SimGolf (Electronic Arts)

By PETER ELEY

(Herald rating: * * * * )

One golfer to another: "I've bought a new club." A driver?" "No, St Andrews."

Not the best golf joke, but a good lead-in to SimGolf, where you can buy a club of the 18-hole variety.

Just when it seemed we were simmed-out, along comes Electronic Arts with a new take on this enduring series.

SimGolf borrows strongly from The Sims and the earlier SimCity games, but the presence of Civilisation's Sid Meier on the development team has given the concept fresh legs.

The game starts just as you would expect. You start in charge of a new golf resort built on a bare plot of land.

All you have is small amount of capital, a clubhouse and a pro, Gary Golf. From here, you have to design holes, place scenery, attract members and organise money-spinning events such as pro-ams.

Graphics have come a long way from the early Sim games, and your course has a 3-D feel, although you still build it in tiled blocks.

As soon as the first hole is finished, golfers appear and start hitting balls. It's great fun, but your sims need to be kept happy with compliant caddies and a bar at the 18th. This is standard sim fare, but SimGolf has a few tricks in the bag. For example, after a certain point attracting filthy rich members becomes a priority.

They will buy big and badly designed homes adjoining the fairways, boosting your profits to the point where you can buy and develop other courses.

PC All ages

*peter_eley@nzherald.co.nz