Fantasy Golf Pangya
Ages: Everyone 10+

I guess we should recuse ourselves - nobody here has played golf. Miniature golf is all we've got under our belts but I was taken in by the word "Fantasy" and the very cute girl on the box cover. Pangya in Korean means "bang" (Wikipedia - PangYa) which also is a clue on how to pronounce it, and every time you hit the ball within the white accuracy spot the word fills the screen along with cheers from the crowd. It's a happy place.

The story begins with two earthlings being transported by the Time Fairy to the fantasy land of Pangya to play what looks surprisingly like golf. Only the denizens of this land don't call it golf - it is a celebration to honor an heroic feat by an ancient who saved the land by using his lance to hit an Aztec into a hole that was draining the energy of the planet.

Story is here. In Story Mode, you play against many strange characters from the obnoxious to the cute, with their own tales that entwine between playing golf. You have to play all the characters to complete the game. Tour Mode requires players to complete various skill-based objectives to earn a license to play in new tournaments and Network is where all eight (or fewer) characters take shots at the same time.

There is a clear division between the early easy play and the more advanced game that’s not made clear in the instructions. This results in trying to apply techniques that are not used until later in the game - to cope with such things as course topography, wind direction and use of clubs. Clubs - now that's a problem for golf newbies. Shoulder buttons scroll through club selection as a gauge indicates changing distance - totally confusing and not needed until the more advanced section.

My advice is just get into the game. Press X when at the start of the swing, press X as the slider on the Power Gauge reaches the end and press X again when on the way back when the slider is in the white spot - Pangya! Three X button presses and you're playing the game. Save the Backspin and the Tomahawk for later and meanwhile enjoy the unusual players in the Story Mode. After playing through 18 players, 9 fantasy courses include playing on volcanic ash and ice, you will learn a little bit more about what par means, the relationship between loft and distance and what constitutes a fairway. You might even get a used set of clubs and take up golf.

Fun Factor: A pleasant mix between story and sport.
Female Factor: Many cute females. Mostly bikini-like clothing selection.
Player Friendly: Instruction needs to be simplified for beginning golfers.

Reviewed by: Gen Katz, Editor - 07/09