You know ... I just realized that this is going to put those really expensive digital golf swing analyzers out of business." Actually it's not quite that accurate, but it's getting there. Perhaps one day you can look forward to suckering golf wannabees out of thousands of dollars by charging them for "lessons" from Tiger Woods himself.
Randy took a few swings with Tiger Woods back in March, and we're happy to echo his sentiments. It's very rewarding to switch over to the MotionPlus and watch your golfer avatar follow along pretty darn precisely with your swing. It not only makes the game feel more intuitive, but (amazingly) coaxes you off the couch. No slumped flailing here!
Before you go on, let us point you to some additional media
The accuracy was pretty uncanny, especially because it reads how open or closed your grip was on the Wiimote, and your swing will draw or fade accordingly. You can make extremely minute adjustments to your grip, swing, and stance, and you'll seem them reflected on-screen immediately. This is probably one of the few times when a plastic, third-party golf club attachment will actually come in handy.
Aside from the MotionPlus functionality, Live Tournaments have been added to Tiger Woods' annual outing. You can post a round of golf online in either daily or weekly tournaments, and if you have the high score at the end of the tourney ... well, you win, obviously. You can also stack them up them against the pros during actual PGA tournaments. Just to be clear, you're only posting your scores against these other players / pros, not watching them play and waiting for your turn.
EA has also added Tournament Moments where Tiger Woods will come in via video and talk about some of his most exciting moments on tour, like a particularly hard round during the PGA finals. As a result, the game will recreate the exact scenario in the game so you can see how you would handle it. Another feature stuck in at Tiger's suggestion concerns the sounds in the game. It now features crowd noise from other golfers as they play on holes near you, and the crowds will responds in different ways, depending on whether you've just made par, shot a bogey, etc. You'll hear gasps, groans, and muffled golf claps.
One thing EA dropped on us as an afterthought: frisbee golf. If you've never played it, it's just what it sounds like. Instead of using a golf ball and clubs, you hurl a frisbee at the hole. Of course, it's not actually a hole, but a basket mounted on a pole. These courses tend to pop up around college campuses, and you'd be surprised how fun it is. Kudos to EA for not just turning this into Frisbee Golf 2010. Chas explained that the dev team was initially developing it as a party game, but decided to stick it into Tiger Woods during development.
If you remember way back to last year's Nintendo keynote, Cammie was showing off her MotionPlus frisbee tossing in Wii Sports Resort. The same 1:1 frisbee motion is included here, and Chase told us you'd be able to throw your frisbees with a detailed amount of control: under the leg, behind the back, up and over bunkers -- the whole 209 yards. So, if you've had a recurring dream about playing disc golf on St. Andrews in your jammies, you can now live it.
We asked about the possibility of adding motion control to a PS3, or the Xbox 360 (especially given all the rumors we keep hearing). Unfortunately we couldn't rattle Chase, and he just gave us the standard line, saying that the team would consider anything. Right now, the great divide between the Wii graphics and the 360/PS3 versions masterful control system: looks great on two of those systems, plays great on the other. You'll have to decide which is more important to you. But if you let it boil down to frisbee golf, you're gonna want the Wii version, since it's exclusive to that platform and features same-room multiplayer.
Randy took a few swings with Tiger Woods back in March, and we're happy to echo his sentiments. It's very rewarding to switch over to the MotionPlus and watch your golfer avatar follow along pretty darn precisely with your swing. It not only makes the game feel more intuitive, but (amazingly) coaxes you off the couch. No slumped flailing here!
Before you go on, let us point you to some additional media
- Xbox 360 and PS3 screenshots
- Videos: Wii and Xbox 360 / PS3.
Gallery: Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 (Wii)
This is probably one of the few times when a plastic, third-party golf club attachment will actually come in handy. |
Aside from the MotionPlus functionality, Live Tournaments have been added to Tiger Woods' annual outing. You can post a round of golf online in either daily or weekly tournaments, and if you have the high score at the end of the tourney ... well, you win, obviously. You can also stack them up them against the pros during actual PGA tournaments. Just to be clear, you're only posting your scores against these other players / pros, not watching them play and waiting for your turn.
EA has also added Tournament Moments where Tiger Woods will come in via video and talk about some of his most exciting moments on tour, like a particularly hard round during the PGA finals. As a result, the game will recreate the exact scenario in the game so you can see how you would handle it. Another feature stuck in at Tiger's suggestion concerns the sounds in the game. It now features crowd noise from other golfers as they play on holes near you, and the crowds will responds in different ways, depending on whether you've just made par, shot a bogey, etc. You'll hear gasps, groans, and muffled golf claps.
One thing EA dropped on us as an afterthought: frisbee golf. |
If you remember way back to last year's Nintendo keynote, Cammie was showing off her MotionPlus frisbee tossing in Wii Sports Resort. The same 1:1 frisbee motion is included here, and Chase told us you'd be able to throw your frisbees with a detailed amount of control: under the leg, behind the back, up and over bunkers -- the whole 209 yards. So, if you've had a recurring dream about playing disc golf on St. Andrews in your jammies, you can now live it.
We asked about the possibility of adding motion control to a PS3, or the Xbox 360 (especially given all the rumors we keep hearing). Unfortunately we couldn't rattle Chase, and he just gave us the standard line, saying that the team would consider anything. Right now, the great divide between the Wii graphics and the 360/PS3 versions masterful control system: looks great on two of those systems, plays great on the other. You'll have to decide which is more important to you. But if you let it boil down to frisbee golf, you're gonna want the Wii version, since it's exclusive to that platform and features same-room multiplayer.
















Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Fernando Rocker @ May 11th 2009 7:07PM
Here is a video with the Disc Golf Gameplay... looks very precise.
http://www.gametrailers.com/player/49068.html?type=flv
Kevin Kelly @ May 11th 2009 7:19PM
Thanks for that link... I think it shows off the control pretty nicely. I'd rather use a real arm toss than try a handheld controller.
Fernando Rocker @ May 11th 2009 7:11PM
So, Kevin Kelly, in your honest opinion, which version would you get right now?
I'm really not a big fan of golf games, and probably won't pick this one (I want to try MotionPlus, but I think I will pick the Grand Slam Tennis bundle better)...
But, is the gameplay really that precise?
Foetoid @ May 11th 2009 7:16PM
I'm the other way around. See i thought the Golf in Wii Sports was the best of the compilation and i'll get Tiger Woods 10 over any tennis game in a million years.
Kevin Kelly @ May 11th 2009 7:17PM
Honestly, I'd go with the Wii version, just because of the MotionPlus. It really adds a new element of gameplay that you can't get from flicking a thumbstick. But if you're really into crisp graphics, get the PS3/Xbox 360 version. Plus if you want to game online with other players, the Wii doesn't deliver that either, as far as I was able to discern.
Fernando Rocker @ May 11th 2009 7:21PM
Well... good to hear...
But you really are a little bit misinformed... EA dropped the All Play Sports series because they didn't want any more watered down Wii games, so, the Wii version has the exact same features as the HD version (minus the graphics of course), but the Wii version does include the exact same online play and DLC.
It even has more features, like the Disc Golf gameplay..
Moptimus Slime (PhilosoRaptor is the new Keyboard Cat) @ May 11th 2009 7:23PM
Kevin, they've had online since last year I believe. And its awesome
Kevin Kelly @ May 11th 2009 7:24PM
It features online tournament play, but I'm not sure about online active play. I'm checking with EA on this. And was disc golf unique to the Wii version? The way the rep explained it to me sounded like it was in all three main versions.
Moptimus Slime (PhilosoRaptor is the new Keyboard Cat) @ May 11th 2009 7:24PM
also, I hate to break it to you, but I think the GST bundle is only in Europe. We get the TWPGA2010 bundle AND WE WILL LIKE IT
Moptimus Slime (PhilosoRaptor is the new Keyboard Cat) @ May 11th 2009 7:26PM
what would "online active play" be? Just a single 16 hole game? Because they have that.
If you mean the minigames like Disc Golf, that might not be online
Fernando Rocker @ May 11th 2009 7:31PM
http://www.vooks.net/story-17950-Wiiexclusive-Disc-Golf-for-Tiger-Woods-10.html
http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=214046
EA is really changing a lot... they are one of the best devs/publisher this gen, and they finally are offering good third party support to the Wii. The final product will be as good (if not better) as the HD versions, without removing any kind of content.
Kevin Kelly @ May 11th 2009 8:48PM
This is what I get for only playing this on the 360 all these years. I think I'll have to pick up the Wii version when it's out. I mean... MotionPlus and disc golf? I'm in heaven.
And I actually just heard back from EA: unfortunately disc golf is same-room multiplayer only... but that might change if it proves popular and makes a return next year.
Matisyahu Serious @ May 11th 2009 7:16PM
day 1 purchase
or
day -1 purchase, as my local gamestop doesnt put much stock in release dates.
Moptimus Slime (PhilosoRaptor is the new Keyboard Cat) @ May 11th 2009 7:22PM
ProTip:
$1 preorder at Target+ 7 day hold after NATIONAL release date =antithesis to whatever GameStop has to offer
Gun Barrier @ May 11th 2009 7:29PM
WOW! How is it possible for the wii to know how tight your grip is?!?! I am so stoked for this the motion+!
Kevin Kelly @ May 11th 2009 7:31PM
Not how "tight" your grip is, but if you're "open" or "closed" in golf terminology. That is, how your club face is pointed at the ball. You can twist the Wiimote and adjust the club face angle, and it reads your swing trajectory and velocity as well.
modified @ May 11th 2009 7:34PM
If they don't have courses designed for disc golf, then it's not going to be like the real thing. Real disc golf is usually in the woods with many trees who are plotting to destroy your score by not moving. I know not all disc golf courses are in the woods, but the large majority I have seen are.
Moptimus Slime (PhilosoRaptor is the new Keyboard Cat) @ May 11th 2009 7:40PM
The Wii version has been the best selling since introduction
Mr Khan @ May 11th 2009 7:55PM
Apparently, preorders for this game's Motion Plus bundle have made it the 88th (or 77th, forget exactly which) most preordered item on Amazon.com right now
Someone out there is looking forward to this, that's for sure.
nofriendo @ May 11th 2009 8:45PM
This may be the fist sports game I'll buy. Frisbee golf is the man and I've been playing it on and off for the last ten years.
EA must know something 'cause as soon as I showed it to my brother, who is not into video games, he chalked up money to buy a wii and the game on day one.
I just hope that the disc golf is online.
Russ @ May 11th 2009 10:34PM
Did they get rid of that bloody horrible female announcer from last year? I won't buy another Tiger Woods game until she is gone. What happened to David Ferherty? I'd take anyone from the CBS or NBC golf crew over that annoying woman.
geoff0011 @ May 12th 2009 2:58AM
It's the summer of George!!!
uncle jesse @ May 12th 2009 10:17AM
What's the deal with airplane peanuts?
AirIntake @ May 12th 2009 10:32AM
Hopefully online won't be all useless and crippled like '09. How come I can't play battle golf, bingo bango bongo, bloodsome or greensome online with my friends? How come I can't bet my game money against them online? I can do all of that if we all sign in on the same console, but not if we play over xbox live, which is inexcusable since there isn't much of a difference between the two.
nameless wonder @ May 12th 2009 11:35AM
This game went from a "no thanks!" to a "yes, please!" with two little words . . . frisbee golf!
Where do I sign?
It makes that frisbee dog thing in "Wii Sports Resort" look like a pile of poop (but not dog poop).
Thanks for the link to the frisbee golf gameplay vid, Roberto, I mean Fernando!
SegaPleaseMakePanzerDragoonWii! @ May 13th 2009 4:31PM
FROLF!
This just moved from "maybe when the used price comes way down" to "definite day one purchase".
Yeah, I'm a frolfaholic. So what, you want to fight abolut it?
SegaPleaseMakePanzerDragoonWii! @ May 13th 2009 4:34PM
*about
Over a decade of daily keyboard use and it seems that I still type like a fingerless epileptic with advanced Parkinson's.