CONTROLS ONLINE ENABLED SELECT CLUB p. 14 SWING p. 16 > R SELECT SHOT TYPE p. 18 AIM p. 15 0903 Part No. X09-93124 B Mulligan p. 13 X Target Area Preview p. 7 Y Player Info p. 8 R Spin Control Gizmo p. 17 > Pause Menu p. 22 Create leagues. Dominate tournaments. Become a legend. www.xsnsports.
SAFETY INFORMATION ABOUT PHOTOSENSITIVE SEIZURES A very small percentage of people may experience a seizure when exposed to certain visual images, including flashing lights or patterns that may appear in video games. Even people who have no history of seizures or epilepsy may have an undiagnosed condition that can cause these “photosensitive epileptic seizures” while watching video games.
WAYS TO PLAY LINKS 2004 Challenges Xbox Live Subscribe to the Xbox Live™ service at www.xbox.com/connect and you’ll be able to tee up Links® 2004 (and other great games!) with and against real, live players from around the world! See page 27.
WHAT’S NEW FOR LINKS 2004 For well over a decade, Links has set the standard for computer golf games, but this completely redesigned version—created for the Xbox—takes the game to a whole new level! Whether you’re a veteran Links player or playing it for the first time, you’re in for the ultimate golfing experience! Skill Events... The Greatest Links Courses EVER... makes it feel as if you’re the one playing on TV! Featuring analysis by the legendary Ken Venturi.
GAME CONTROLS Change Club Pre-Shot Pull l to change club (Up); pull r to change club (Down) View Aim Marker / Speed Up / Continue Swing Pre-Shot Move L Down to start swing (backswing); move L Up to complete swing (follow through); click to display Grid (on green) Disable Auto-Club Select Pre-Shot Press < [BACK] to disable automatic club selection (current shot only) Display Pause Menu Pre-Shot Press > [START] to display Pause Menu Pre-Shot Press A to display Aim Marker; press again to display Gol
GAME SCREEN Hole Location Indicator Aim Marker Shows the direction of the green. The direction you’re aiming. Player Info Messages Display Hole Number; Par; Name; Shot Number; Score through last completed hole. Displays info, tips, and results. Distance to Aim Marker / Difference in Elevation Down arrow indicates that you’re hitting downhill. Wind Gauge Power Meter Displays strength and direction of the wind (up means the wind is at your back). Not displayed on Advanced level.
MY PLAYER Creating Your Player Skill Points The first time you play Links 2004, you’ll need to create your player. If you ever want to make changes to your player, or create a new player, select My Player from the Main Menu. Skill Points are bought with cash earned by playing well in single rounds, Career Play tournaments, and Skill Events. Up to 20 Skill Points can be applied to each of four attributes: • Power: Hit shots farther. • Control: Get more spin control (see page 17).
SINGLE ROUND Except for preestablished rounds (such as Career Play tournaments) you’ll need to select rules, player count, a course, and conditions. Rules (Modes of Play) • Stroke: Standard rules; players compete individually to complete a round in the fewest number of strokes. • Match: Two players compete to win a majority of individual holes. • Nassau: A Stroke Play variation; players compete for the lowest score on the Front 9, Back 9, and Overall—each worth one point.
CLUB SELECTION HITTING THE BALL Automatic Club Selection Aiming Your Shot Before each shot, a club is automatically selected for you (displayed in the lower-left corner of the Game Screen), but you’re free to select a different club...and probably should in certain situations (below). To change clubs Pull l or r until the club you want is selected. t i p – A lower-numbered club hits the ball with less arc (loft), so it goes further.
HITTING THE BALL Real Time Swing For Beginner and Intermediate players, a Power Meter is displayed to help gauge the swing. For Beginners only, there is also a yellow recommended power line for each shot. There is no Power Meter for Advanced players. The instructions below are for the Beginner difficulty level. To make a full swing 1. Move L Down (toward you) in a straight line to start the backswing. 2.
SHOT TYPES CHIPPING AND PUTTING Using the Shot Types Gizmo Chipping There are six Shot Types; each one is used in specific situations. As with clubs, a recommended Shot Type is automatically selected before each shot. Putt—A shot made with the Putter, usually on or near the green. Flop—A short, hard swing with the club face open, used to hit the ball a very short distance with an extremely high trajectory so the ball sticks when it lands.
CHIPPING AND PUTTING Putting Aiming Your Putt To make a putt, you’ll need to read the green, use the Putting Assistant to find your line, set the Aim Marker, and putt with good tempo and just the right power...putting is not easy! You can use the Putter anytime, but it’s automatically selected only if you’re on the green. When putting, the Aim Marker always starts out near the hole.
IN-GAME OPTIONS This section covers options available through the Pause Menu (below). Information on other types of options is available elsewhere: • Pre-Shot/Post-Shot Options—See pages 6–7. • Round Options—See page 13. • Shot Types—See page 18. The Pause Menu Press > [START] at any time during a round to display the Pause Menu. Resume Game Return to the current round. Scorecard Display the scorecard and/or Career Play leaderboard for the current round. Preview Show a preview of the current hole.
CAREER PLAY Career Play in Links 2004 is a golf odyssey that begins with two 9-hole tournaments on the Rookie Tour and culminates—should you survive the journey—in an epic 72-hole battle for the Legend Tour crown! There are five Tours, over 30 tournaments, and more than $47,000,000 up for grabs ($10,000,000 in 1st Place purses)! Career Mode Tours • Rookie Tour: You get two chances to show your stuff and earn an invitation to the Rookie Tour Match Play Championship! • Pro Tour: Play well over three tourname
XBOX LIVE Xbox Live Take Links 2004 Beyond the Box XSN Sports combines the power of Xbox Live with the connectivity of the Internet to bring you a whole new gaming experience.
XBOX LIVE Xbox Live Menu The Xbox Live Menu is where you set up games, find out if your Friends are online, view world rankings, and so on. Friends List You can add up to 100 other gamers to your Friends List, and then send and receive invitations, check if they’re signed in, see which tournament they’re playing in, and more. Quick Match Get matched with an opponent with no specific game settings. (Note that Quick Match games are not ranked.
XBOX LIVE CREDITS Xbox Live Icons Voice On Talking Program Manager Additional Art Design Audio Development Team Ross Curtin Mark McArthur Lead Matt McEnerney Jeff Robinson • Programmers Friend Is Online Matt Dawson Lead Rich Moore Phil Knight Mark Knight Matt Smith Steve Bodis John Olsen Russell Hunter Bruce Ward Shon Love • Chris Phillips • Friend Request Sent Engine Development Team Voice Muted Game Invitation Sent Game Invitation Received Friend Request Received Danny Lunt Lead Lynn Eggli
WARRANTY GET AN EDGE ON THE GAME! LIMITED WARRANTY FOR YOUR COPY OF XBOX GAME SOFTWARE (“GAME”) ACQUIRED IN THE UNITED STATES OR CANADA Xbox Game Tips (Automated): Available 7 days a week including holidays, 24 hours a day. • In the U.S., call 1-900-933-TIPS. $.95 per minute. • In Canada, call 1-900-561-HINT. $1.50 (Canadian) per minute.
