I'm not one to waste an opportunity to bash a lingering injustice, so let me say at the beginning of this review that 3D Ultra Minigolf Adventures is developed by Wanako Games, the same team that brought us the eternally broken Assault Heroes, which, six months after release, continues to suffer from dysfunctional co-op. Despite a continued outcry from Xbox 360 users demanding the problem be addressed, it appears Wanako will never release a patch, though will continue to happily accept your money. Shame on them, and shame on Microsoft for continuing to sell a game that doesn't work as advertised.

With that preamble out of the way, I came into 3D Ultra Minigolf Adventures expecting the same level of Quality Assurance. Fortunately, all appears well and multiplayer, so far, functions flawlessly. Too bad it works for a game that isn't particularly great.

Minigolf games have been around for some time now, though no self-respecting hardcore gamer would ever admit to playing one. I think it's safe to say that minigolf games appeal to casual players, the same people who can't stop playing Bejeweled and Minesweeper. These games generally don't require much skill, dexterity isn't a prerequisite, and it beats playing actual miniature golf down the street where you're usually stuck behind a pack of kids who take 30-plus strokes...on each hole.

3D Ultra Minigolf Adventures has some nice course design and the graphics are perfectly acceptable when one considers this is an arcade release of diminutive size. There are four characters you can select from, two males and two females, each with a small range of clothing options. None of the characters has specific personalities, strengths or weaknesses, so they are really nothing more than cosmetic.

One problem that rears its head fast is the fact that you have no idea where the hole is unless you squint your eyes and scan the screen, pixel by pixel. The flag tends to get lost in all the color splashed across your TV, so if you're anything like me, you'll just choose a random direction, hit the ball, and hope for the best. There's a lot of trial and error in this game, which is fine for awhile, but it wears thin quick and ultimately reduces its longevity.

While 3D Ultra Minigolf isn't the most exciting single-player game, its bread and butter occurs during multiplayer. Nothing like some global competition to spice things up. A nice feature in the game is the use of powerups, an element that adds a little spice to the proceedings by allowing you to drop oil slicks near your opponent or shooting an opponent's ball off the course. There all manner of dastardly deeds you can do to frustrate your fellow golfers, something that appeals to my evil side.

Another nice feature is the ability to design your own holes with the editor, which takes place on a 16-square grid. Here you can place ramps, turns, powerups and intersections, all in the hopes of creating your own masterpiece. This feature wouldn't be worth much if it were stuck in single-player only, so Wanako went the distance and made it so you can play your creations via multiplayer, sharing your demented work with fellow players.

All in all, 3D Ultra Minigolf Adventures isn't great, but it's not half-bad. If you like these types of games, then you'll probably be perfectly happy with this product, especially if you have friends to compete with over Xbox Live. It doesn't really raise the bar or set a new standard, doesn't offer anything I haven't seen before, and is unlikely to make any converts. Considering who made it, I guess we can all just be happy that it actually works.