Tiger Woods PGA Tour 06

Tweaking his stroke mechanics seemed to help Tiger Woods in real life, can it help him in his video game? There's only one way to find out.

Through five console iterations and more sugarcoating than a Krispy Kreme donut, EA has finally made some actual changes in the final current-generation installment of the Tiger Woods franchise. It is still far from revolutionary, but Tiger Woods PGA Tour '06 is the virtual golfer's best bet for a realistic round out on the links.

The Fundamentals
To many, Tiger '05 was a disappointment. Gameplay remained unchanged while new features like Tiger Vision (the ability to sink any putt) made the most frustrating sport in the world easier than miniature golf. With Tiger 06, the basic swing has been retooled and the option of choosing ball trajectory with the right analog Shape Stick has been added. This lets the golfer play a variety of shot types (draws, fades, etc.) by holding the right analog stick accordingly during a swing. It emulates a more realistic swing, though the option to use mid-air spin is still available, despite its unrealistic nature. The menu interface has also undergone a redesign, is easier to navigate and loads faster, especially on the PS2. Unfortunately, game saves are still a trying three-step process.

Practice Your Short Game
This year, the putting mechanic has been completely overhauled. Gone are the Caddy Tips and generally unreadable green surfaces. In their place is a new system that combines the token Tiger analog swing with a readable green grid a la Hot Shots Golf--study the sloping grid lines and gauge your putt strength by pulling back appropriately on the left analog stick. Putting is harder, but much more rewarding--an Ideal Putt Camera helps with gauging potential break on difficult putts.

Tiger 06 has a ludicrous amount to do including the '06 PGA Tour season, daily real-time Calendar events, Skills Golf (extra points for hitting through colored rings) and Rival Mode, a single-player career that tests your ranking against golf legends old and new. Money is used solely for purchasing new gear, while separate experience points are now awarded for skill upgrades. Minus points for adding a golf Gamebreaker, and Xbox custom soundtrack support for in-game play would have been nice. Bummer.

KEY MOMENT: Dropping a 164-yard ace on the 17th at Reflection Bay.

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