A good walk spoiled it may be for some, but golf remains one of the world's most popular sports. It's also big business. All the peripherals associated with the game don't come cheap and over the years game makers have jumped on the bandwagon and brought virtual golf to those of us who have never set foot on a course.
As a result, golf sims are among the most popular of games, but that said there are still die hards who refuse to be converted. In an effort to bring these people in from the cold, Everybody's Golf has changed the emphasis a little.
In Everybody's Golf all the formalities are thrown out the window. However, the basics of the golf sim remain. The swingmeter is an integral part, as is wind direction (on the tee box you'll need to throw a few blades of grass into the wind to determine its speed and direction), club selection, and the type of shot played. You can see a map of the entire hole or zoom around when you want to know exactly what you are up against. This is as good as any golf game/sim that's out at the moment. Initially there is only one course and two players to choose from (Mary and Taku) but as you progress this increases to six and 10 respectively. The players have their own strengths and weaknesses and you can choose the one you feel suits your type of game. There is also a variety of side games built-in. Perhaps the most endearing of these is the Mini Golf (or Crazy Golf). This is an ideal testing ground to improve your putting stroke but it's far more than that. In fact, it is a game all on its own and the most likely way of luring the non-golfer from the wilderness. Aside from the standard options like stroke, match, tournament and VS modes Everybody's Golf also has a betting mode. Here you can earn points by hitting the longest drive, being nearest the pin or be deducted points for poor play.
Everybody's Golf is the most accessible golf game, ever without sacrificing any elements of gameplay. The graphics are appropriate without being stunning and the background music which, thankfully, can be turned off, is pretty bad but such is the content that this game screams at you to play it.
Graphics: 80%, Sound: 76%, Gameplay: 93%