Hot Shots Golf was released back in 1998, and I love with it for a few reasons. First, it was easy to pick up and play, while also being somewhat simplified compared to the PGA Tour Golf games on the SEGA Genesis. Second, the music really drew me in. Third, playing this game with a District Manager at FuncoLand in Springfield, Massachusetts while I was visiting one summer afternoon helped pave the way for me getting a job a few weeks later.
The early hook of Hot Shots Golf for me-- if you'll pardon a minor golf pun-- was the experience points system and how new courses were unlocked as I played. That gradual release of content added more replay value, as I wanted to open more courses and advance. In addition, the addictive loop of match play to unlock new characters also kept me in the game once I got into it.
Getting into it was pretty easy to start with, given the familiar three-click swing meter. Achieving the best timing for the most power and the most accurate shots definitely takes practice, but it's doable over time. It's worth noting that it's more forgiving on a CRT without input lag, as compared to re-releases for later consoles. Managing spin is also key to lower scores, and it's the easiest to do here. Later Hot Shots games added more complexity to spin.
The game's mini golf mode is also worth mentioning, as it helps players understand reading greens for break and speed. It's not the game's highlight, but it is fun to check out in order to grip the play mechanics before heading out to the links to compete. I do have to admit that I think I prefer the Ice Cream Mountain mini golf level in Rugrats: The Search For Reptar over this, but maybe that's because of the Rugrats presentation.
I didn't really know of Camelot, the game's developers, back in 1998. I know of the team now, thanks to its efforts for Nintendo character sports games like Mario Golf and Mario Tennis... but this was a relatively new team for me, so I really didn't have any expectations aside knowing that Sony Computer Entertainment America was publishing it as a first-party title. There was a streak when Camelot showed near-mastery of the genre, especially in its golf games for Nintendo handhelds-- specifically Mario Golf for the Game Boy Color and Mario Golf: Advance Tour for the Game Boy Advance, but results have been more mixed on consoles for me. I do like Mario Golf for the Nintendo 64, which is a natural progression from Hot Shots, and Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour for the Gamecube is solid. Mario Golf: Super Rush for Switch felt like a step back to me, relying more on gimmicks and less on the solid golf game that Camelot had been known for.
As for Hot Shots Golf, it was the first and last game in the series that Camelot developed before hooking up with Nintendo. Clap Hanz, comprised of ex-Camelot staff, would step in for the sequels... and I'll talk about the next game in a future installment.
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