I put over 200 hours into Clap Hanz’s Everybody’s Golf. It was the perfect game to play with family thanks to its simple controls and fun courses. When I heard about Everybody’s Golf Hot Shots, my first thought was how can the series get any more enjoyable. It’s been eight years since the previous game came out (not counting the VR version), and I wasn’t sure it was still something I’d be that interested in. Turns out Hyde Inc and Bandai Namco knew exactly how to improve on the series and offer more depth and replayability.
There’s a staggering amount of modes to enjoy in Everybody’s Golf Hot Shots. Whether alone of with friends, there’s challenges of all kinds and plenty of paths to take in order to get the most out of your game. What makes you want to keep playing is the ease of the control system. While there’s still plenty of room to improve and master the controls, the fundamental swing and hit is going to make players of all ages feel like they can play and compete with anyone. It’s the nuances in its gameplay that works the best.
There are three different gauges to choose from depending on what suits you the most. From there, you place the ball on the tee on get ready to swing. There are three button presses in each swing. One press sets of the swing and fires off the gauge. Pressing it again at the right time chooses the power, and when it moves back down the gauge to the beginning, another press at the right time deems its accuracy. It might take a bit of time to get this right, but it is by no means difficult.
You can also change the position of where you hit the ball to put side, back, or top spin on the ball. This helps to counter the wind, as well as any dips or slopes on the course you’re playing on. It’s another layer of skill to master, especially if you want to get the upper hand on those you’re playing against online. For an added layer of strategy, new shots can be unlocked such as the homing shot, allowing you to play with more efficiency. Master everything and a simple game of golf begins to open up rather substantially.
When you first begin Everybody’s Golf Hot Shots, there’s a limited amount of golfers, caddies, and courses. However, the more you play through the modes, the more you unlock. This gives you a perfect reason to keep on playing as there’s always something new to unlock. As mentioned earlier, new skills can be unlocked, as well as new items in the shop. Playing with the same caddy also helps to build your relationship, leading to improved stats during competitions. There’s so much replayability, it’s unreal.
As for the modes, single player is given plenty of attention. As someone who doesn’t play much online, I never felt like playing solo was limited. Sure, playing online or with friends is probably the best way to experience Everybody’s Golf Hot Shots, but it doesn’t mean you’ll suffer for wanting to enjoy it on your own. Challenge Mode is by far my favourite as it allowed me to pick competitions with varying difficulty and holes, along with a cash pot I could try to win. They keep unlocking the more you play, leading to new competitions and challengers that increase in difficulty.
World Tour is a story mode that helps you to learn a little about each player, but it was probably the one thing I didn’t particularly enjoy. The interactions are nothing more than visual novel-style cutscenes around each competition. You can turn these off to just focus on playing, but it seems a bit of a shame to feel the need to do this. One thing about Everybody’s Golf Hot Shots that I greatly disliked was the voice acting. High-pitched squeals and the same phrases repeated over and over again had me heading straight into the settings to turn them down.
This talking continues in every mode, and it grated on me almost instantly. Despite this, I enjoyed pretty much everything about it. Wacky Golf is another mode that throws fun curveballs at your game. One will have you avoiding bombs on the course that sends the ball flying; another has you lose clubs during games; there’s also random mode that sees all kinds of things happen like animals charging across the fairway and tornadoes appearing. Scramble mode is another one that sees you playing with another golfer.
Everybody’s Golf Hot Shots is a colourful and pretty game. There are different courses that are set in the city, in peaceful mountain ranges, and under the blistering sun. Games can also be played in the evening, and various weather and wind speeds make every game feel different. The range of different characters and customisation of clothes, clubs, and other apparel add to the vibrancy of the game. Hyde Inc has done a fantastic job of not only knowing what made the series so fun, but also making it feel like a clear evolution from the previous entries before.
If you’re after a fun golfing game to play on your own or with friends, Everybody’s Golf Hot Shots is the perfect choice. With plenty of replayability and a wide range of exciting modes, you’ll easily be able to sink hour upon hour into it. The controls are easy to get familiar with, however, the more you play will add nuance to your game. Along with all the buffs, unlockables, and variables to each round, there’s not a better golfing experience out there. Grab your club and get ready to have an amazing time sinking those birdies.
