PGA Tour 96
Encyclopedia
PGA Tour 96 is a 1995 sports video game originally released for Sega Genesis, Sony PlayStation and 3DO
then ported on Super Nintendo Entertainment System
, Game Gear and Game Boy
.
season. The game features many professional golfing stars and various modes from stroke play
to match play
and even tournament mode. Golf club
s are assigned automatically by the caddy
as the computer
deems suitable for every lie and every situation.
In the Genesis version there are two courses as standard, Spyglass Hill Golf Course
and the TPC at River Highlands
. The realism is quite advanced, especially in the Tournament Mode, where one can complete in a 72 hole tournament with famous golfers on the PGA tour (of 1995). The swing is based on the 3 click method with the professional setting being the hardest and fastest. Other difficulty settings include removing the caddie distance to pin advice and the use of the waggle which can make you hit it fat or thin. The settings for the weather and course conditions can add further to the difficulty, where "fast greens" and "windy" provide the most challenge. It is possible to draw, fade, and to backspin the ball as well as to hook and slice. However one slight bug is that when hooking, the ball goes farther and has enormous overspin. This means one can get drives in the region of 380 yards with dry fairways with a large hook. Another issue is when one it tied for the lead at the end of the tournament, the human player always wins and the opponent's score is reduced by one shot but there is not much one can do about that except to store swing animations of all professionals in the tournament.
The interface is good with pleasant music, and videos of the courses and for winning trophies, along with flybys with commentary. The par 4, 16th hole on the Spyglass Hill golf course is particularly difficult and is known to be one of the most difficult in the world. It is 462 yards, dogleg right, uphill, raised and hard sloping back to front green. On the TPC at Avenel, the par 3, 17th is particularly difficult with fast greens and when the pin is located at the top right part of the green where water is directly in front about 10 yards from the pin. Multiplayer is possible with up to 4 players and one can play as a new player or as one of the professionals such as Lee Janzen
, Tom Kite
, Peter Jacobsen
and Fuzzy Zoeller
.
3DO Interactive Multiplayer
The 3DO Interactive Multiplayer is a video game console originally produced by Panasonic in 1993. Further renditions of the hardware were released in 1994 by Sanyo and Goldstar. The consoles were manufactured according to specifications created by The 3DO Company, and were originally designed by...
then ported on Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
, Game Gear and Game Boy
Game Boy
The , is an 8-bit handheld video game device developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was released in Japan on , in North America in , and in Europe on...
.
Summary
It takes place during the 1995 PGA TourPGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
season. The game features many professional golfing stars and various modes from stroke play
Stroke play
Stroke play, also known as medal play, is a scoring system in the sport of golf. It involves counting the total number of strokes taken on each hole during a given round, or series of rounds...
to match play
Match play
Match play is a scoring system for golf in which a player, or team, earns a point for each hole in which they have bested their opponents; this is as opposed to stroke play, in which the total number of strokes is counted over one or more rounds of 18 holes...
and even tournament mode. Golf club
Golf club (equipment)
A golf club is used to hit a golf ball in a game of golf. Each club is composed of a shaft with a grip and a clubhead. Woods are mainly used for long-distance fairway or tee shots; irons, the most versatile class, are used for a variety of shots; Hybrids that combine design elements of woods and...
s are assigned automatically by the caddy
Caddy
In golf, a caddy is the person who carries a player's bag and clubs, and gives insightful advice and moral support. A good caddy is aware of the challenges and obstacles of the golf course being played, along with the best strategy in playing it. This includes knowing overall yardage, pin...
as the computer
Game artificial intelligence
Game artificial intelligence refers to techniques used in computer and video games to produce the illusion of intelligence in the behavior of non-player characters . The techniques used typically draw upon existing methods from the field of artificial intelligence...
deems suitable for every lie and every situation.
In the Genesis version there are two courses as standard, Spyglass Hill Golf Course
Spyglass Hill Golf Course
The Spyglass Hill Golf Course, also known as "the Glass", is a golf course located on the Monterey Peninsula in California, United States. The course is part of the Pebble Beach Company, which also owns the Pebble Beach Golf Links, The Links at Spanish Bay, and the Del Monte Golf Course.Spyglass...
and the TPC at River Highlands
TPC at River Highlands
TPC River Highlands, formerly Middletown Golf Club , Edgewood Country Club , then the TPC of Connecticut , is a private golf club located in Cromwell, Connecticut which is a part of the Tournament Players Club network operated by the PGA Tour...
. The realism is quite advanced, especially in the Tournament Mode, where one can complete in a 72 hole tournament with famous golfers on the PGA tour (of 1995). The swing is based on the 3 click method with the professional setting being the hardest and fastest. Other difficulty settings include removing the caddie distance to pin advice and the use of the waggle which can make you hit it fat or thin. The settings for the weather and course conditions can add further to the difficulty, where "fast greens" and "windy" provide the most challenge. It is possible to draw, fade, and to backspin the ball as well as to hook and slice. However one slight bug is that when hooking, the ball goes farther and has enormous overspin. This means one can get drives in the region of 380 yards with dry fairways with a large hook. Another issue is when one it tied for the lead at the end of the tournament, the human player always wins and the opponent's score is reduced by one shot but there is not much one can do about that except to store swing animations of all professionals in the tournament.
The interface is good with pleasant music, and videos of the courses and for winning trophies, along with flybys with commentary. The par 4, 16th hole on the Spyglass Hill golf course is particularly difficult and is known to be one of the most difficult in the world. It is 462 yards, dogleg right, uphill, raised and hard sloping back to front green. On the TPC at Avenel, the par 3, 17th is particularly difficult with fast greens and when the pin is located at the top right part of the green where water is directly in front about 10 yards from the pin. Multiplayer is possible with up to 4 players and one can play as a new player or as one of the professionals such as Lee Janzen
Lee Janzen
Lee McLeod Janzen is an American golfer who is best known for twice winning the U.S. Open, in 1993 and 1998.-Early years and amateur career:...
, Tom Kite
Tom Kite
Thomas Oliver Kite, Jr. is an American professional golfer and golf course architect. He spent 175 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings between 1989 and 1994....
, Peter Jacobsen
Peter Jacobsen
Peter Erling Jacobsen is an American professional golfer, who has played on the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour. He has won seven events on the PGA Tour and two events on the Champions Tour, both majors.-Early years:...
and Fuzzy Zoeller
Fuzzy Zoeller
Frank Urban "Fuzzy" Zoeller, Jr. is an American professional golfer. He is one of three golfers to have won The Masters in his first appearance in the event. He also won the 1984 U.S. Open, which earned him the 1985 Bob Jones Award....
.