Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational PlayStation Vita
  • Publisher: SCEA
  • Release Date: Feb 15, 2012
User Score
8.1 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 52 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 46 out of 52
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 52
  3. Negative: 3 out of 52

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  1. theshonen8899
    Feb 15, 2012
    8
    An absolutely charming and addictive game that will suck you into it despite your initial reservations. I have never played a Hot Shots game before and was surprised to discover how enjoyable this entry to the series is. The addition of the online leaderboards and tournaments gives this game enormous value, making it the perfect pick up and play type game for the Vita.
  2. Kenmei
    May 27, 2012
    8
    The biggest thing this game brings to the table is fun. It's certainly the game that's been able to hold my attention the longest on the Vita so far. There are some minor gripes with the game, including the fairly difficult courses at the end of the game. Unless you play the perfect shot, it becomes very difficult to get a high score. You'll frequently have to restart tournaments because one poor shot can lead to a very bad score on a hole, which will ruin any chances you have at coming out toward the top of the leaderboard. However, the large number of courses and characters, plus all the unlockables and the fun aspect the game brings, make this one of the easiest purchases for the Vita so far, especially if you can find it on sale, like it seems to be every other weekend.… Expand
  3. metamator
    Jun 12, 2012
    8
    I havent played the other hot shot games, but this is good. I liked that there no forced touching. solid game great airplane game. plays nice and simple but has all that other stuff if you wanna get your hands dirty.
  4. bigbaldwolf
    Aug 3, 2012
    9
    A brilliant addition to the series that has a lot of charm combined with fantastic gameplay. The graphics could be sharper but that's a minor gripe. There are challenges that will keep you coming back as well as a shop full of things to buy with your hard earned coins. A great game overall and difinitely recommended
  5. pete409
    Mar 27, 2012
    10
    I honestly just purchased the Vita because of this game. I never had as much fun playing OOB on the PS3, that I had to get this. Specifically, the online play. Superb, and years of replayability.
  6. johnp
    Feb 25, 2012
    10
    Hands down, Hot Shots: WI is the best launch title for the Vita. Great graphics, great controls (identical to Hot Shots on PS3) and a lot of non-DLC unlockables. As you progress you earn points for each shot you take, using those points earned in the games' Shop. There's multiple outfits and color choices for each character as well as loads of golfing equipment that can be upgraded as well. Character loyalty is back this time too. In addition to this, there are daily tournaments where you can rank against the rest of the world, as well as a multiplayer lobby for starting your own tournaments. The only downside is that it comes with an online pass, so be sure to buy it new if you want to play online without paying for the online pass on the PSN.… Collapse
  7. Jimbob2k666
    Mar 3, 2012
    7
    I have mixed feelings about this incarnation of Everybody's Golf (The EU title of the game). I have both 1 & 2 on the PSP and I think I might've been expecting more from the Vita version than what appeared. The characters are more detailed and crisp, but the graphics for the courses don't really seem to take advantage of the Vita's graphical ability and still has a PSP feel about them...............................The content itself is very good, with lots to unlock and play. In single player the game runs along smoothly and is everything you would expect from this franchise. However, the thorn in it's side is the online multiplayer. Sure, the leaderboards and daily competitions that you play on your own are fine, but the actual multiplayer part is extremely slow and laborious. Every player in the tourney gets a set amount of time to complete each hole, and that's fine, but the big problem is that pretty much all of the time everyone in the game has completed a hole in good time, and you are all left sitting waiting for the next hole to start for maybe up to 1 minute every time, which soon adds up. The game needs a Ready button, or a termination of the countdown once all players have finished the hole. 9 holes simply takes too long, and 18 holes is severely tedious, even for a 40+ year old fart like me. Still, I write this review just a week or two into its release, and with the vita being more "update and patch" friendly than the PSP was, I'm hoping it might improve over time.… Expand
  8. PapaShroom
    Feb 23, 2012
    9
    I really love this addition to the franchise. It has everything you love about Hot Shots throw in a few additions here and there and you have yourself an amazing Vita launch title. I especially love the fact I can play online on the go I mean who hasn't wanted to be able to game against others in the comfort of your bathroom?!
  9. UserJuicer
    May 27, 2012
    6
    The game looks great, character models are expressive and detailed.
    The courses are buzzing with activity from chooks to crop harvesters to wind farms, but this can make the courses feel cluttered and quite difficult to get around (who puts a three storey bail of hay on a golf course?).
    The game doesnt really have a "career mode", but it does have a series of tournaments and one on one cha    llenges that can be played with the stock characters.
    Unfortunately the difficulty eventually swings way up after a few hours of play and becomes almost impossible to advance without a lot of brute force attempts or a strong dedication to getting better at the game.
    This changes the feel of the game from something that was addictive and fun to something frustrating and non-inclusive.
    The easy mode that becomes available after you lose a bunch of times can hold back opponent scores while on the course, but that didnt seem to make any difference at all.

    Applying spin to the ball is fidly and not as fun as the Tiger Woods way of just tapping the x button and pointing the analog stick in the direction you want it to go.
    The inability to create your own character and level up his stats is unfortunate.

    What could have been a truly perfect golf game is soured mostly by its uncompromising difficulty curve.
    A beginner option for the inexperienced who just want to see the game and all of its courses and higher difficulty settings for those who want more of a challenge would have been warmly welcomed.
    Dark souls golf isnt much fun.    … Expand
  10. tommystar
    May 19, 2012
    10
    This game has everything that a golf game should have. Almost no bugs, great graphics, amazing online features, tons of things to unlock, challenging courses and much much more! I would recommend this game to everyone who likes golf!
  11. mandmandw
    Feb 25, 2012
    9
    This was made for the Vita. It's the perfect 'pick up and put down' game. I haven't even installed any other games yet. The online addition is excellent and will ensure you keep coming back to back.
  12. PlayVitamin
    Feb 26, 2012
    8
    PlayVitamin.com - 85/100 - Everybody's Golf® is highly recommended and a must-have title for golf or sports game fans. For all other gamers, if Everybody's Golf® interests you in anyway, then don't let minor doubts delay you - buy it immediately and enjoy. Amongst the casual gaming pace, fun characters, cheerful visuals and collectibles - a detailed, sophisticated and highly enjoyable golf sim awaits that has lasting appeal.… Expand
  13. roymystify
    Apr 16, 2013
    5
    The game is just too difficult to progress. This is the big problem that prevents me from continuing to play. I'd like to play longer, but I'm stuck! I start all the time and nothing. I'm bad!
  14. CowBear
    May 11, 2012
    9
    In my humble opinion, this is the most fun experience on the PS Vita to date. That being said, I love golf, and I love the entire Hot Shots series. There are a couple of things I would have done differently if given the opportunity. First, the online play is only tournament format, you don't actually see or play against anyone else, you just try to beat their score. Second, having to buy everything, including characters you have already beaten head to head is a little excessive. In the end, I played through to my platinum trophy and enjoyed the experience. I definitely got my 40 dollars worth.… Expand
  15. JerryMonz
    Apr 9, 2013
    7
    I wanted to like this game so much. I was a big fan of Hot Shots Golf: Fore! on the Playstation 2 and I was excited to play Hot Shots on the go. The game is fun up to a point, then quickly becomes extremely frustrating and challenging, with slight miscalculations leading to major failure. For a game that comes off looking like a casual game, the difficulty does not ramp up nicely and prevents me from wanting to play the game any more. While I did enjoy being challenged, losing against the same character several times in a row has caused me to give up on the game.… Expand
  16. teflontactics
    Dec 29, 2012
    9
    This is easily one of the best games on the Vita so far. You can't go wrong with a HSG title, and the graphics and gameplay along with the large number of unlockables make it a great time waster. My only issues with the game is that some of the unlockables (ie; the music) are lame as hell, and the only reason I even unlock them is for the sake of completion. Also, the lobby characters need better graphics, like the already created single player ones. Other than that, I can find no faults.… Expand
  17. OttawaExile
    Nov 28, 2012
    9
    Hot shots was one of my favourite games on the PSP they were both beautiful on the system with challenging but fun gameplay. Thankfully the Vita version lives up to and builds upon this legacy. While I don't normally enjoy sports games but golf feels more like a strategy game to me. It's relatively easy to learn but hard to master. I was shocked when IGN gave it such a rough review. The reviewer bemoaned the fact that one bad shot can ruin a game at the harder levels, but that's golf so I'm not sure how he can really complain. Although in his defence the online wasn't up and running at the time of the review. The online is lots of fun and the single player is deep with loads of clothing items, courses and golfers to unlock and level up. At this point the regular price is 20$ and it goes on for 10$ I think this is a must but for the vita owner. It looks great, there is loads of content, even if you don't love sports games give it a try.… Expand
  18. tormodg
    Feb 20, 2013
    8
    I really enjoyed this game even though I rarely play golf games. My biggest gripe is the inability to have multiple players on the same Vita. My 9 yo daughter wiped about 6 months of progress in five seconds by starting over...

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
76 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 55 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 34 out of 55
  2. Mixed: 21 out of 55
  3. Negative: 0 out of 55
  1. Pelit (Finland)
    Apr 17, 2012
    83
    An entertaining fantasy golf with quite realistic ball physics. [Apr 2012]
  2. Gaming Nexus
    Mar 30, 2012
    67
    World Invitational is classic Hot Shots through and through, which is both good and bad. The game is a blast and has plenty of content to keep fans occupied for a long, long time but ultimately it doesn't do anything to further the series or draw new fans to the experience.
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  3. Impulsegamer
    Mar 19, 2012
    75
    The best aspect of Everybody's Golf for the PS Vita is that you can pick up the console and play the game anytime and anywhere without too much thought. The gameplay is pretty much flawless and some of the PS Vita controls are actually quite fun. It's also quite an addictive title that makes this such a hard game to put down as you're always striving for that perfect score. Add in online multiplayer and you'll be playing Everybody's Golf on the PS Vita for a considerable amount of time.
    Read full review
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