Code provided with many thanks to Press Engine.
Golf with a Twist
Golfie is a new golf game that putts its way into Early Access, although it’s pretty different from your typical game of golf. This is a roguelike, deck-building card game where you putt around mini-golf courses (which in the UK we often call crazy golf). It feels like a combination of genres that wouldn’t work, but the developers of this title chose just the right clubs for the job as this is a ton of fun to play, and it’s only just entered Early Access. If you like your golf games with a party-like twist, then be sure to check this out.
Cards and Putting
Golfie begins with a simple pick up and play tutorial. Using the mouse, you simply click on your golf ball, drag backwards, observe a virtual arrow that gives you an idea of the ball’s trajectory, and then swing away. It would be a pretty straightforward 3D putting game if that was it. The added hook is before you take a shot, you draw cards, which will add extra effects to your golf ball or the environment. To start with, you have cards like power shot which increase the distance your ball will travel, lob to hit it higher and curve shot to knock it around tight angles.
Cards can be stacked, increasing their effect when added; your virtual arrow guide will increase in size to show you the effect it will have on your next shot. Each putt, you draw another round of cards. As you progress in the game, the cards start to become a lot wackier. You can add a jet pack to your golf ball to have it fly through the level in a set direction by holding down a key. You can place items on the level like magnets to attract your ball and platforms to spring it about. I was constantly surprised by what card would turn up over time.
A Run of Golf
On each hole, you have a set amount of swings to make, which is usually quite generous, allowing the player some wiggle room to explore the level a bit. You can collect coins to spend in vending machines for more coins or perks. You can also obtain these by knocking into crystals hidden around the levels, but sometimes, the risk of doing this may not be worth the reward. If you expire your swing limit, each putt will drain your health by one bar. If your health totally expires, your run is over, and it’s back to the beginning for another try.
You can also compare your performance to other players on the leaderboard if you fancy. The developers clearly wanted to create a game that puts a smile on the players’ faces and just have a bit of fun, which was certainly achieved during my time with the game. The game offers controller support, but this appears to be a work in progress in the Early Access stage.
The graphics are cute and family-friendly, with lots of colour to the courses and general positivity with its upbeat soundtrack. The best feature is observing your golf balls’ different virtual facial expressions between levels. As for levels, they come in a variety of themed courses like Japanese style gardens, dungeons, seaside and so on. Courses appear to be pre-made, but the order they present to the player is randomly generated. When you complete a level, you get to pick which level to travel to next, adding extra variety to the gameplay.
A Very Positive First Impression
I haven’t had this much fun playing a golf game in quite a while. Golfie is a great little title to pick up, particularly if you’re a busy gamer with not a lot of free time. I often played one or two rounds before getting on with other work or responsibilities, and I felt like I always had a satisfying time. Each run attempt, you build up experience to level up, and when you do, more cards are unlocked to use in future runs.
As well as the main game, you can play a daily challenge mode or if you really want to make things more chilled, there is a free play mode, which removes the health meter and lets you just have a nice round of golf at a stress-free pace. The obvious omission at this stage is there is currently no multiplayer, but the good news is, it is on the way. If you decide to pick it up at this stage, you could consider playing a run each and provide some pointers as you observe your loved one playing.
At this early stage, Golfie has already left a very positive first impression on me. If the game is this good already, I’m very intrigued to see where the final product will lead. Additionally, Golfie looks to be a great pick up and play game for all audiences, which should hopefully provide smiles for anyone that wants to indulge in its courses.