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Published in the June, 2000, issue of LCCS newsletter, Random Bits

Jack Nicklaus 6 — Golden Bear Challenge by Activision

System Requirements: IBM PC/Compatible with Pentium 166 MHz processor (200 MHz recommended) 32 MB RAM (48 MB recommended) Requires 400 MB of uncompressed disk space, 4x CD-ROM Drive, 16-bit (high color) graphics card, Windows 95/98, compatible sound card, Minimum Resolution of 800 x 600. Important Note: This product uses Microsoft’s DirectX 6.0 technology, which requires your system to have the latest Windows 95/98 drivers that fully support DirectX.

My System: Compaq Presario 1655, Genuine Intel Pentium(r) II Processor, Intel MMX technology, 64 MB RAM, Windows 98, 32-bit PC Card (PCMCIA)

Installation: The installation was from a CD-ROM. The whole process of installing was very easy. I opted to "partial-load" so that the disk must be in to run the game. I had to do very little manipulation from the installation process.

Loading and Beginning: The loading and start-up required to play Golden Bear Challenge is not too bad, considering the relative size of the software. It takes a few moments to start up. Then you need to do the selecting of your personal tastes: what golf clubs, which player, what color of shirt, the weather, etc. Golden Bear Challenge also has a lot of Jack Nicklaus history, but you can just click through it to get to the game. My five-year old daughter can do this, so it really isn’t very cumbersome.

Features: The graphics are the best I’ve seen on any game software to this point. I don’t play lots of games, but this is fairly authentic. It is possible to make an Internet connection and play with people in far-away places. I don’t ever intend to do this, but Golden Bear would be a good game to do such a thing. The aiming and set-up of the golf shots are very good. On other golf games, there is a window that appears and it is somewhat annoying. On Golden Bear Challenge, the images remain large while the swing meter, etc. appears on the screen in a very compact way. The tool bar on the bottom is also small so there is no interference. I must admit: I probably haven’t used the Golden Bear Challenge to its maximum potential, so I haven’t examined all of the features to this point.

Performance of the Features: All of the features that I have used to this point have worked very well. I have been able to discover them without referring to the manual, so they aren’t too hard to use. The Golden Bear Challenge doesn’t make outlandish claims about the product, so I wasn’t expecting anything that wasn’t delivered.

Benefits: I enjoy playing the game when I have time. My daughter and I have played Golden Bear Challenge quite a bit and have been very happy with it. I tend to beat her, which limits her patience and playing time, but she’s learning to adjust. You can’t fire up Golden Bear Challenge for a quick hole or two, but if you have a little time, you can get caught up in it and enjoy it very much.

Recommendation: I recommend the Golden Bear Challenge, especially for golfers. The game requires patience and time, concepts that golfers already have...hopefully. The only reservations I have are the following: 1) Sand trap shots are not very authentic. I’ve tried to figure out the problem, but I haven’t so far. It is nearly impossible to hit a sand shot onto the green. In real golf, it is easy (if you do it right) to do this. 2) It is virtually impossible to get any distance on an uphill putt. I will have to get into the game and see if I can figure this out. In real golf, you can putt the ball as hard as you like and live with the consequences. In Golden Bear Challenge, any putt over about 10 or 15 feet won’t get halfway there no matter how hard you swing. 3) I could do without Jim Nantz as a commentator on Golden Bear Challenge, but that’s a personal thing. Other than those things, I recommend the game. It is a lot of fun.

Summary: I like Golden Bear Challenge. It is a lot of fun to play and the graphics and scenery are very good. My daughter is getting very good at the game and she is only five. This is a good testament to the game’s ease of use. Other than the minor criticisms listed above, the Golden Bear Challenge is a fun game to get your mind off other things for a while, much like real golf.

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