Review By:  Christopher Coey
Developer:	Clap Hanz
Publisher:	Sony
# of Players:	1-4
Genre:	Sports
ESRB:	Everyone
Online:	No
Accessories:	Memory Card
Date Posted:	5-14-02

This game is addictive. I haven’t played a round of actual golf in my entire adult life, but in the short time I’ve owned Hot Shots Golf 3 I’ve played more rounds than I can count. It’s more than the simple kind of addiction that I experience with most great games. Like when you can’t wait to get back to your saved game to finish off the next level, thinking about the game in your sleep, etc. We’ve all gone through it (Am I right? Or am I a complete freak?) But with HS3, it’s not so much a NEED to get back to finish the game, since there is not real END. It’s just that whenever I have free time, all I want to do is play this game. Until now, the only PS2 game that’s come close to this one has been SSX.

I wouldn’t expect everyone to have the same reverence for this game that I’ve grown to have. After all, it is just a golf game. But keep in mind, I don’t play real golf, OR golf games. The last time I played video golf was at a local bar when I played a couple holes of Golden Tee. As a game, HS3 has a lot going for it: It’s easy to pick up, but impossible to completely master. It requires a lot of skill, but anyone can be competitive. It has cute, quirky graphics, yet it’s still a solid golf game. On your own, or with a group of friends, this game is fun.

The controls are what one would expect; the standard three button push system. Select a club, then press the X button. When the meter reaches the desired power level, push X again. Push X a final time when the meter reaches the ‘impact zone’ to launch your ball. That’s the basics. But as with all great games, once you’re ready for something more advanced, the game provides it. You can alter the trajectory of your ball by giving it spin, curving you shots, and even creating backspin after the ball lands.

There are two main modes within the game: Tournament and VS mode. You begin the game with a choice of three characters. By competing in VS mode against any of the other characters and beating them, you unlock that character for use in any of the other modes. There is a total of 15 characters in all, each with backstory, individual animations, and a range of voice-overs. Competing in Tournament mode unlocks the additional courses, up to a total of six courses which increase in difficulty. But it doesn’t stop there. The game continues to reward you with a vast number of other ‘unlockables.’ You really would need to become a master golfer before unlocking all of the extra club sets, specialty balls, wallpapers, caddies, etc.

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