Tee Off

by Sega

Product Features

• Brand new factory sealed

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00003JATN
• Product Dimensions: 5.4 x 4.9 x 0.2 inches ; 1.6 ounces
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: January 14, 2000
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #28,001 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)

Product Description

Platform: Sega Dreamcast

Editorial Review

The first golf title for the Dreamcast, Tee Off is in the vein of arcade-style golf games like the Hot Shots Golf series on the PlayStation. Players control big-headed, Japanese animation-style characters on vibrantly-colored 3-D courses. Shots are viewed from multiple camera angles--including some mesmerizing aerial views--with the ball leaving a fading trail behind it.

While Tee Off does require some basic golf knowledge, it uses a standardized control scheme which even those who've never played video golf will be able to pick up on right away. In addition to customizable difficulty levels, Tee Off offers various modes of play, including gate ball (think croquet in cyberspace) and world tour, which rewards players' high scores by "unlocking" new characters and equipment.

Admittedly, Tee Off isn't for devotees of more simulation-oriented golf titles, as they'll probably pass it off as kiddie fare. However, casual video golfers and those new to the armchair sport are in for one heck of a good time on the links. --Joe Hon

Pros:

• Highly addictive arcade-style gameplay
• Great replay value
• Gate ball (cybercroquet) mode

Cons:

• Japanese to English language translation is weak at times
• May not appeal to fans of more simulation-oriented golf titles

GameSpot Review

Every system needs a golf game. Sure, golf games aren't exactly the most mainstream games in the world, but every single platform out there has at least one to fill the niche. Acclaim's Tee Off fills the golf game requirement for the Dreamcast in the same lighthearted way that Hot Shots Golf does for the PlayStation and Mario Golf does for the N64, but the game lacks the personality that made those two games big hits both inside and outside the golfer set. Tee Off has you select one of several big-headed golfers, each of whom has different strengths and weaknesses. Once that's finished, you choose what type of balls, woods, and irons you'd like to use. The different items alter the rising and falling angles of your shots. Then you're whisked away to the course. The gameplay doesn't stray very far from the standard golf game conventions. Each club has a standard mode and a cautious mode, which makes the swing meter move a little slower at the cost of a big chunk of distance. The swing meter lets you swing anywhere from 1 to 120 percent of a club's actual distance rating, using the standard three-press system. So (sing along with me here, folks), the first press starts the meter, the second selects your strength, and the third press hits the ball. The slight difference here is that if you miss the flashing bracket at the bottom of the meter with your third press, the shot strength is cut in half, resulting in a wasted shot. Graphically, Tee Off gets the job done, but you can't help but think that a lot more could have been done with the game. For instance, it would have been nice to see some particle effects used when you launch the ball out of a sand bunker, or perhaps some grass tossed up when you are swinging in the rough. The soundtrack is made up mostly of the same style of guitar rock that flourished in Sonic Adventure, but it doesn't exactly fit terribly well here. The sound effects are tolerable, but the speech used in the game is extremely limited and gets annoying quickly. Each character has only a few phrases. So when you hit a long shot, you'll hear the "I just hit a long shot" phrase. Ditto for sinking a birdie, bogey, or making par - each has one specific phrase and one phrase only. Rounding out the four-player game is a little mode called Gate Ball, which trades the golf course and clubs for a futuristic game of croquet. This may be a decent multiplayer game, but the computer can't play Gate Ball to save its life, making one-player games a real bore. It's a neat diversion, but don't expect to find it addicting or worthwhile in any way compared with the golf portion of the game. Tee Off is a good, albeit generic, take on the new style of golf popularized by the people at Camelot, the developer of Hot Shots Golf. Golf fans with a DC hooked up to their television will surely have a good time with the game, even though it isn't quite as compelling as similar games appearing on other platforms.--Jeff Gerstmann--Copyright © 1998 GameSpot Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of GameSpot is prohibited.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Waste of time for a Golfer, August 9, 2000

By 

"rossvanderlinden" (Charlotte, NC United States) - See all my reviews

= Durability:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:1.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Tee Off (Video Game)

I love golf games. Golden Tee 99 and 2000 are the greatest golf games out today. I think Tee-off may be the worst. If you are over the age of 10 and like to play golf, don't buy this game. If you are prone to dreaming about playing your dreamcast and can't wait to get home to play them, don't buy this game! The people at Dreamcast should have have sent this game out to pasture when the original version was delivered. Do yourself a favor, buy a football or hockey game for now, and wait until Dreamcast puts out a real golf game.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Disappointed, February 1, 2000

By A Customer

= Durability:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:1.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Tee Off (Video Game)

This game is a major disappointment. My biggest problem is not with the goofy characters, the poorly designed courses, or the inaccurate ball physics, but with the thing most other golf games get right: the gameplay. In order to advance through the program, one has to play 90 (!) holes along with another computer-controlled character. This takes a remarkably long time, and is hardly worth the wait. Hopefully some other manufacturer will step in and fill the void.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I have no idea why others rated this so low. 6 if w/ friends, February 5, 2000

By A Customer

= Durability:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Tee Off (Video Game)

The single player mode is challenging. The other reviewers just forgot to change the difficulty level. The graphics are kiddy and simple, but the game is pretty deep and fun. I have to admit that the Japan course music is awesome! But if you got some friends, the game is worth 6 stars! I think this game is the ultimate party activity. It's easy to learn but you won't chew up the game and spit it out in a week. Well worth your dollars.

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