The creators of Zen Pinball are at it again, with another classic game we all love to hate: miniature golf!  With an excess of 140 holes to play in four different locations, Planet Minigolf provides hours of gameplay in a convenient downloadable format on PSN.

Gameplay

In each location, there are four levels:  Warm-Up, Pro, Extreme and Wacky.  Each level is more trying than the last and can only be unlocked after defeating the previous level at the top ranking.  Most of the Warm-Up level holes are pretty straightforward but every so often, the creators throw in a hill, the most dreaded of minigolf obstacles.  Unless you hit it with just the right amount of force, it will either not make it up or make it up and over to the other side, making you try again.  Going forward to other levels, there are holes to jump over, ferris wheels to roll underneath and pipes to be used at just the right angle – everything a good mini golf course should be.

The game does a good job of matching the roll of the ball with the surface it's being played on.  Wooden or otherwise rickety surfaces don't allow balls to move as far, making you hit the ball harder in order to go the same distance as smooth surfaces.  There's an "ice" level, which really makes ball play tricky – in the same way that things going across broken surfaces need to be hit harder, the ice level forces you to ease up quite a bit on your stroke.  One problem I had with hitting is that it doesn't give you an indication of how hard you're hitting the ball.  This leaves you with a guessing game until you really start to get the hang of it – and even then, it often changes because of the aforementioned surface changes.  Once you play for a while, it will become more comfortable and easier to gauge.

For those who want to play with friends, there are both online and offline multiplayer modes for up to six people.  Also, for those who are really proud of their game, saved replays can be uploaded to YouTube so Grandma Betty can witness how well you're managing your time in college.

Audio/Video

 Upon starting the game for the first time, I immediately noticed the music.  Modern and lighthearted, it gave me a great first impression.  Unlike most games of this nature, I never got sick of the background music.  It changed depending on your location and was cool enough to continually notice it throughout gameplay.

The graphics are pretty colorful and fun – they definitely kept the feel of the whimsical part of mini golf intact.  There were a few anomalies – random walls disappearing and occasionally odd camera angles, but no deal breakers for this player.

I would suggest playing without the commentary because honestly, it offers nothing great to the game and is fairly obnoxious – it just adds to the feel of it being a golf game, but it's unnecessary.  Mini golf can be a maddening game and often turns oddly competitive, so running commentary like, "I don't think she thought she'd be THIS far behind!" is along the same line of your buddies making fun of you for hitting your ball into the waterfall for the third time at a real course.

Overall

If Zen Studios was attempting to make their game as club-throwingly frustrating as real-life miniature golf, they certainly accomplished their goal.  Considering the increasing difficulties and the cheeky commentator, I imagine that's exactly what they were trying to do and I loved it.  Sure, I occasionally had to turn it off and smother my screams into a pillow, but it was addicting and it wasn't long before I was back at it.  The game appeals to that crazy side of you (just me?  Really?) who just HAS to keep trying until that shot is sunk in three strokes or less (so you get a par instead of a bogey).

At $9.99 for the download, Planet Minigolf is worth the cash.  There's plenty to do within the game, and while the courses don't change no matter how many times you play, this is a game you'll want to come back just for fun.  Head to the PSN now and download your copy!

ComicsOnline gives Planet Minigolf 4 out of 5 out of bounds golf balls.

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