Turbo Golf Racing
Played on Xbox Series S
Available on Xbox Gamepass
Reviewed by Joe Rino
@ImproJoe
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Fore the Love of the Game
Car games are fun. Sports games are fun. Cars playing soccer is super fun… are cars playing golf also super fun? These are the statements and questions to ask yourself before jumping into Hugecalf Studios’ Turbo Golf Racing. The game definitely has some inspirations with vehicular sports games of the past, but once you get into the greens players will quickly realize that for better and sometimes foot worse, Turbo Golf Racing is its own unique experience.
Golf Play
Right off the tee, Turbo Golf Racing places players into a tutorial to teach them the ways of the Golf Car. Gameplay is very similar to sports racing titles like rocket league. There’s a boost button and a trigger to go. Players can make their cars jump and flip, but only forward, cars cannot flip backwards. The turning feels very sharp at first but players can tweak auto aiming and turning settings. This makes a difference, but still feels much more jarring than other titles. The objective is to hit your golf ball towards the hole. There are great quality of life features like hoops to speed up the process of getting the back to the hole. Players can aim by tilting their car forwards or backwards and adjusting angles. The hoops in the sky will boost the ball forward. It’s not enough of a boost though to completely blow away the competition. Accuracy is key. Players also have items like speed boosters and rockets to fire at players to take away their leads. The coolest part about this though is after being hit, players are given a full boost bar. I’ve had moments where someone hit me and I was able to still catch up because of this mechanic. It makes the match feel frustrating but fair and truly tests players skill. The actual hole is a tornado that takes the ball downwards if you place near it. This makes trick shots super fun to pull off and gives players multiple vantage points. Online play is between 8 players, and there’s no troubles running into other players or their balls because they are ghosted into the game. Everything is still a live online experience, but you don’t have to worry about bumping into other cars or balls thankfully.
Wins are marked via different emblem tiers like green for brand new bronze, silver, etc and usually unlock every 5 wins. I’ve played this game for many hours and I’m still on bronze. Winning is not easy! Which inherently feels true to the game of golf.
Turning is the only thing the game truly needs to work out. Giving players deeper customization options for turning would make this title absolutely perfect and is something that will hopefully be patched in when it fully releases.
Club Customization
Lastly, there are cosmetic items to unlock to customize your car to your liking. They are sparse at the moment and some don’t feel diverse enough… but my personal favourite is the egg pan shield for hitting the ball with. These do not affect gameplay, just looks! Which is great because this means players can look however they like while Turbo Golfing.
Power Cores however do in fact affect gameplay. These are unlocked through playing multiplayer and the solos mode. Solos is a fun way to get the hang of the game before competing online and unlocking these are completely worth it. Cores range from helping your ball go straighter off a hit, or improving a boost, and even changing the size of the ball. All of these help with accessibility and the best part is none at the time of writing this review feel over powered or essential. Sometimes I liked curving my shot while other times I wanted a straighter line. It all depends on how you prefer to play the game.
On Par Presentations
Turbo Golf Racing is an overall, stunning title. The graphics are a treat to take in and are bright and colourful enough to really capture the players eye. The hot boxes feel accurate and the terrain is ripe with trees and hills to adjust your shot around. The game has its own futuristic identity. That being said, most levels feel very similar artistically and it would be cool to see more colour palettes present in future levels. The potential is endless though with a game like this, and player support will probably dictate this.
As well, the menus are easy to navigate. At the time of writing, there is no “pay to unlock” battle pass. It’s all through earned in game currency. This game would benefit from this option and after sinking in 15 hours on this title, I’d be happy to pay for some content or an accelerated battle pass.
The games tracks are mellow vibes filled with electronic vamps and synthesizers. It sounds 80s inspired and Stranger Things like if you’ve ever seen that show! The music is definitely memorable and helps players settle in. The soundscape is good and the different terrain and ball hits are crisp. Overall, the game has exceptional sound effects that give it its own identity completely.
Sink to Win
Overall, Turbo Golf Racing is a resounding success of a game. This being a preview only means it can get even better from here! The game has a solid foundation and with a few tweaks on turning and customization options, it is easy to give it a passionate recommendation. It’s available on Xbox via purchase or Gamepass subscription and Steam.
So get onto the green and play a few holes with me and my egg pan car!
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