is a 2007 sports video game developed by Camelot Software Planning and published by Capcom for the Wii. It is the first Camelot game since Mario Golf (1999) on the Nintendo 64 to be published by a studio other than Nintendo, as well as their first and only game published by Capcom. We Love Golf! was initially released in Japan on December 13, 2007, before being released worldwide in 2008, which included additional characters and online connectivity via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.
The gameplay is similar to that of the Mario Golf series, with players adjusting their shots with the Power Gauge and performing different types of swings with button combinations. Additionally, We Love Golf! introduces motion controls with the Wii Remote, allowing players to time the Wii Remote swings for more accurate shots. It contains a roster of original characters, with unlockable outfits from Capcom franchises and support for Mii integration.
Development of an online PC golf game named began prior to the conception of We Love Golf!. The project was created alongside online gaming company Eleven-Up and Yahoo Japan Corporation to be part of a larger online service called the G Planet Concept. The service would have provided a free-to-access area for players to interact and play exclusive paid games, with I Love Golf! being the only planned game that could have been accessed through the website. After hosting playable demos and promotion for the title, it was later canceled due to market conditions, but proved helpful for creating the online connectivity included in the international release of We Love Golf!. Camelot then partnered with Capcom to publish a casual sports game for Wii, and the development team focused on creating realistic and natural Wii Remote controls. The visuals were also created to strike a balance between realism and fantasy.
We Love Golf! received generally positive reviews. It was praised for its variety of game modes, Capcom-themed costumes, golf courses, and the online functionality added to the international releases. The controls received a mixed reception from critics, and criticism was expressed over its easy difficulty. Several publications have compared its visuals and art style to Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour (2003). According to Capcom, the game sold slowly in Japan, selling around 55,000 copies total in the region. Camelot would later return to work with Nintendo, with their next golf video game being Mario Golf: World Tour (2014).
Gameplay
We Love Golf! is a sports video game played by swinging the Wii Remote like a golf club. When holding down the Wii Remote, the player will enter "Shot Mode", where they can perform a practice shot or hit the ball. By moving the Wii Remote further back on the Power Gauge, a more powerful shot will be performed, while the downswing determines the shot's accuracy. If the player moves the Wii Remote to the peak of the Power Gauge, they can perform a power shot, launching the golf ball further with more difficult timing. The controls are adapted from the Mario Golf series, replacing the series gameplay formula of three button presses, instead using a held button press to initiate swinging motions using the Wii Remote. By turning the Wii Remote left and right, players can execute draw and fade shots. By holding down a combination of buttons before their swing, players can perform a variety of different shot types, the effects of which will be displayed on the shot guideline. When pointing the Wii Remote upwards, the player can view the course and adjust their aim, and when putting, they can view the terrain on the green. A talking Wii Remote with limbs named Chip provides tips to players during gameplay, with another character named Birdie speaking to the player through the Wii Remote's speakers. Additionally, selecting Chip will provide a list of lessons during a golf match, with Chip evaluating the player's performance on each lesson.
There are multiple game modes available in We Love Golf!. The Tournaments mode has eight cups, each being unlocked after the previous cup is completed, with the additional option to choose between Pro and Mirrored Tournament modes. Strokes mode has the player compete for the best score in the lowest number of strokes, with customizable settings for the amount of holes and the starting position. Training allows the player to practice on any hole from courses in the game, with the ability to retry shots infinitely from their position on the course. Character Match has the player compete against a character to unlock them for use in the game, Ring Shot scatters rings across the course for the player to pass through while making it to the end with the fewest strokes, Target Golf has players aim at targets with different clubs, and Near Pin Contest requires players to hit the ball as close to the target as possible. Single-player and multiplayer options are available for the game, and in multiplayer, opponents can cheer for or heckle others. Multiplayer modes include Match Play, a two-player mode awarding the winner to whomever can win ten holes, and Skins Match, a mode where up to four players compete for the best score.
There are twelve original playable characters to choose from in the western version. All characters have unique stats affecting their Impact Zone, Control, and Spin when golfing, as well as distinct personality traits shown during their animations. The game also allows players to use Mii avatars as playable characters, which are unlocked after obtaining all other characters in the single-player mode. In addition, a number of costumes can be unlocked based on other Capcom franchises, including Ace Attorney, Darkstalkers, Ghosts 'n Goblins, Resident Evil, Street Fighter, and Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure. The Tournament mode references multiple other Capcom characters as opponent names. There are eight golf courses included, such as a beach resort and a desert ruin, as well as courses based around pirate and candy themes. It also contains two smaller courses and an exclusive course for mini golf.
The international releases also feature online play via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. Players can battle online with opponents around the world to receive player medals or battle with friends privately. Online play is limited to nine-hole matches with two difficulty modes, beginner and master, with the higher difficulty option adjusting the starting tee position. When competing against random opponents online, players are matched based on their skill levels.
Development
I Love Golf! We Love Golf! was developed by Camelot Software Planning, which had previously developed Everybody's Golf (1997) and games in the Mario Golf series, making it their seventh golf game overall. Before it began conception, a different online golf game was planned for the PC market exclusively in Japan, but was later canceled. The project was named "I Love Golf!", and was created in collaboration with Eleven-Up, a Japanese online game management company founded on February 16, 2006. I Love Golf! was the first video game Camelot had developed for PC, and it was revealed on August 1, 2006 at the Hotel Okura Tokyo. Despite never previously developing games for PC, Camelot had some experience implementing online mechanics with the Game Boy Color game Mobile Golf (2001), utilizing the Mobile Adapter GB and cellular network connectivity. It was the first video game created to promote a new online service called the "G Planet Concept", which aimed to create a convenient environment through the Internet for people to play PC games in Japan. Online, players would have accessed a lobby known as the "Open Space", controlling their character in an open free-to-play environment. They would be able to communicate with other online users, play minigames, or play dedicated games hosted on the server, such as I Love Golf!. As described by 4Gamer.net, controlling the characters online was similar to the controls of an MMORPG, with web browsing functionality and in-game advertisements hosted by Yahoo. An online website that allowed players to test the game was hosted by BB Games under the operation of Movida Entertainment. Although unreleased, previews of I Love Golf! were available for people to play at private events, while the Open Space was not available to be accessed.
The gameplay and controls for I Love Golf! differed from what would eventually become the Wii game, with the ability to open up to five computer windows to display different camera angles, controlling it with either a solo computer mouse or keyboard. Controls for hitting the golf ball were similar to the Mario Golf series, and players would be able to chat with others online. Players entered courses in the golf clubhouse lobby, where they could create online matches or enter existing matches. It was also tested to work with mobile laptops that had weak graphical processing power. Upon its initial reveal, Eleven-Up CEO Takashi Katayama and singer and actress Aya Ueto demonstrated the gameplay, with Ueto serving as an advertiser for the game. Shugo Takahashi, Vice President of Camelot, claimed I Love Golf! would make people who do not regularly play golf fall in love with the sport. Players were able to submit an application to test an early version of I Love Golf! at a private event from August 22 to August 25, 2006, with an open beta test and full game release scheduled later within the year. A demo was scheduled to be playable at the Tokyo Game Show 2006, but the exhibit was canceled on September 15, 2006. Previews for the game contained one 18-hole golf course and two playable characters, with the Open Space being inaccessible during testing. It was planned to release as a paid game with the affordability of a mobile application, while multiple minigames would also be offered for free. A prototype mouse with rumble functionality manufactured by HORI was distributed to members during a press event, with the mouse vibrating based on the movements of the golf ball.
Promotion for the game was handled by Yahoo Japan Corporation, with online distribution and payments handled by Yahoo Games. Promotional material was also set to feature Aya Ueto in advertising, with singer Toshinobu Kubota set to perform an original song in commercials. Ueto also appeared as a character in-game at the receptionist desk in the lobby. Kubota said that he was amazed by the demo when seeing it for the first time, and was excited to support the project by providing music. Additionally, scientist Hiroaki Kitano and SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son participated by testing the game. The announcement of future G Planet Concept series games was considered by Katayama, with Shugo Takahashi suggesting a tennis title could potentially be made in the future. After I Love Golf! went through closed beta testing, it was deemed a risky release due to the small PC market in Japan. Additionally, Camelot reported that employees at Eleven-Up had some issues putting together the online code, so I Love Golf! was put on an indefinite hold. Eleven-Up would later cease operations on September 1, 2007. Despite the similar naming, the two games were unrelated, although the testing of I Love Golf! proved useful when implementing online play in We Love Golf!. Although Camelot denied I Love Golf! being the inspiration for We Love Golf!, publications such as NGamer viewed the Wii game as a "revived version" of that project.
We Love Golf!