Planet Minigolf
Encyclopedia
Planet Minigolf is a PlayStation 3
-exclusive minigolf video game that was released on the PlayStation Network on 1 June 2010. It features support for Sony's PlayStation Move control system. The game features four locations and 144 holes to play, and new courses can be created by players. A downloadable content
pack entitled Stronghold Island was released on 21 September 2010.
The game was moderately well received by critics with an average of 68.40% at GameRankings and 66/100 at Metacritic
, two aggregate websites. Reviewers generally praised the game's visuals, ability to customize and create new courses, and multiplayer components. They were critical of the game's camera angles, and some reviewers felt that the visuals were inconsistent. As of September 2010 the game has sold over 68,000 copies. That number rose to over 90,000 at the end of 2010.
which organizes scores by nationality.
Powerup items can sometimes be found on the courses which allow you to control the ball in various ways to improve your score. Keys can be earned which allow players to purchase wardrobe items, various putters, and golf balls for the five playable characters. These are earned by winning single-player tournaments on the various courses. Players can also create their own golf courses and upload them for other players to download similar to LittleBigPlanet
. The game also supports the PlayStation Move controller; players swing the controller in a similar fashion to an actual putter. As of December 2010 over 2,300 custom courses are available, with over 37,000 individual holes also available.
-exclusive title that would be available via the PlayStation Network. On 29 March 2010 Zen Studios announced that the game would be fully compatible with PlayStation Move, Sony's motion controller for the PlayStation 3. A trailer released 22 April 2010 showcased the ability to customize minigolf courses, which would allow players to create new scenarios in each of the game's locations. It was revealed under Sony's Play, Create, Share banner, which encourages customization and sharing of user-generated content in games. Other games under this banner include the LittleBigPlanet
series and ModNation Racers
.
On 6 May 2010 Zen Studios revealed that the game would make use of the PlayStation 3's ability to upload replays directly to YouTube
. Planet Minigolf was released 1 June 2010. The game received a patch which added Move support on 20 September 2010. A downloadable content
pack entitled Stronghold Island was released on 21 September 2010. It contains one new location, four new trophies, four new tournaments, 36 new holes, and several new items for players to use in creating new courses.
. Initial sales were high, with the game moving more than 40,000 copies during the month of the game's release and 9,000 more the following month. As of September 2010 the game has sold more than 68,000 units. Year-end 2010 sales were reportedly over 90,000, with the game's downloadable content having over 6,000 units sold.
The ability to create custom minigolf courses was widely praised among reviewers. GameSpot
's Justin Calvert felt that the course creation tools were easy to use and stated the game "has the potential to keep you playing for weeks and months as more player-created and downloadable content is added." The reviewer from Game Revolution
noted that he preferred looking for difficult courses created by players in order to maintain a challenge. He stated players will "have access to literally thousands of different holes to shoot in hundreds of custom courses." The multiplayer component also received generally positive remarks. "Multiplayer modes, community features, and the course editor give you plenty to do" stated IGN
's Daemon Hatfield. Justin Calvert of GameSpot also praised the game's ability to upload replays to YouTube
.
Critics generally had mixed opinions on Planet Minigolfs visuals, and some cited issues with the game's camera. The reviewer from Game Revolution felt that the game's graphics were "very pretty for a downloadable title". IGN's Daemon Hatfield also felt that the character models were well done, but cited "hiccups" with the camera. Adrenaline Vault
reviewer James Dolbeare felt that the graphics were inconsistent. He stated "characters are rendered well, whereas environments are often flat, pixilated, or simply lack detail."
The Stronghold Island downloadable content was moderately received as well, though it sold over 3,300 units in its first month of release. Tina Amini of Gaming Nexus gave it a lukewarm reception, and gave it a C grade. Amini cited strong "visual story telling" but noted that poor camera angles continued to be a flaw in the downloadable content. She praised the course design and visuals and stated they were "quite beautiful" but called the choice of music cheesy and "reminiscent of an outdated game show."
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
-exclusive minigolf video game that was released on the PlayStation Network on 1 June 2010. It features support for Sony's PlayStation Move control system. The game features four locations and 144 holes to play, and new courses can be created by players. A downloadable content
Downloadable content
Downloadable content is official additional content for a video game distributed through the Internet. Downloadable content can be of several types, ranging from a single in-game outfit to an entirely new, extensive storyline, similarly to an expansion pack. As such, DLC may add new game modes,...
pack entitled Stronghold Island was released on 21 September 2010.
The game was moderately well received by critics with an average of 68.40% at GameRankings and 66/100 at Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
, two aggregate websites. Reviewers generally praised the game's visuals, ability to customize and create new courses, and multiplayer components. They were critical of the game's camera angles, and some reviewers felt that the visuals were inconsistent. As of September 2010 the game has sold over 68,000 copies. That number rose to over 90,000 at the end of 2010.
Gameplay
Planet Minigolf is a minigolf game which features 144 unique holes spread across four worldwide locations; Buccaneer's Hideout, Soho, Polar Station and Ancient Valley, each with four 9-hole courses. They progress in difficulty from Warm-up through Pro, Extreme and finally Wacky. The game can be played as part of a single-player campaign or as part of any weekly online tournaments against players around the world. Local multiplayer is also supported. Planet Minigolf also features a leaderboardGame ladder
A ladder tournament is a form of tournament for games and sports. It is an extended tournament, which can potentially go on indefinitely. In a ladder tournament, players are listed as if on the rungs of a ladder. The objective for a player is to reach the highest rung of the ladder...
which organizes scores by nationality.
Powerup items can sometimes be found on the courses which allow you to control the ball in various ways to improve your score. Keys can be earned which allow players to purchase wardrobe items, various putters, and golf balls for the five playable characters. These are earned by winning single-player tournaments on the various courses. Players can also create their own golf courses and upload them for other players to download similar to LittleBigPlanet
LittleBigPlanet
LittleBigPlanet, commonly abbreviated LBP, is a puzzle platformer video game, based on user-generated content, for the PlayStation 3 first announced on 7 March 2007, by Phil Harrison at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, California...
. The game also supports the PlayStation Move controller; players swing the controller in a similar fashion to an actual putter. As of December 2010 over 2,300 custom courses are available, with over 37,000 individual holes also available.
Development
On 14 October 2009, Planet Minigolf was announced as a PlayStation 3PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
-exclusive title that would be available via the PlayStation Network. On 29 March 2010 Zen Studios announced that the game would be fully compatible with PlayStation Move, Sony's motion controller for the PlayStation 3. A trailer released 22 April 2010 showcased the ability to customize minigolf courses, which would allow players to create new scenarios in each of the game's locations. It was revealed under Sony's Play, Create, Share banner, which encourages customization and sharing of user-generated content in games. Other games under this banner include the LittleBigPlanet
LittleBigPlanet (series)
LittleBigPlanet is a puzzle platformer video game series created by Media Molecule. The series was launched in 2008 with the PlayStation 3 game, LittleBigPlanet which was followed in 2009 by a PlayStation Portable version of the same name developed by SCE Cambridge Studio. The sequel to the...
series and ModNation Racers
ModNation Racers
ModNation Racers is a kart racing game developed by United Front Games for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable. User generated content will be a central aspect of the game, such that it uses the same "Play, Create, Share." adage as LittleBigPlanet to convey its basis in online user-generated...
.
On 6 May 2010 Zen Studios revealed that the game would make use of the PlayStation 3's ability to upload replays directly to YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
. Planet Minigolf was released 1 June 2010. The game received a patch which added Move support on 20 September 2010. A downloadable content
Downloadable content
Downloadable content is official additional content for a video game distributed through the Internet. Downloadable content can be of several types, ranging from a single in-game outfit to an entirely new, extensive storyline, similarly to an expansion pack. As such, DLC may add new game modes,...
pack entitled Stronghold Island was released on 21 September 2010. It contains one new location, four new trophies, four new tournaments, 36 new holes, and several new items for players to use in creating new courses.
Reception
Planet Minigolf was moderately well received by critics. It currently holds a 68.40% at aggregate website GameRankings and 66/100 at fellow aggregate site MetacriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
. Initial sales were high, with the game moving more than 40,000 copies during the month of the game's release and 9,000 more the following month. As of September 2010 the game has sold more than 68,000 units. Year-end 2010 sales were reportedly over 90,000, with the game's downloadable content having over 6,000 units sold.
The ability to create custom minigolf courses was widely praised among reviewers. GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
's Justin Calvert felt that the course creation tools were easy to use and stated the game "has the potential to keep you playing for weeks and months as more player-created and downloadable content is added." The reviewer from Game Revolution
Game Revolution
Game Revolution or GR is a gaming website created in 1996. Based in Berkeley, California, the site includes reviews, previews, a gaming download area, cheats, and a merchandise store, as well as webcomics, screenshots, and videos...
noted that he preferred looking for difficult courses created by players in order to maintain a challenge. He stated players will "have access to literally thousands of different holes to shoot in hundreds of custom courses." The multiplayer component also received generally positive remarks. "Multiplayer modes, community features, and the course editor give you plenty to do" stated IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
's Daemon Hatfield. Justin Calvert of GameSpot also praised the game's ability to upload replays to YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
.
Critics generally had mixed opinions on Planet Minigolfs visuals, and some cited issues with the game's camera. The reviewer from Game Revolution felt that the game's graphics were "very pretty for a downloadable title". IGN's Daemon Hatfield also felt that the character models were well done, but cited "hiccups" with the camera. Adrenaline Vault
Adrenaline Vault
The Adrenaline Vault was launched November 1, 1995 by gaming entrepreneur Angel Munoz. The site provides PC, console game and hardware news, previews and reviews. Once a large commercial website, Avault is now published primarily by a team of volunteers....
reviewer James Dolbeare felt that the graphics were inconsistent. He stated "characters are rendered well, whereas environments are often flat, pixilated, or simply lack detail."
The Stronghold Island downloadable content was moderately received as well, though it sold over 3,300 units in its first month of release. Tina Amini of Gaming Nexus gave it a lukewarm reception, and gave it a C grade. Amini cited strong "visual story telling" but noted that poor camera angles continued to be a flaw in the downloadable content. She praised the course design and visuals and stated they were "quite beautiful" but called the choice of music cheesy and "reminiscent of an outdated game show."