Topgolf is a global sports entertainment company that just opened its first location in North America. This new three-story, 65,000 square foot facility on the Las Vegas strip features 102 hitting bays and 1,500 balls to hit per hour. Players can use cognitive skills such as memory, focus, and thinking ahead while swinging at one of a variety of targets ranging from a simple golf ball to a windmill or giant beer mug! With so many ways to sink your shot, you’ll be desperate for another go before you’ve even made half of them.
Although Topgolf offers more than just microtransactions for high scores it does have its own currency system called “GolfBux”. They are earned by playing the game and used to unlock new locations, balls, and other features. You can also purchase additional GolfBux using real money if you are impatient or just want more without putting in any effort. If this was not present players would get to keep all of their hard-earned shots for self-satisfaction only which is always nice!
As far as graphics go there isn’t much I could complain about on this device. Shots feel smooth when hit correctly with good ball physics to match, the 3D grass animation looks alright, and everything runs at a solid 60 FPS. That being said it’s fairly average for an Oculus Quest title so expect similar results from any future titles coming out for this headset.
The actual putting itself feels somewhat like a watered-down version of real-life putting. Target distances are arbitrary and there is no ball physics to factor in which makes the game much easier than it should be. It would have been nice to see some sort of system similar to what they used on Wii Sports for this game since that was actually fairly fun! For now, you can expect all putts to go straight until the last second where they either curve directly left/right or fade slightly depending on how hard you hit it. Still, if my house wasn’t flooded I’d definitely come back for another round tomorrow so that has to say something about Topgolf’s potential staying power right?
The setting itself is also very well polished with high-quality audio and vibrant visuals. The sound of hitting a ball whether it’s an accurate shot or if you shank right next to the cup is very satisfying. I was also impressed with the level of detail within each bay including golf clubs hanging up, crystal trophies, and cleat marks in the grass. These added touches helped make this game feel more complete rather than just another half-assed attempt at making money off of a new trend.
Overall Topgolf is decently fun but could use some tweaks here and there before it can really go above and beyond expectations for something that has been out for less than two months. It provides players with enough depth to keep them entertained for hours on end even if it is not always the most competitive gameplay. Hopefully, future updates will bring in some drastic changes to make this game feel even more like what it’s supposed to be.
Gameplay 3/5 – Has depth but needs more mechanics for competitive play Graphics 2.5/5 – Average, could easily become 5/5 with minor tweaks Sound 4/5 – Satisfying “thunk” noise when your shot is accurate, unfortunately, no music Overall 3.2/5 – Nothing special yet but definitely has potential for the future!