At Sony’s Media Day in NYC, we also got to play some Hot Shots Golf 5 on PS3. I’ve played the Japanese demo quite a bit, so I had something to go off when playing the US version. I was surprised to see the graphics look even better than the demo. The game runs at 720p at 60fps, which Sony had displayed on a nice Bravia XBR LCD. Just wait until you see the blades of grass on the greens as you watch your putt roll into the cup.

The biggest change to the game is a new shot mechanic. The old tried and true method of three clicks on the shot meter at the bottom of the screen is still available. But now you have the ability to set your power and accuracy by watching the swing. You still use three clicks, but instead of the shot meter at the bottom, you control your power by how far you let your backswing go. To set the accuracy, you hit X when you get come down to make contact with the ball. It takes a bit to get used to, but once you do, it’s a lot more fun than the old method. You can to watch your character more while swinging, which is always a plus. Along with the new shot meter, there are a few new camera angles you can choose from while swinging. This can make it easier to see in some cases when making your swing. The only downside is you can’t change your swing style from new to classic (or vice versa) during your round.

The game was been opened up in terms of courses and characters as well. Many older courses and players are available, with six new courses shipping with the game. Sony has plans to release courses, characters, and possibly new caddies as downloadable content after the game ships in March 2008. The online realm has also opened up with Hot Shots Golf 5. You can play 8 player rounds online with 50 player tournaments available.

The game looks very polished and should be a pretty big hit in March.