Power Golf
System: TG-16
Release Date: December 1989
Developer: Hudson Soft
Publisher: NEC
Genre: Sports
I like a good golf game, but Power Golf is not one of them. This would have been very unfortunate for launch TurboGrafx-16 owners, as they’ve been looking for a game that can be replayed over and over. They’re still looking.
You start by choosing Stroke Play, Match Play, or Competition modes. Stroke Play is your typical 18 hole game where you want to score as low as possible. Match Play puts you up against another player, either human or computer, but you need to have a second controller plugged in to even choose a computer opponent. Competition mode includes a driving contest and pin contest. I couldn’t try these out.
When you get to the course, you see that it looks pretty nice. You can press the Select Button in order to look around the course and see the green. Then you can hold Button II and press left or right to move where you want to tee off from. Pressing left and right normally will rotate your aim. Then you need to take your shot and this is where everything goes out the window. It’s a three click-swing, but you’d better be perfect every time. If you are even slightly off of the red accuracy point, you will hook or slice and completely ruin your shot. It seems your foreswing is faster on more powerful clubs and slower on short irons. The difference in timing will mess you up. I was so annoyed by the time I got to the back 9 that I time traveled just to get some good shots to show.
Wind is incredibly and unrealistically variable while playing on a hole. It also has a large effect on your shot. Putting isn’t terrible, but it isn’t good, either. You see the slope of the green, but you don’t have anything that gives you an idea about the power of your putt. The three different choices of character all have really low club ranges. The course itself has some really poorly designed holes. Hole 7, in particular, is stupid. There isn’t even a chance to cancel your swing if you botch your backswing. If you don’t finish your swing, you take a stroke penalty. Not cool.
Graphics: 2.0
The course looks alright, but it’s not breaking any new ground here.
Sound: 1.5
The song that plays isn’t offensive, but maybe a bit too uptempo. Sound effects are subdued.
Gameplay: 1.5
The swinging mechanic is an unforgiving three-click swing. The amount of hook and slice is criminal.
Difficulty: 1.0
The unforgiving controls make it very difficult to make par.
Fun Factor: 1.0
This is an annoying and frustrating game. Not much fun.
Overall Grade: 1.4
Power Golf earns a D+. It’s a poor golf game. I would stay far, far away unless you want to be frustrated. Just like real golf!