Hot Shots Golf 3 (PS2 Review)

Golf for the people. That’s the slogan that the Hot Shots Golf (HSG) franchise has used since its second incarnation on the original PlayStation back in the year 2000. It was with this version that the series went through the conversion from being a sleeper hit to becoming a big name product on the platform. Instead of relying on the professional talent of the PGA to sell the game, Hot Shots created its character base on the Everyman concept. So what the player received was more of a polygonal version of Caddyshack rather than the Master’s Tournament. Mel, one of the first available characters, was even molded into the likeness of Rodney Dangerfield with his poor taste in clothes and unorthodox playing style. 

With its quirky characters in the forefront and a solid game engine calling the shots, HSG2 became the premier golf game on the PlayStation. As with most things in the entertainment industry, success breeds sequels. Flash forward to 2002, Clap Hanz brings us the third installment to the PlayStation 2. The only real question is can they continue the tradition of excellence or will this be a double bogey trying to cash in on former achievements? Let’s grab a driver, step up to the tee and find out together.

From the main menu of HSG3 you can go in three major directions for your golfing pleasure: single player, short par 3 courses or multiplayer. When the game starts there are only three of the fifteen selectable characters, three of the seven caddies and one of the five courses available. The additional characters have to be won using the vs mode. To be able to use the player in the game they first have to be defeated. In HSG3 you no longer have to play the entire 18 holes. Simply getting a four hole advantage over your competition is sufficient to add them to your stable of players. Different variations of clubs, balls, courses, caddies and many other items are unlocked by going through the Tournament mode. These items can also be bought at the Pro-Shack using points awarded in any of the single player modes for good play. Additional camera replay angles, the club speed meter and multiple outfits for your characters only add to your golfing experience and make the game easier to analyze.

Each level of the Tourney mode, as there are several, has four separate contests and each one must be won to level up your status to compete in more complex challenges. It is through this method that the more challenging courses are opened for play in the other modes. Unique trophies can be won for each contest and they can be viewed and admired in the option screen along with any of the other prizes that you have acquired. There are also training modes which help you practice the harder chip shots and a single player mode where you can go out and play the course without any pressure of competition. The game tracks any and all statistics over the duration of your playing to the extent that you can easily see your strengths and weaknesses on each course. There doesn’t seem to anything that has been overlooked with the exception of online play, however the game was released before the Network Adapter came on the market, so it seems excusable this time.

The multiplayer games allow up to four players to compete in stroke play (the player with the lowest score on the course is the winner) or two players in match play (each hole is separate from the course total and only the number of holes won is considered for a victory). The short par 3 courses can also be played with as many as four players, but this option can also be done as a single player. These are all nice additions, but they are not necessary to further your progress in completing the game.

The overall course make-up is very challenging. If you are thinking that these are simple “grip it and rip it” holes then you have another thing coming. Multiple obstacles are littered throughout including sand traps, water hazards of streams and ponds, buildings, statues and trees. Wind and weather also play a part in how well you do and change on every hole. Only with a steady hand and some strategy can you expect to play under par on a consistent basis. One of the biggest improvements to this version is the inclusion of a putting grid that has flowing dots of light showing the breaks of the green. Just this one factor has helped to cut five strokes off of my normal game. 

HSG3 forces you to bring your game into the tee box and pushes you at every turn of the fairway. Just making par on some holes is satisfying enough. However, when you pull off those miracle 108 ft chip shots that drop straight into the hole it’s hard to keep yourself in your seat. If nobody was around to watch the instant replay, fear not as the game saves all of your impressive shots automatically for your viewing, or bragging, pleasure.

The graphical quality of the game is well done. There are very short loading times with no form of clipping or draw-in. Transition between different camera angles is seamless without any hesitation. The representation of the different seasons compliments the game visually with little touches like falling leaves in the autumn. There is much activity on the courses with butterflies hovering by the tee boxes and even a small ant walking along the inside of the cup. Some of the extra touches are unlockables that can either be bought at the pro shop or won in contests. The in-game music has great variety and is decent enough to make you want to keep the sound on while you play the game. There is even an unlockable CD player that allows you to listen to all the in-game music from the options screen.

Hot Shots Golf 3 offered a National Tournament mode which would allow you to compare your scores with other players across the nation. What you would do would be get a password from their official website, then input that password in the national tourney section of the game. From here a predetermined course layout including weather, character selection and number of rounds was selected which you could use to rate yourself with other players. Sony held six different tourneys in 2002, but this option has since expired.

All in all, Hot Shots Golf 3 gives a well balanced showing this time around. Everything works well together and Clap Hanz should be complimented by improving on an already successful formula. Even if you have never picked up a club, I highly recommend this game for a purchase, especially at the Greatest Hits price of $19.99. After a few rounds, you’ll be saying, “Tiger Who?” and may even pass up your real-life tee time to get in an extra round on this PlayStation 2 classic.

Difficulty: 7

Control: 9

Visuals: 8

Sound: 9

Replayability: 9

Overall: 9.2