RPGolf Legends (Nintendo Switch) Review

Golf fans might wonder if RPGolf Legends is a clone of another sport RPG title out in 2017: Golf Story. In this instance that title has not been played previously by the reviewer, so any similarities or differences cannot be commented on. Fortunately for those who have not played the latter, KEMCO's game feels unique and a solid adventure in its own right. The delight at having a female protagonist with a swinging ponytail when moving should not be underestimated as sport can still be a male dominated world. The story starts innocently enough with golf enthusiast Aerin fishing out a winged talking golf-club ghost. Aerin does not panic and takes herself to the nearest hospital; instead, she accepts the spooky friend and decides to help it unlock all the golf courses in the world to return the currently obsolete past-time.

There are all the typical elements associated with RPGs. Searching innocent looking pots and boxes leads to finding gold and items. Killing monsters with the whack of a golf club leads to gold retrieval. There are many quests to fulfil, some are mandatory because new areas can only be unlocked when Aerin's strange ghost partner accumulates enough energy to break magical barriers, some do seem optional but were fun to do because why let someone who can't fight monsters try to kill a set number of them? Speaking of magic, Aerin can use it! During the course of RPGolf Legends, pun intended, the sometimes-reluctant explorer can assume different jobs which change her appearance. It is not merely a cosmetic change; the powers associated with each job are needed to progress into the next area, with literal barriers blocking off map sectors.

Humour is a common feature in this cheerful 2D adventure. Whether it is the witty dialogue with puns galore between Aerin and her ethereal partner or enraged bosses who can have high opinions of themselves, a smile is never far away even in the shortest play session. Golf knowledge mercifully is not expected, every action gets explained and there is more support if the easier difficulty is selected. Careening through woods in a golf cart provided quite a lot of fun, although it's not the only mode of transportation. While golf is clearly the main theme of the game, with challengers requiring being beaten for progression, there are other elements, too.

Fishing is an important side game. There is a competition to enter for it too. General monsters respawn, and bosses can be challenged again once the museum is unlocked. Some were incredibly tough to figure out in terms of weakness; brute force was not always the correct method to defeat them. Even on the casual difficulty there was a distinctly steep increase in difficulty in boss strength and later dungeon navigation. There is even a rhythm game challenge which was the best boss of the entire game. Initially some monsters can seriously dent health if Aerin strays too far without upgrading her abilities. True to RPG form there are surprising plot twists which felt gut-wrenching in their revelations. The distinct regions from lush woods to arid desert were typical RPG fare but felt seamless in the transitions. Sliding about on ice in a snowy landscape was fun, gaining damage from inappropriate clothing in the freezing conditions less so.