What The Golf? Preview (Switch): Innovation
What The Golf? recently had a major update, and it renewed my interest in this madcap take on the sports genre, aimed at those who despise the game that is golf.
A sneaky peek at the eShop, and there’s a demo up for grabs, so, without messing about, I took it for a test run. Evidently, this is a bit of a spoof, so if you’re hoping to relive your days playing PGA, get out your corduroys and head for the local green – this is completely unconventional, utterly original.
What The Golf? plays out like a fairway version of WarioWare – it’s mental yet thoroughly enjoyable. With its flat, infographic like visuals, Triband’s game makes no hesitation in taking you on a round trip full of wordplay and puns.
From the outset, What The Golf? breaks the rules, chucked them in a bucket, set alight, and the remainder dipped in acid. All golf concepts are thus distant memories, and the rulebook is rewritten by someone with a sense of humour and a large box of crayons.
The fundamental goal of getting the ball in the hole remains, but the ball is frequently interchanged with other random objects. You’ll tee-off the ball for a hole in one, then as you swing on the next course, it’s the golf club you’re controlling, or perhaps a TV – how about 30+ balls all in one go?
What The Golf? is a party game through and through. Unlike some of those frustrating co-op titles, this is the sort of game where failure isn’t on the cards. Sure, you can cock up in some of the stages, but it’s not remotely frustrating – you’re laughing half the time.
You get a top-down view of a sizeable office-like space with numerous holes and flags (indicating a course) in the demo mode. These are essentially mini-games, and each time you complete them, they either unlock a new area or contribute to the progress.
While I wasn’t counting how long I was playing or the number of holes on offer, it was over far too quickly. Sure, there was a boss level which was perhaps the trickiest, but even on a scale of 1-10, 10 being impossible, it was about a 1 or 2. As they say, time flies when you’re having fun.
Based on the speed you can run through these levels, the recent update boasting 150 of them seems ideal and makes me want this game more. Each hole you play is different to the last. Triband are overflowing with innovative ideas.
In short, What The Golf? is a must if you have a sense of humour and like some quick-fire action. I’ll be purchasing this the moment I have some time to indulge.