From: ralph@sandia.uucp (Ralph Keyser)
Newsgroups: rec.games.video
Subject: Review of Hal's Hole-in-One Golf [SNES]
Keywords: Golf, SNES
Date: 27 Jan 93 00:21:50 GMT
Organization: Sandia Natl Labs, Div. 9224


 			Hal's Hole-in-One Golf
	
System: SNES
Developer: HAI

SUMMARY
This is one of the early golf games for the SNES, but despite the fact
that they made use of many of the hardware graphics features, the result
is a game that comes across as flat and uninteresting with no real "feel".
Add the annoying music and you have a real loser. Avoid it!

GRAPHICS
The player's point of view is primarily a direct overhead look down on
the ball. When shots are made, the overhead window pans along with the
ball in flight. The game makes good use of the SNES hardware graphics
to provide smooth pan and rotation, but this overhead view makes the game
look and feel like a strangely shaped pool table. An isometric, shaded
view of the entire hole is available in a separate window, but the info
it provided was not worth the wait. A 3-D view of the green is also available,
but it is on yet another screen and therefore not terribly useful.

In its favor, Hal's does provide a neat extreme close-up of the cup when
your ball gets close. The resulting cinemas of the ball as you sink the
shot are the only bright spots in a dismal graphics picture.

GAME PLAY
Up front, Hal's looks promising. Supported modes of play include:
	Stroke play (1-4 players) with Handicaps
	Match play (2 player)
	Match play (1 player vs HAL [the computer]) win this and you
			get a password to let you use HAL's metal woods.
	Tournament play (1-4 players + computer opponents)
	Practice (any hole)
	Memory shot - a password lets you get great shots you made in
		      the past.

Players get to choose which clubs to take with them (max of 14). All games 
occur on a single course.

The mechanics of making the shot in this game are awful. A series of pop-up
windows comes up when you indicate you want to make a shot. These windows
allow you to control direction, club selection, stance (for hook or slice),
and shot power. The big problem is that you can't go back! Once you make
a selection, you're stuck. (Drag!) So if you pick a club and then decide
that you would rather pick something else and add a bit more hook, well too
bad. Oh, shot power is done with the 3 button push scheme (push once to start
back swing, again to start swing, and once more to hit the ball. You can
also push up or down on the control pad to add spin to the ball. Some people
like this approach since it adds an element of arcade action to the shot.
It does make play a bit less predictable.

The computer player (HAL) uses a set of metal woods to clobber you in the
driving end of the game, but with practice you can beat him in the chipping
and putting end. Once you beat him, you get the password so you can use the
metal woods too, but that takes the challenge away.

SOUND
Sound is not typically an area where golf games excel. This one is no 
exception. The minimum sound effects are there, but nothing special. There
is a musical soundtrack that I found very irritating.

OTHER
There are much better golf games for the SNES. Look at them instead of
Hal's Hole-in-One Golf.


----------------------------------------------------------------
Ralph Keyser    Albuquerque, NM   sandia!ralph@unmvax.cs.unm.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.video