Golf Blitz review - "Some of the best multiplayer that mobile gaming has to offer"

The very best multiplayer games thrive on cruelty. You might not remember every victory, but you'll definitely remember those last-second reversals of fortune - those moments when another player steals victory from your clutches. And that's something that Golf Blitz delivers at almost every turn.

It's a fine line to walk, but the simplicity of the play, and the extra layer of strategy that comes from the cards you can play to boost your shoots, combine to create something that's really rather special. This isn't just a slick, entertaining game, it's one that's going to stick in your brain in all of the right ways.

Throw in character customisation, some brilliantly designed courses, and the assuredness of the Stickman Golf series, and you're left with one of the best multiplayer games that mobile gaming has to offer.

Fore-four

The game sees you playing as a golfer in a side-on four way battle to the hole. You all start off on the same tee, and then it's up to you to figure out how to get the ball in that little hole. That's obviously easier said than done though, especially since there are three other people trying to do the same.

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When it's time for a shot a golf ball appears on the screen. Press and drag on that to aim your shot, and then release to let fly. You've also got power boosts - those speed up the time between shots, add some heft to your thwack, and give a variety of other buffs as you unlock more.

The thing is though, everyone else is mashing their ball around at the same time. Ricochets are commonplace, and it's possible to hammer a putt so hard you push another player out of the way. Sending their ball wobbling into a water hazard is a particular joy.

Sometimes it happens to you, sometimes you're the one doing the mashing. It's infuriating and exciting in equal measure. When all four players are on the green it becomes a weird game of cat and mouse - you want to putt, but you don't want to get thwarted. Take your chance or wait and see? Sometimes one works, sometimes the other.

But the levels here are so small it doesn't matter so much if you lose one, because you're going to be fighting fit again within a handful of seconds. There's a win counter in multiplayer matches, and the first person to fill it is the victor. One second place finish isn't the end of the world, and the chaotic nature of the game can see back markers racing to the front in just a couple of rounds.

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You'll get rewards for finishing second, and there are chests for getting stars as well. There's always something new to unlock, and unlocking gear adds to your XP, which lets you make your golfer even better.

Fore-play

Golf Blitz fizzes with the best kind of multiplayer fun. Every game you play you're on the edge of victory. Every game you play you're on the edge of defeat. That balance is spectacular, and it means there's something to play for every time you load up and get stuck in.

The Stickman Golf name might be gone, but there's the same level of quality here. This is, put simply, the most fun you can have with some digital clubs on your mobile phone, and you should pick it up right this second.

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