I am totally going to golf the night away!
One of the sports that I always adored in both Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort was Golf. The hidden depth of the game is what made it consistently fun alone or with friends. The rules of that game have not changed much, but every version made it more enjoyable and gave it neat extra touches. This is once again the case with Golf in Wii Sports Club.
Just like the other Wii Sports Golf entries before it, Golf features eighteen courses to play through. Nine of these are from the original Wii Sports, while the others are set in a new area called Lakeside. The variety of hazards will put your golfing skills to the test as you have to deal with expansive bodies of water, woods and the always annoying bunkers. These courses can be played locally or over an internet connection, as you can compete in Wii Sports Club's online mode. Locally you can play three, nine or eighteen holes, but online is set up in a different fashion. If you go for one or three holes, the selection will be hidden until the moment you start playing. This mysterious vibe makes it all the more exciting. If you want to go full in, you can also select nine holes, though be aware that it will take a while. You will be waiting on opponents to make a move, which can be somewhat annoying in the long run.
Out of three games thus far, Golf is the only one that uses the Wii U GamePad actively. The GamePad works in conjunction with the television and the Wii Remote Plus for a more immersive experience. While holding the Remote downward for your starting stance, you align yourself behind the GamePad. By looking at the screen, you can have a better view of how you are currently moving and how you should adjust yourself for the perfect performance. You can't cheat and have to purely focus on your skills, which add to the enjoyment value here. Swings have more of an impact, which makes the courses a stronger romp through the sport.
Just like the previous two sports, Golf offers three unique Skill Shaper games to add some value to the package. With Putter Madness, you are on a field filled with putting chances. The trick is to tackle the ones that are farthest away from your Mii, because these will score you the most points. Bingo Clubber sees you shooting balls at a bingo field and your score is determined by the numbers you land on.. Finally, there is Target Shooter where you aim your swings to hit balls onto a floating platform. By shooting a ball through a gate you rack up points which can be multiplied if you hit a certain spot on the platform. If you take too long, the range of the gate will become higher and the amount of point will diminish. All of these are tricky, but serve as fun variations on the concept and will certainly test your skills. It is a bit of a shame that Bingo Clubber can't be played competitively, as I think it could be made to work with multiple people.
Wii Sports Club: Golf is the best Wii Sports Club release so far, purely based on its improvements to the original. The online multiplayer adds value to the venture, in particular if you are playing short matches. Nine hole matches canbe a drag sometimes while you wait endlessly for your turn. The control refinements use the Wii U GamePad in simple yet effective ways, which makes the experience as a whole feel more exciting. Many were waiting for this sport to be released and Nintendo made it well worth the wait.