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Wii Game Review


Kidz Sportz: Crazy Mini Golf
(Includes Wii Golf Club)

 

Format: Wii
Popcorn Arcade
RRP: £24.99 / 19.99
5 060048 311242 / 5 060185 630008
Age Restrictions: 3+
Available 14 November 2008


Grab a putter and hit the greens. Use the Wii Remote just like a real putter as you play through 72 Crazy holes set over 4 wacky courses. Take your putting skills to the next level. Up to 4 players can play in various crazy game modes. The game also introduces the ‘NuYu’ character editor...

Anyone who loved the golf game on Wii Sports, but fancied a bit of variety may happen across Crazy Mini Golf and think to themselves: "Cool! The ultimate in putting practice. And something the whole family can join in with too." How wrong they'd be.

Firstly the handling of this game is a joke. There are two game types (arcade and simulation) but neither of them actually work half as well as the system that was employed for Wii Sports. The arcade is really only suitable for the very young, or those who haven't a clue what they are doing, while the simulation mode works (in theory) like the Wii Sports control system... only it's nowhere near as effective.

There's no way of actually lining up your shot properly. The angle you get from behind your character is misleading and so it's trial and error - which takes a lot of fun out of the game. Then there's the fact that the actual system for hitting the ball just doesn't work as it's supposed to. You can end up whacking the ball when you mean to tap it, and vice versa.

Now maybe, over a period of time, you'll get used to the clunky control system, but our group (combined of all ages) universally decided not to have another game after we finished the first... and that was it. Back in the box it went.

The other rather silly thing is that this is crazy golf (where you use a putter) but the golf club enclosed in this pack is an iron. The pictures of the golfers on the box (see image below) are holding clubs that bear no resemblance to the one you receive in the pack (the ones on the box indicate that the club is metal, when in fact the one you receive is plastic) and for some reason the guy pictured has the club over his shoulder in an action shot - although, again, as this is crazy golf, you won't be swinging the club around like a fool.

The pack also proudly boasts that it features the "NuYu" character editor to help you create an even better version of yourself than you could previously with the Mii. Hmmm, I wasn't overly convinced that this was the case at all. Apart from being able to add a very limited selection of clothes, there was hardly any difference at all. In fact I'd even go as far as to say there were probably less options. A friend's NuYu looked too much like my own, whereas his old Wii Mii was a lot different to mine.

The game comes in two editions. You can pay £19.99 for the game, or £24.99 for the game and golf club peripheral. Personally I wouldn't bother with either.

2

Nick Smithson

Review image

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£24.99 (Play.com)
With Golf Club Peripheral
   
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£17.99 (HMV.com)
Without Golf Club Peripheral
   
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£16.97 (Gameseek.co.uk)
Without Golf Club Peripheral

All prices correct at time of going to press.