Mini Golf Challenge by Vapor Trail Games, Price: $10.95
Reviewed October 2003 by Tony Peak

Mini Golf Challenge takes a decidedly different approach than most mini golf games on the Pocket PC today. Rather than the usual cartoon characters and goofy courses, Mini Golf Challenge is all about the game, the psychics, and the challenge of mastering the course. It's far more of a mini golf simulation than an arcade game, but is it actually any fun to play?

Well, that depends on taste. For the most part, Mini Golf Challenge delivers exactly what it promises. Accurate psychics, intelligent but "human" opponents (read: they make mistakes), and convincingly rendered ray traced graphics. While not without a few minor glitches, such as the ball rolling out of the cup but still counted as in, the engine is very solid and fun to play.

The graphics are rendered very well, but with far too little variety. If you love Astroturf, things look great. Anyone hoping for some landscape, however, will be completely out of luck. Even a few trees and shrubbery would have increased the visual appeal dramatically. Rocks, water, one will have plenty of time to do some mental landscaping while playing through the course.

If Mini Golf Challenge has one flaw, it's the lack of any real flair. The sounds are the standard putting clicks and clings, along with some canned crowd reaction. The first course, although both fun and challenging, could honestly be called uninspired. Sure, it could pass as a mini golf course easily enough, but so much more could have been done. The included course reminds me more of the old spring based plastic toy games, where one would try to spring the ball into the goal with enough pressure to avoid the pegs. A trip to the local Putt-Putt would give one enough material to fill three courses with interesting tricks, traps, and designs. How about multiple paths and/or goals? Tunnels, jumps, bridges… many ideas come to mind.

In the end, the included course is still quite fun and challenging. The cpu players give a good game, without being frustratingly perfect. There's plenty to like here, but little to love. Perhaps the game's saving grace then will be the promised free future course pack add-ons for registered users. With any luck we'll see some innovative course designs and be treated to some extra graphical frills.

Playing Hints and Tips

Remember that this is more of a mini golf simulation than an arcade game. Use skill and finesse to sink the ball not by luck, but by calculated strokes. Keep an eye out for useful geometry patterns, and if you’re really stuck then watch how the computer plays. Like real mini golf, keep a cool head and you should do fine.