Game: Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12: The Masters

Publisher: EA
Developer: EA Tiburon
Genre: Golf
Price: $49.99
Verdict: An accessible and content rich golf experience which, yes features the Masters.
Pros: Precise motion controls offer the most immersive sports game experience currently available.
Cons: Not enough voice samples from both the caddy and announcers, muddy textures.

Acquired via Publisher

There is no doubt that on any given day over the past few weeks you have been assaulted with commercials for The Masters–the event that is commonly referenced as the Super Bowl of golf. Opposite the obligatory trip to Disney World acting as the post celebration tradition of the actual Super Bowl, the winner of the Masters instead receives the aptly named “Green Jacket” that makes them look slightly less like a golfer and more like they are ready to bring luggage to a hotel room. Despite being the preeminent event in the world of golf, this is the first time the Masters has appeared in Tiger Woods PGA Tour–probably due to the eleventh hole causing a ruckus every year during contract negotiations.

From bottom to top, it becomes increasingly apparent that EA really wanted the player to be aware that “HEY THE MASTERS IS IN THIS GAME!” The campaign is presented as the “Road to the Masters,” which allows your created golfer to advance from the amateur circuit to the Nationwide and PGA Tours and finally all the way to the showdown at Augusta National. The Masters Moments mode offers (a paltry few) quick scenario challenges that recreate some of the most famous plays across the history of the tournament. In addition to these best-of moments is the ability to play as Tiger Woods through each of his four victories, having to match (or better) each round to keep advancing.

The game’s motion controls are relatively precise, but as I have never played an actual game of golf in my life, I can only assume that it takes a few liberties in difficulty for sake of playability. If not, I should probably take up golf; I hear it pays pretty well. Honing in and figuring out how to tone back your swing is essential as the game progresses, but not to the point where it becomes unplayable without exacting precision. A new addition in Tiger Woods 12 is the ability to seek your caddy’s advice before taking your shot, allowing a greater focus on the power and spin of your shot without having to worry too much about the club selection. Even if you are relatively familiar with the mechanics of the Tiger Wood’s series, it is smart to listen to the advice the caddy gives you, as executing the suggested shots garners an XP bonus, necessary for the level progression of your golfer. Unfortunately the same twenty or so caddy voice samples make it slightly more annoying then it needs to be.

Graphically, the Wii version is nothing to write home about, but aside from a few jagged edges and blurred textures, it is a relatively decent looking game. The best new feature in 12 is easily the fabulous commentary from Jim Nantz, which goes a long way in adding a needed sense of legitimacy to the entire Masters fervor that surrounds the rest of the game.

Exclusive to the Wii version of the game is disc golf, which is well, disc golf. In reading about the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions of the game, it seems that a lot of gamers have been rightly angered by having to purchase DLC courses to avoid penalties in the games career mode, but the Wii version simply includes these course upfront and eliminates the problem altogether.

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12 for the Wii is most importantly, a fun game to play. It welcomes beginners with the newly implemented caddy mode and dives head first into the Masters branding by providing a bevy of content that will keep any gamer content for months.

GrE Grade: B+

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