Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10

Rating: E

Score: 9.0/10

Tiger Woods is gearing up for another season of golf. Can a tiger change his stripes, or is this more or less the same game as last year? This game is available for the Playstation 2, Playstation 3, PSP, Nintendo WIi, and the Xbox 360. I didn’t know they still released games for the Playstation 2; I think it’s about time they let that system die out.

Well, it’d be a lie to say this game wasn’t a lot like its predecessor, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09. With baby steps for improvements, it’s certain that what wasn’t broken wasn’t fixed. Not a bad thing - as you might remember, I gave last year’s offering a great score of 9/10. Of course, you’re not going to spend $60-70 on a game you’ve already purchased last year,, so here’s the big change to bring you back: “The Weather Channel.”

What does it do? Well, it makes the game a fresher experience, that’s what! The Weather Channel (The same weather channel you watch on Cable) checks out the weather on the golf course you’re playing on, and matches the game’s weather to the current one. If it’s raining on the Oakmont Country Club, then you are going to be playing in the rain. Cool concept on paper, but what about actually playing? It’s more or less the same, so if you do some research online to see what course are nice, you can tell what courses make good golfing. A nice touch of simulation golf, a very nice touch indeed.

A nice new feature is the precise putting. That’s right, they made what I think is the most unpleasant part of golfing fun, or at least somewhat enjoyable. It’s exactly what it sounds like; putting made more precise to help the rather unpleasant task of getting the ball in the hole. Now those shots are closer than ever!

Online play returns, and serves the same purpose: To connect gamers online over a golf game. Maybe not the most competitive sport around, but it works. Leaderboards are up to rank you with the rest of the world, and there are daily tournaments. To get online through the Wii version though, they are using the new “Pay and Play”, where they charge you every time you play online. It’s kind of like Xbox Live, where you have to pay for online usage, but it has none of the perks of Xbox Live, so I fail to see why “Pay and Play” works effectively for the Wii.

Speaking of the Wii version, you’ll get almost a whole new game there. You have the “All Play” and the “WiiMotion Plus”. The All Play offers new easier difficulty for new players and shows exactly where the ball is going to go, including where it’s going to bounce. The WiiMotion Plus is an expansion for the Wii Remote that offers precise control using an added dual-axis angular rate sensor. What does that mean? That means the controls are much more precise, which seems like an amazing experience in itself, the perfect golf simulation. Too bad I don’t have the WiiMotion Plus, so unfortunately I can’t comment on how well it might work. It’s included in a bundle pack if you buy this game, though.

It’s not too different, but it’s different enough to be its own fairly unique experience. The Weather Channel adds a lot more than you might think and the precise putting helps your game a great deal. Let’s hope Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 can keep up next year.