The Best Vaulue Golf Game for a Fiver ($7-50)

Wow, a golf game with 21 full courses on it, thats not too old, and will only set you back a skin diver? Surely it cann't be true? Well believe me it is. Although the box says Links LS classic it really is Links 2000 with the added bonus of 21 courses in the shape of an add on disk. All you golf fans are in for a real treat. The only problem you'll have is deciding which stunning course to play.

SETUP

Links classic easilly installs, unlike earlier versions of Links Ls which needed to be totally configured for your PC. Setting up your preferences is straightforward enough, though somewhat lengthy. Once it's done you can head off for the tee, but beware, before you embark on a full round try each swing method first to see which best sits you. I chose Easy swing, - just point the mouse where you want to aim for and then it's a single click and you're away. No more hooking or slicing. You can also choose between 2 or 3 click, and a 'power swing' which is basically the same as Headgates true swing which they used on Sierra's PGA Pro sweries, and also for the later Tiger Woods editions. (early tiger woods versions, although by Headgate for EA used a different method of natural swing which didn't really work well. 30 yard drives meant you used 3 click). However Links 2000's power swing isn't real time, so as you pull back the mouse and move it forwards then you have to wait before the golfer swings. Thus the practise swing method golfers use of moving the club back and fro several times can't be done in Links but can be achieved with Sierra's PGA or later Tiger Wood's games from 2002 onwards.

GRAPHICS

Coming from Access, (now owned by Mr Gates' Mob) means stunning graphics. Right back as far as the brilliant Links 386 which was one of the first EVER svga games the graphics have always been top notch. Back then Links outgraphic-ed EA's Pga tour, and Links still does today. In fact If you look at the screenshots of Links 2002 and 2003 you'll actually think that they're on course photo's and not a game. This version of Links isn't that far behind. But what with LS 2003 costing over 30 of those golden pound coins, and having less courses than this well it's no contest. One sad note about the graphics is that some of the menu screens where you set up your golfer appear to have not been updated since Links LS in 1996, and even those looked similar to the meus on links 386. But hey, the games only a fiver, and you do get 21 courses and a course designer. The course graphics are so good you'll see aircraft and balloons flying overhead, and you can choose to add tournament objects like leaderboards and grandstands, though these objects are not as realistic as you might expect from a Links game. There's several golfer animations to choose from, and even the old timer Arnold Palmer is there (along with three courses he actually owns so I believe) from which the LS is derived - Legends in Sport - now you know.

COURSES

21 courses is a lot to choose from, and most of the old links 386CD add on courses that Eidos released on it's Kixx label a while ago, are here, plus several others from previous versions of Links LS. The newer courses are marked 2000, and the rest just Ls, even the ones from Links 386. But they all look superb. And it will let you go up to a whacking great resolution of 1600 x 1200 if your graphics card will take it. Although mine will, alas my monitor won't, so its 1024 x 768 for me. One gripe I have is that my old Links 386 courses will not convert to this game. Even though there's a convertor for links 386 courses in the game it doesn't work. It finds them on the cd but won't convert, even if you put it on the hard drive, which is a shame as although the graphics aren't as good as the modern courses, they do transfer to the original links Ls very well indeed. Owning A Ge-force graphics card which is not vesa complient has meant I haven't tried installing links LS on my current system and converting them so they'll run on the Ls 2000. Also there's a distinct lack of by-flies,(sorry flybys) with the gameClicking for a flyby just does brings up a still of the 0verheafd view with advice on playing the hole. Whether its because the classic version left them off to save space to fit 21 courses on I don't know, but it's probably that. Oh and flyby's are not converted on Links 386 courses either, which is a shame as they were a lot better than the flybys qwith Links LS. Another gripe is that Microsoft seem to have deliberately missed out the more expensive Links ls add ons (like Davies Love at Sea Island which cost £20 for the one add on course alone). Also, severa of the Links 2000 courses are missing like the rwo St. Andrews courses (old and new)which is a shame, as it would have been nice to play them.

GAMEPLAY

Whichever swing mode yoiu xchoose its easy to get on the green in two. Admittedly, the 2 and 3 click modes are harder, and the powerbar moves faster, but easy swing is an absolute doddle. Aim and click, and thats it. Putting is straightforward, though theres no aiming meter to guide you like there is in tiger woods showing which way the ball would go. All you had to do was mirror it and get the power right and you were in. Although Ls 2000 is easier to put than the original Ls it means those long birdie putts are harder to sink. Whilst I've had 14 under with EA's PGA PRO, I've only been about 4 or 5 under on LINKS 2000. This makes it more challenging, but the easy swing makes birdies on the par 5's a real possibility. There's one gameplay glitch though. If you decide to putt from the fringe as you often do in real golf, the first putt only goes an inch or so, no matter how hard you hit it. If you take a mulligan, then the second putt is performed as to how you aimed and powered it.

SOUNDS

As with all Links versions, the sounds are kept well in keeping with the game, and as such are a little laid back, unless you sink a long putt or birdie. One dissapointment from Links Ls onwards was the dropping of the comedy commentarys (there were 2) from Bobcat Goldthwait (Bobcat who?) a 'Famous' American (that explains why we've never heard of him over here). It should have been an option on all Links versions, but sadly isn't and I haven't figured a way of getting the game to accept it yet.

COURSE DESIGNER
I've never come across an easy course designer yet though the Jack Nicklaus one - (the first ever designer to ship with a game)is about the easiest you'll find. All the modern ones I've tried are diffuicult to get used to, and being a golf nut i've tried Sierra's, Tiger Woods', and this one (as well as the ancient vga Nicklaus one)and none are easy. Courses seem to come out with perfectly flat greens, or too bumpy - with mountain like steep faces leading to the green. It's fair to say that whatever golf game you play, usinng the course designer needs lots of practice. And I was so looking forward to playing those 700 yard par 6's.

VERDICT.

Alltogether. Links LS Classic is a very accomplished game. Whilst its now almost 3 years old, out on the course it doesn't show.It's a classy game with lots going for it, not least the sheer volume of courses. At only a fiver, no golf game can touch it for sheer longevity of play. With 21 course (oops I've said it again haven't I?) ypu'll never get bored playing the same courses over and over. This can be a drawback as you never play the same course long enough tpo know how to play it well enough to go round under par every time. But hey, for the price, it's the only golf game you'll ever need.