Links LS 1997

Links LS 1997 is a golf video game developed and published by Access Software for DOS. It was released in 1996, and is part of the Links video game series, following Links 386 Pro (1992). It was followed by Links LS 1998.

Links LS 1997
Developer(s)Access Software
Publisher(s)Access Software
SeriesLinks
Platform(s)DOS
Release
Genre(s)Sports

Gameplay

Links LS has three unnamed playable golfers, with Arnold Palmer as a fourth. It has three courses, including Palmer's Latrobe Country Club, and is also compatible with previous courses released for Links 386. The player can also take a virtual tour of Palmer's office and workshop.[3][4][5]

Development and release

Like its predecessors, Links LS (Legends in Sports) was developed and published by Access Software.[5] The game was in development for three years. Access initially considered naming the project Links Pentium. However, Intel objected to the title over trademark concerns regarding its Pentium microprocessor.[6]

Unlike the earlier games, Access added computer players, improved ball physics, and high-resolution graphics.[7] The company also spent $50,000 on a motion-capture machine to create the golfer animations, providing a higher level of detail than before. To accurately recreate the Latrobe course, Access conducted extensive interviews with Palmer and co-designer Ed Seay. Several features were eventually scrapped and saved for the game's successor. Modem-based gameplay was among the planned features, but was removed due to time constraints.[6] Links LS was released in 1996.

Reception

Macworld's Michael Gowan called Links LS a "beautifully rendered golf sim [that] is almost as tough to master as the real thing."[9] A Next Generation critic said it put the Links series "once again at the top of the PC golfing heap", citing its impressive technical specs even by the standards of high-end setups, support for all the Links 386 add-on disks, and customizable features.[10]

Links LS was a finalist for the Computer Game Developers Conference's 1996 "Best Sports Game" Spotlight Award,[13] but lost the prize to NHL 97.[14] It was also the runner-up for Computer Gaming World's 1996 "Sports Game of the Year" award, which ultimately went to NBA Live 97. The editors praised Links LS as "the best-looking golf game we've seen."[15] Links LS won Computer Games Strategy Plus's 1996 sports game of the year award.[16] Links LS was named the tenth best computer game ever by PC Gamer UK in 1997. The editors called it "an object lesson in how every PC game should be made."[17]

Links LS 1997 won Computer Game Entertainment's 1996 "Best Sports Game" prize. The magazine's editors wrote, "It's easy to control, responsive and a lot of fun, and what else can you ask for in a game?" They nominated the game as their overall game of the year, but it lost to Diablo in that category.[18]

References
  1. "Online Gaming Review". 1997-02-27. Archived from the original on 1997-02-27. Retrieved 2023-04-15.
  2. "Online Gaming Review". 1998-02-10. Archived from the original on 1998-02-10. Retrieved 2023-04-16.
  3. Atkin Sr., Denny (November 1996). "Duffer's Dream". Computer Gaming World. No. 148. United States. pp. 240, 244.
  4. Sengstack, Jeff (August 15, 1996). "Links LS". GameSpot. Archived from the original on December 12, 2004.
  6. McDonald, T. Liam (March 1996). "Computer Chipping". PC Gamer. United States. pp. 83, 85–86, 88.
  7. "The Golf War". boot. No. 7. United States. March 1997. p. 76.
  8. Smith, Peter. "Links LS: Legends of the Sport". Computer Games Strategy Plus. pp. 1–4. Archived from the original on June 14, 1997.
  9. Gowan, Michael (February 1999). "Name Your Game; From Goofy to Gory, Macworld Reviews 48 Ways to Play". Macworld. Archived from the original on August 10, 2001.
  10. "Links LS". Next Generation. No. 24. Imagine Media. December 1996. pp. 266, 268.
  11. Maueröder, Petra (October 1996). "Links LS". PC Games (in German). Germany. pp. 152–153.
  12. "Links LS". PC Player (in German). Germany. October 1996. pp. 78–80.
  13. Staff (April 15, 1997). "And the Nominees Are..." Next Generation. Archived from the original on June 5, 1997. Retrieved February 28, 2020.
  14. "Spotlight Awards Winners Announced for Best Computer Games of 1996" (Press release). Santa Clara, California: Game Developers Conference. April 28, 1997. Archived from the original on July 3, 2011. Retrieved May 12, 2018.
  15. Staff (May 1997). "The Computer Gaming World 1997 Premier Awards". Computer Gaming World. No. 154. pp. 68–70, 72, 74, 76, 78, 80.
  16. Staff (March 25, 1997). "Computer Games Strategy Plus announces 1996 Awards". Computer Games Strategy Plus. Archived from the original on June 14, 1997. Retrieved November 2, 2010.
  17. Flynn, James; Owen, Steve; Pierce, Matthew; Davis, Jonathan; Longhurst, Richard (July 1997). "The PC Gamer Top 100". PC Gamer UK. No. 45. pp. 51–83.
  18. Staff (July 1997). "The Computer Game Entertainment Awards 1996". Computer Game Entertainment (1): 54–58.
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