To gamers, the name John Madden means football. No other sports game – hockey, basketball, baseball, or soccer – has a name attached with that much power. It doesn’t matter how successful NHL 06 or NHL 2K6 were because gamers are still going to look at the 07 editions individually before determining which was best. Madden, however, is deemed "the best" before it was even released (back when Madden had competition).

If there's any name that has come close to matching Madden's power, it's Tiger Woods. Gamers know him well, and whether they follow his career closely or not, they expect a very high level of entertainment value from his game series. No, he doesn't make the games himself, but his picture – an undeniable seal of approval – comes on every box.

Over the past couple of years, Tiger Woods failed to make a major splash on the handheld platforms. Chalk it up to technical inefficiencies. That changes today. Tiger Woods 07 comes to the PSP with the same quality gameplay found in the PS2 version. If you already have it on a console, you don't really need another. But if you've yet to take the latest Tour, or if you have but want to take that experience on the road, stay with me as I explain why this is my favorite version.

Swing, Swing

The last few series updates have focused on a new, analog stick-heavy swing system. Charge meters, timed button presses, and other non-intuitive elements were eliminated by this innovation. (And will not be outdone until the motion-sensing Wii and PS3 take over.)

Tiger Woods 07 brings that control style to PSP for a near-flawless transition. Push straight down, or down and to a bottom corner, and the player will set up his or her swing. The corresponding animation is not only realistic, but is also exact to your analog movement. As you push down, the player pulls back the club. A maximum swing potency of 100% is reached – complete your move now for the best possible swing. If the club is not swung in time, the power rating will drop to about 70% and stay there till you swing. Players can start over by gradually pushing the analog stick back into its standard, centered position. Again, watch the animation – it's perfectly in-sync with your actions.

The idea of this control system is that you'll swing the club in one smooth motion. To complete your swing, you have to (from the pulled back position) push the analog stick all the way forward. Any hesitance or mistakes will cause the swing to lose power, and may botch the shot all together.

You also have to consider the position of the stick, and the type of swing you were trying to perform. If the analog stick is angled when you start, it needs to be angled when you finish. Think of it this way: however you choose to pull the stick back, make sure it's pushed forward from the same position. Swings should be smooth and straight.

Those who have experience with the series on another platform will be able to jump right into the PSP version. Otherwise, expect to spend a minimum of 30 minutes getting used to the controls. I know some gamers might read that and think, "Oh no, a learning curve? I'll pass..." But you've got to remember that nothing good has ever been achieved without a fight. That is especially true of video games. My favorite titles are the ones with new control mechanics – games that I had to learn before they could be fully enjoyed. Yeah, you might suck at this one the first time you play it. But when it clicks – when the controls finally make sense – you're going to love it.

Time Consumption

Tiger Woods 07's best mode is easily its updated PGA Tour Career mode. Chances are you've experienced the "Dynasty" and/or "Manager" modes of EA's other sports games, which use an event calendar to separate tournaments, competitions, mini-games, and any other necessary option. Tiger Woods does the same, offering more competitions and mini-games than could ever be completed in one road trip.

The Shooting Gallery and Putting Frenzy mini-games are great fun. Shooting Gallery is similar to FIFA 07's Wall Attack mode. You have to take out specific tiles on the wall. This is done by swinging your club in various directions and with various degrees of power. Hitting an "X" tile, if any are displayed, will knock five seconds off the clock.

Putting Frenzy is a race against the clock to putt as many balls as you can. It's fun, fast, and very simple compared with the other mini-game. Both of these are a great way to enjoy Tiger Woods 07 when you're in a hurry, and can be played separately or within the Career mode.

Tiger Woods 07 is an unconditional must-have for golf lovers. Stellar controls, excellent course designs, challenging (and fun!) mini-games and an extremely addictive season mode are outstanding. Tiger Woods 07 delivers the most realistic golfing experience on a handheld to date. But just because it's real doesn't mean it can't have a little fictitious fun. Mini-games, flawed opponents (they make mistakes too), and the ability to jump in and immediately start having fun are a big part of what makes Tiger Woods a winner on the PSP. Like the PSP versions of NFL Street 2 and FIFA 07, I expect to play the PSP version of Tiger Woods 07 more than any other.

Gameplay: 8.6
The quality of a golf game is determined by one thing: its swing mechanics. Longevity is determined by the content based around those mechanics, and addictive level of each play mode. Tiger Woods 07 hits the bull’s eye on both accounts. It felt so good to be able to start a game and perform exactly the same as I would on PS2 and receive the same results. The mechanics are wonderful, and the season mode and mini-games an engrossing blast. Once you start, you won’t be able to put this one down.

Graphics: 9.0
Tiger Woods 07 isn’t just the king of golf – it’s also the king of PSP visuals. You won’t believe the realism crammed into each player model, nor will you expect the layer of detail applied to each course. While many PSP games look like they were made for the PSone, Tiger Woods 07’s graphics are closer to what you’d expect from a next-gen handheld.

Sound: 6.0
Crystal-clear and ultra-repetitive. The commentary sounds like it was recorded with only a handful of lines, which were then applied to the game using an inaccurate response system.

Difficulty: Medium
The mini-games may be forgiving, but that doesn’t mean the rest of the season mode challenges are. You’ll be playing through the season mode for hours before the high replay value has a chance to kick in.

Concept: 8.0
This isn’t a “new” experience, not for gamers with a PS2 at least. But the concept, no matter how old, has never been executed as beautifully on a handheld as it is today.

Multiplayer: 7.9
Got Wi-Fi access or frequent a public location that does? In addition to the ad hoc multiplayer, Tiger Woods 07 lets you access the online infrastructure. The downside: only two players are allowed to compete in either mode.

Overall: 8.6
First and foremost, Tiger Woods 07 offers the best swing controls in the league. No game released thus far can compare. The next generation should break new ground with motion-sensing controls on Wii and PS3, but as far as the 10-year-old analog stick is concerned, no game is as impressive as Tiger Woods 07. You will be amazed at every turn. Every swing is an exhilarating joy. Imagine that – a handheld golf game that’s exhilarating. I never dreamed it was possible. I never thought the pre-release screenshots could have been taken from gameplay footage. But what you see is real. And what you get is a killer, must-have golf game.