The Double Doghouse

so i’ve recently realized that, like many gamers on the internet, between itch.io and humble bundle over the years, i’ve wound up with way more games than i really plan on playing. so i’m trying to dig into some of those, and i’ll be discussing some of my thoughts on those here!

first up, i wanted to start with something light – Golf Peaks! Golf Peaks is a golf-themed puzzle game by studio afterburn that’s available on home computers, Android, and Switch. i picked this up as a part of the Bundle for Racial Justice and Equality in June 2020 on itch.io. it caught my eye because of that mobile option on itchi.io – i’ve been really burned out on app store puzzle games having deeps wells of ads and microtransactions, so i’m excited to dig into the options that i’ve already paid for, haha.

Golf Peaks has 120 levels where the goal is simple: get the golf ball into the hole. the game has a really solid first few levels that outline the challenge of the game. you only have a few predetermined distances and movement types, and as the levels progress you need to creatively use those movements to bypass and sidestep different terrain types, like water hazards and sand traps.

i enjoyed this game quite a bit. the core conceit has a lot of depth hidden behind an extremely easy to gauge premise, and the complexity and difficulty ramp of the game introduces new concepts in an extremely clear way. the art style is also really cute, and the ui and i’ll say, like, the puzzle tools (ie: the resets and the inclusion of an undo button) create an incredibly pleasant experience.

so yeah. pick this one up for a nice little puzzler, it scratched exactly the itch i wanted.

Golf Peaks – 9/10
Recommended.