Don't let the "golf" in Super Stickman Golf 2 throw you. There are no caddies, no reverent applause, and no green jackets to be found anywhere in this game. Super Stickman Golf 2 is the sequel to the best stick-figure game out there and it improves upon that winning formula by leaps and bounds. The new game has everything that made the first Super Stickman Golf great, while piling on more of the good stuff. In SSG2 there are more courses, more stick figures, more powerups, and way more hats. This game is so packed to the brim, the only thing missing is the mashed potatoes.

If you are familiar with SSG1, then you will be right at home with the gameplay, as developer Noodlecake Studios has not messed around too much with what already works. You still must choose the angle of your shot and how powerful of a swing you're going to use.

Super Stickman Golf 2
loading...

SSG2 has five different Tours that you must complete, each with four courses to swing your way through. You earn gold, silver, and bronze stars based on your performance. But SSG2 is far from a retreat of the first game. Even though they are pretty similar, there's tons of tweaks and tune-ups that make this title as sure-swingin' as Ben Hogan.

The most notable thing that's been improved are the courses. While Noodlecake has decreased the amount in this game, they have upped the quality of those courses, with each hole full of intricate details and well-designed elements. The first course is rather basic and almost feels like a real golf course.

Super Stickman Golf 2
loading...

But before you know it, you will be duffin' on top of a floating peppermint candy or swatting your five iron through a portal and out the other side of a level. Those portals, by the way, are a nice little homage to a certain other teleportation-focused game. Anyone up for some cake? Add sticky surfaces, repelling magnets and lasers and SSG2 becomes a challenging and fun experience.

There are also plenty of power-ups to be had, which you can unlock by progressing through the game (shooting some scratch golf helps speed up the process). All the originals are present, plus new power-ups like the laser ball and magnet ball. You can also customize your golfer, putting him in different outfits and hats. You can make your golfer look like everything from a zombie, to a ninja, to just a plain 'ol stickman with a paper bag over his head.

Super Stickman Golf 2
loading...

Speaking of paper bags, hats are where it's at in SSG2. The more money you spend in the Hat Lottery, the higher your chances of coming away with some sweet head gear. You can get some seriously fun hat-powered abilities in SSG2. But unfortunately, a number of them come via the game's built-in currency system: Golf-Bux, which you need in order to play the Hat Lottery. There are plenty of ways to collect Golf-Bux while playing, but it all boils down to spending actual money to get a lot of them easily, which you of course have the ability to do and are definitely tempted to do.

Which is fine, I suppose. SSG2 only costs a buck on iOS and it's free on Android (and cross-platform so you can play that weirdo, Droid-owning friend of yours). You are getting a lot of game for that value and you can't fault Noodlecake for going the micro transaction route, just like every other mobile developer out there. At least they are going about it in a clever way and not just bludgeoning you over the head with a pitching wedge.

Super Stickman Golf 2
loading...

All those hats and different outfits are essential for multiplayer so you can easily tell your stickman apart from your fellow golfers. Multiplayer really is where this game shines. I mean, golfing alone can be a wonderful, meditative experience by yourself. And without any multiplayer at all, Super Stickman Golf 2 would already be a great game.

But if you're playing SSG2, a day out on the links can also be a ridiculous, laser-blasting, portal-jumping, hat wearing hack-fest! Welcome to multiplayer. You can now cram up to eight golfers into one race mode, everyone swinging frantically to see who can be the first to sink their ball. There's also a new turn-based mode that provides a calmer, more relaxing session.

Super Stickman Golf 2
loading...

All golf jokes aside, this is just a great game. It looks great, sounds great with an upbeat and 8-bit soundtrack that will get stuck in your head, and most importantly, it plays great. SSG2 takes an already solid foundation and improves mightily upon it.

In my opinion, this is some of the best mobile gaming to be had out there, with the single player and multiplayer experiences each holding their own. If you were a fan of the original, you're probably playing it right now. If you've never tried it out, I would definitely recommend giving Super Stickman Golf 2 a swing. It's a hole in one.

 

App Store Link: Super Stickman Golf 2 for iPhone and iPad | By Noodlecake Studios | Price: $0.99 | Version: 1.0 | 30.3 MB | Rating 4+

9.0 out of 10 arcade sushi rating

More From Arcade Sushi