Since 1999, Japanese developer Clap Hanz has been making colorful cartoon golf games for PlayStation consoles. Hot Shots Golf 2. The first non-PlayStation studio game, Apple Arcade Clap Hanz Golf, is more or less the same, only now I just need to touch the screen of my iPad.
Hot Shots Golf, Everybody’s Golf, Minna No Golf—As much as you say, Clap Hanz’s golf brand has a particular flavor that appeals to me a lot. I think it’s the combination of a somewhat realistic golf physics and locations with quirky, anime-style golfers, a cheerful view of a sport that is taken very seriously. The series respects golf, while acknowledging that it’s all tough and can use more confetti and special effects.
Clap Hanz Golf, released Friday and free for Apple Arcade subscribers, is all of that, plus a token bag (golf joke alert). In the game’s spin mode, players make three-hole rounds, which is a quick and enjoyable game that works well on mobile devices. Instead of choosing a golfer to play the whole set, each hole uses a different golfer from the player’s collectible anime sports team. For example, in the set I play in the following video, I start with Fred Lopes Jr., then move on to the young and lush Taiyo Hoshino, and then finish the third with Nathan Neill, a bit of a nerd.
Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses and level up independently through the game. Throughout the campaign I fought rivals and bosses, adding them to my roster after their defeat. It’s a collectible character golf game, just since it’s in Apple Arcade there are no microtransactions to worry about.
Players looking for a more traditional set of nine holes can play in Score Attack mode, which allows them to select a single character and make their way through halfway. A total of nine might be a little more for a break in the bathroom, but thankfully the game allows you to pause and grab the spot where you left it. And for those who don’t comply with golf, unless it involves destroying other people’s self-esteem, there’s a local multiplayer mode.
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I’ve been in love with Clap Hanz golf games for a decade and a half, so if you want an unbiased opinion on the right title Clap Hanz Golf, you won’t find any here. For the first time since 2012 Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational for Vita, I have Clap Hanz in my pocket, and I find it very damn good.
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