I am a huge fan of multiplayer games, Party Golf delivers a fantastic experience on the Nintendo Switch (enhanced with Joy-Cons) and can be used by up to 8 players in a crazy, chaotic race to get your ball into the hole as quick as possible. The fun thing about this game is that it quickly turns chaotic with all the balls and lines filling the screen and results in an intense multiplayer party experience that has become the staple on my Switch console and any unnerving guest who enters my house.
The graphics are 2D and fairly simple and spectacularly burst with different colours which shine against the black background. Control wise you use the analog stick and the A button to aim and shoot your ball while trying to reach the goal and avoiding any of the bumps along the way. As the game is in 2D there are no turns or screen loading so getting your first shot perfectly right is definitely the way to win.
Each level has random generation with some truly terrifying hard to reach areas. This is the part of the game that really sold it for me. Nothing was ever the same and having a new challenge everytime a new level appears keeps the game moving. There are points in the game where there are really narrow passages and as each ball bounces off each other, this is also a strategic factor that added to the fun of the game. Customisation is also a big factor in this game, you can make all kinds of modifications and rules as you play through and while this is a fun part I would definitely recommend playing through the set rules on your first few turns to get a grip on the game first.
Graphically the game works perfectly on the switch, there were not any noticeable bugs or frame rate drops in any of my game sessions in both handheld and docked mode. The level of detail in the colouring and the size of the ball adds to the effective gameplay. The music and sound effects are simple and effective and reminded me a lot of Pong (yes it is the one you are thinking about!) This is meant as an absolute compliment to this well delivered game.
If you are finding yourself alone and looking for a single player experience, you can definitely count on this game to deliver. There are quite a few AI modes to play through as well as Trials which takes you through 12 different categories. These are reflected in a leaderboard so you have motivation to keep trying and upping your game in conjunction with the limitations the game puts on you with limiting the amount of balls you can use and different difficult goals.
Party Golf is a simple and fun golf game, it can be as easy or intense as you want it to be and by providing a ton of customisation options there is no shortage of fun to be had in both single player and multiplayer mode. This game is the perfect accompaniment for the Nintendo Switch console and everytime I have played with different friends in multiplayer mode I have had an absolute blast. If you love multiplayer party games that can also double as an entertaining single player experience then this is the perfect game for you. I have had such a great time with this game and I look forward to many more hours spend in this crazy and beautiful golfing world.
Review by Alaisdair Leith
