Originally released on Switch in early 2019, Golf Peaks isn’t so much about the sport of golf as it is a puzzle game. Everything I said in my original Switch review still holds true here with the Xbox version only with Achievements added (I accidentally found a secret Achievement clicking through the Credits, which is a pretty cool Easter egg, in my embedded stream below).
Even if you do not know the different between a 5I and a PW, do not fear because there really isn’t much golfing in this game. Instead, the player selects cards from the bottom of the screen to guide the ball in the hole, almost mini-golf style. Each card moves the ball in a specific way. For example, one card might make the ball move one square, two squares, jump one square to the next tier, then perhaps jump a square and roll two squares… each stage has been purposely designed so each card must be used in a specific way. In other words, there is some trial and error required and some stages cleverly involve hitting the back backwards against a wall to move forward.
Golf Peaks is the definition of a casual puzzle game. There is no penalty for error. No leaderboards to climb. No AI to defeat in head-to-head mode. Just finish the puzzle and move to the next. The early stages are quite easy but the difficulty grows slightly with each passing set of stages. The pacing is spot on and there is an instant restart button if you quickly want to revert back to the beginning. There is no built-in hint feature but something like this is not really needed since each puzzle is never overly difficult. Plus, if you get stuck, YouTube is your friend.
The visuals, soundtrack, and overall presentation is calming and pleasant too, furthering the casual vibe. Even if you get stuck on a specific puzzle, it is hard to get mad at a game with such a laid back approach. The best part, this easy-going digital download only costs $5.
SCORE: 8/10
Also Play 7Levels/Afterburn’s Other Casual and Approachable Puzzle Game: Inbento
Not As Stressful Than: Tetris 99
Don’t Forget About: Kirby’s Dream Course (SNES)
By: Zachary Gasiorowski, Editor in Chief myGamer.com
Twitter: @ZackGaz
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