No Goblin's latest, PlayStation 4 exclusive is a love letter to mecha anime and the Neo-Geo classic Neo Turf Masters. In short, I don't think a game has pandered to me more in my life.
In length, 100ft Robot Golf is a fun, hilarious experience that will cater to robot enthusiasts and arcade aficionados alike. The big draw of the game is it's campaign mode, which is presented like a fan translation/dub of an anime, to the point where the opening cut-scene has a dubbing tag. The story itself revolves around an attempt to recreate the Robot Golf league after the previous one somehow managed to destroy the moon. It's something that doesn't take itself seriously and is all the better for it. Throughout the campaign you play as a cast of colorful characters like the Beyonce-inspired villainess Vahni, Aveline and Uncle who pilot a robot in a manner reminiscent of Pacific Rim, and Project C: a Voltron/Megazord styled robot that is piloted by a group of five Corgis. There is even a guest star: Pierce Washington from the Saints Row franchise, who is treated with as much respect as he is in his home series (read: not that much). Presentation-wise, the game has a character that will appeal to every type of player. If you're an anime fan and the term "instrumentality" means something to you, it's definitely worth checking at least the campaign out.
Gameplay-wise, 100ft plays like the aforementioned Neo Turf Masters with a modern twist. The player controls their robot in real time, meaning that as soon as you hit your ball you're free to move around the environment as you please, after taking your shot by stopping a meter in the right place to make your shot as accurately as possible. This where some of the best fun the game has to offer, as your robot can destroy buildings, jetpack around, and ground slam to your heart's desire. Each robot has special abilities like swords, lazers, magnet balls among others to help turn the playing field to their advantage. Not to mention that robots can fight each other and block each other's shots. It's like you're playing as the Blue Shell in Mario Kart with all the frustration you can inflict on your friends. The golf itself may not be extremely polished, but the fun of leveling buildings with a sword in order to make par more than makes up for it.
Everything is legal in this liberal take on the King's Game, and all of it is color-commentated by Justin, Travis, and Griffin McElroy of My Brother, My Brother and Me and The Adventure Zone fame. The three bring their familiar (but not too familiar) brand of humor to the game, constantly pumping out some premium goofs about how Batman & Robin was the only film to survive the robot apocalypse and frequent reminders that Robot Golfing destroyed the moon. The commentary is as endearing as it is funny, and one of the PSN trophies even is a reference to Daz from Monster Factory, another series that two of the brothers do for Polygon. The idea of podcasters commentating fits really well with robots golfing underwater, and again is something that the game doesn't take that seriously.
The game is also playable in PSVR, but since I don't have one, I was unable to access that part of the game for this review.
100ft Robot Golf is reminiscent of the action sports games you'd see in arcades like NFL Blitz or NBA Jam. It's a welcome addition to a genre that seems to have faded away in recent years. While I personally enjoyed the game, I can't say it'll appeal to all audiences. If you're not a fan of anime, the aesthetic alone will be a bit of a turn off, and if you're looking for a serious golf game you're better off looking elsewhere. However, if you're a fan of arcade games, mecha anime, and an experience that takes itself as serious as a game called 100ft Robot Golf should, this is definitely a game worth checking out.
100ft Robot Golf is available on PlayStation Network for $19.99
If you're still not convinced, please check out some sample gameplay I have recorded off of my PS4!
