Review Information
Reviewer Name: Tony Wilkins
Game Difficulty: Medium
Difficulty Options: False
Game Information
Full Title: Putt & Putter
Year Released: 1992
Game Type: Puzzle
Max Players: 2
Introduction


There are so many descriptions of this game online that it seems nobody knows quite what to make of it but in a nutshell its the craziest game of mini-golf you will ever play combined with a pinch of pinball.
Gameplay
Fans of golf games will be familiar with the way you play Putt & Putter. You put the ball down on a starting pad, pick a direction and select enough power with which to send it on its way. The objective is to get the ball in to the hole on each stage in as few a moves as possible, ideally under a set amount known as the Par. Go over Par and you lose a few of your balls that you have for the next stage. Run out of balls and its Game Over. The challenge here is working out how to navigate your way through the obstacles and over the terrain in order to reach the hole. Conveyor belts, poles, giant playing cards, water hazards and pinball bumpers all stand in your way to make that objective all the more difficult. There are also bonus stages where nothing short of divine intervention will see you making that hole. It's challenging to say the least and you won't breeze through it on your first go but I will say that it has a very gradual increase in difficulty as you progress. If you come back to it every now and again the strategies needed for success become clearer. Complete the game and you are treated to an animation of an anthropomorphic Golf ball happily strolling across a green pasture as the credits play.
Graphics
Bright, sharp and crisp. It honestly reminds me of an Amiga game from the time. The only downside is that there is very little animation. The waves in the sea just sort of twitch back and fore but the conveyor belts look smooth. There's no indication that the ball is rolling or at least not that I can tell. I would have liked to have seen a man appear to take the shot but that's just being nit-picky. It's a mixed bag in this section.
Sound & Music
The music is very catchy and helps elevate the experience. You will probably be humming the theme tune in the main menu for an hour or two after you play it. The sound effects are a bit tinny sounding but its not distracting.
Controls
It's simple enough to learn your way around the controls. The key is learning how much power you need given the distance you need to go and whether or not you have to bounce off something or race across a conveyor belt which not only slows you down but changes your trajectory.
Replay Value
Scores
Gameplay
Graphics
Music & Sound
Controls
Replay Value
Up to about the halfway point the game is a lot of fun but after that it becomes a bit of a slog at times. While getting that ball in the hole under Par leaves you with a huge sense of accomplishment, mistakes are not tolerated in the slightest and this can be rage inducing and this in turn impacts on how much you want to play it again. However, get a few friends round to play in two-player mode and the game takes on a whole new persona. Making mistakes becomes the topic of friendly ridicule while driving up the competition factor and in that respect it does have a high replay value.
Conclusion
Best played with another person but if you want to challenge your problem-solving skills then this is the game for you. It should be used in maths lessons at school to teach about trajectories. Personally, I've never completed it but someone on YouTube has done a Let's Play of it where he completes the game scoring under Par on every single stage...ALL HAIL...ALL HAIL! I recommend it but I understand that it isn't for everyone.
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