Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds review

Makes Tiger feel below par

GamesRadar+ Verdict

Pros

  • +

    Plenty of courses

  • +

    Excellent character design

  • +

    Controls are simple

  • +

    fun

Cons

  • -

    No real "realism" to be had

  • -

    Can't use unlocked outfits in single-player

  • -

    Botching that easy put - c'mon!

Why you can trust GamesRadar+ Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about our reviews policy.

Realism is the bunker of next-gen gaming. Easy to hit, but restrictive and slightly depressing - so it’s refreshing to come across a title that bucks the trend. While MotorStorm and GTA IV digitally recreate real-world visuals - with pin-sharp crisp packets and grimly accurate mud physics - Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds raises a smile with beautiful cartoon characters in a saccharine-sweet universe.

There’s a highly addictive game here that steers clear of Tiger Woods’ seriousness, but is just as in-depth. The characters look gorgeous and the selection of courses are packed with delightful sights and strange activity. Pan the camera around with the right stick and you’ll see tiny birds zipping across greens, cheeky little ladybirds taking a break on your stationary ball and even a family of ducklings paddling through the lovely, sun-licked water. Nice, eh? These are cosmetic instances, sure, but this would be a pretty drab affair without these cute touches.

If you’ve ever played HSG on PS2 or PSP, you’ll feel instantly at ease here. The process of tapping once to start the swing, then again to set the power and once more to measure the accuracy is still as simple as ever. However, there’s a new way of whacking the ball too, if you choose to use it. Rather than having to stop a bar that charges from 0 to 100% and back again, you get a transparent club floating at the top of your golfer’s swing that represents full power. Swing your club upwards to set said power, and a shrinking circle appears around your ball - the closer you stop it to being exactly around its circumference, the more accurate the shot.

OK, it’s pretty confusing at first but you’ll warm to it after a few attempts - you have to judge your shots more carefully, so when you do it right you feel like part of the golfing elite.

As always, there are plenty of extra challenges to get sucked into - like a mode that scores you by how stylish your play is (getting to the green in one earns mega-points, for instance) rather than simply asking you to win in as few strokes as possible - but unlike previous versions, none of your unlocked outfits can be used to dress up your golfer. At least, not your single-player golfer. Inexplicably, you can only use these clothes to dress your online avatar, and then trot around cute-looking lobbies.

There’s something therapeutic about Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds’ playful music, lush graphics and easy to grasp but difficult to master gameplay. It’s the perfect game for a rainy weekend and is exactly the sort of game we want to see on PS3 - enjoyable, uncomplicated and cuter than a kitten in a bib.

Mar 18, 2008

More info

GenreSports
DescriptionGet your golf fix and your daily dose of cute - the game delivers on both fronts.
Platform"PS3"
US censor rating"Everyone"
UK censor rating""
Release date1 January 1970 (US), 1 January 1970 (UK)
More
CATEGORIES
Nathan Irvine
Hi, I’m Nathan. You may remember me from such websites as, erm, this one circa 2011. Been hustling in games for over a decade and write for Official PlayStation, Official Xbox, Gamesmaster and more.
Latest in Sports
FC 25
FC 25 Season 6 Ladder Players list and how to unlock them all
WWE 2K25
WWE 2K25 locker codes guide to free MyFaction cards
Skate 4
The Skate reboot isn't even out yet, but it already has an EA specialty: microtransactions
Umaga is a key player in The Bloodline Showcase
How to unlock all wrestlers in WWE 2K25
FC 25
FC 25 FUT Birthday guide and full cards list
WWE 2K25
WWE 2K25 review: "A colossal package even if you never go anywhere near Virtual Currency"
Latest in Reviews
HeroQuest box, models, tokens, board, and cards on a wooden table
HeroQuest review: "The grandaddy of dungeon crawlers"
A reviewer turning the modules of the Turtle Beach Stealth Pivot
Turtle Beach Stealth Pivot review: “Its novel concept of a spinning, modular design is hamstrung by its lack of options”
Razer USB 4 Dock in silver on a wooden desk
Razer USB 4 Dock review: "solid, reliable, and surprisingly well-priced"
Lenovo Legion Go S with FlyKnight gameplay on screen featuring player character holding bow and arrow with enemy ant in backdrop.
Lenovo Legion Go S Windows 11 review: “my heart aches for this mixed up handheld”
Talisman 5th Edition game components
Talisman 5th Edition review: "The characterful imperfections of the original game remain clear to see "
WWE 2K25
WWE 2K25 review: "A colossal package even if you never go anywhere near Virtual Currency"