Game Reviews

Pukka Golf

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| Pukka Golf
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Pukka Golf
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| Pukka Golf

Golf is a pretty tame sport (barring the one time I played the game in North Carolina and was followed from hole-to-hole by a sick opossum).

Mobile game developers have taken it upon themselves to punch up golf by adding crazy physics, vertical courses, and weird obstacles.

Pukka Golf by Kabot Lab is another physics-based golf game that should, at first glance, remind you of Noodlecake Studios's hugely successful Super Stickman Golf titles.

Don't judge a golf club by its head cover, though. Pukka Golf has a major difference that changes up the game, so to speak - you can hit the ball again as it soars through the air.

Playing Pukka Golf is a bit like playing Putt-Putt with a flying, teleporting Dragon Ball Z character.

Magic floating golf

Each round of Pukka Golf begins with a shot from the tee, which is performed by dragging your finger in the direction you'd like your ball to sail in (you can also change the settings to "pull back" the ball if your finger's muscle memory is entrenched in the Angry Birds games).

You release, and watch your ball fly away. Then, if you're so inclined, you can tap your ball and drag it in another direction to make it change course.

The ball keeps flying as you adjust its flight path, so foresight is vital for getting it into the hole under par.

Though it's fun to whack the ball around willy-nilly, it's not always the best course of action. Your ball instantly returns to its tee if it falls into a water hazard. Same goes for if it soars out of bounds (where presumably aliens get to study the object).

There are also goals you must meet in order to earn stars and unlock new levels. These include sinking the ball within a time limit, making par, and grabbing each level's hidden star.

Take your time

One of the best things about Pukka Golf is that you don't have to meet all three of a level's objectives in a single swoop. You can focus on one objective at a time, then go back and complete the others when you're up for it.

This varies up the gameplay and really lets you sit back and enjoy the fun of hitting a ball mid-air.

When you strive to meet a time limit you need to study the course for the shortest route to the hole and use each obstacle (including ice, exploding crates, and bouncy purple stuff) accordingly.

When you attempt to grab an out-of-the-way star, you need to learn how to make multiple shots around ball-killing hazards.

Given the complexity of Pukka Golf's courses and goals, an option to preview the course before starting would be boss. Some kind of multiplayer option would be nice, too.

But in its current form, Pukka Golf is one of the most polished and enjoyable physics-based golf games available on any digital marketplace.

Pukka Golf

Pukka Golf adds a unique and enjoyable spin on physics-based golf games by letting you take shots from the air. Take that, gravity
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