PC CD-ROM minimum system requirements: 486DX2/66mbz; 12MB RAM; 50MB hard disk space; Windows 95; Dual speed CDROM drive; SVGA. £34.99
GOLF, golf, golf. Just about everyone seems to be playing the game nowadays, it's no longer a pastime for the idle rich. Some day soon the whole countryside may be nothing more than a collage of golf courses.
As a result of the game's popularity, good golf sims have become almost as sought after as a hole in one. The golf sim pack, at the moment, is led by PGA Tour and Links. While the latter is a better all-round golf game, PGA Tour has the bonus of allowing you to play against some of the world's top professionals in an actual tournament.
These two games are so good, in fact, that any games manufacturer trying to muscle into the market either has to be very brave or very revolutionary.
Maxis, makers of Sim Golf realise this and so the game has two distinct features which they hope will set it apart from the rest. Firstly, they have enlisted the services of world-famous golf-course architect Robert Trent Jones jnr and two of his award-winning courses, Rancho La Quinta, California and The Prince Course, Hawaii, are here for you to master.
But the real difference with Sim Golf is that it includes a comprehensive course designer which,, while not difficult to get to grips with, will nonetheless require a lot of enthusiasm on the players' part to extract maximum enjoyment. This enjoyment knows no bounds when, after sweating over the design of your all-new 18 holes, you finally get to the first tee.
If You really think your new design is a match for any, why not take it on to the world's biggest stage - the Internet? Alternatively, you can download somebody's else's. Sim Golf also allows you to play against real opponents over the Net or a Local Area Network.
Another nice feature is the "MouseSwing" for actually making shots. This is very unlike the traditional powerbar - although, if you prefer, the powerbar options is also here.
To successfully complete a shot with the MouseSwing, you physically push the mouse along the mat, taking into account the amount of force you require and also the direction in which the shot must go. Just like the real thing, a high handicapper's chances of duffing a shot with the MouseSwing are appreciable.
If you already have Links or IPGA Tour in your library and are looking for something a little different to challenge your skills, then Sim Golf is certainly worth a look. However, if you don't already have a golf sim you may feel like you have jumped in at the deep end and one of the more `standard' games might be the better option.
Graphics: 82%, Sound: 80%, Gameplay: 81%