PangYa

PangYa (Korean: 팡야, lit. "Bang!"), is an online multiplayer casual golf simulation designed by a Korean development company, Ntreev Soft and published by Korean online game publisher HanbitSoft. The full game is free to download, although certain special items for the game (such as clothes for characters, new equipment and new playable characters) can only be purchased with real money. However, real money items give only a small advantage over the non money items. The game's outcome is usually determined by personal skill. In addition, there are many chances to win the game's currency without having to spend money--one way of evening out the playing field without too much loss of profit.

Gameplay
PangYa's gameplay is designed similar to most other golf games. The power and accuracy of a shot are determined by a meter located at the bottom of the screen, using the "three-click method": one click to activate the meter's bar, one click to set power, and one click to set accuracy. Clicking is either done by moving the mouse pointer over the bar and clicking, or simply pressing the space bar. The WASD keys can be used to replace the arrow keys.

Should the player hit the ball with perfect (or almost-perfect) accuracy, the shot is called a "PangYa". Missing a PangYa will result in a loss of power, and either a 'hook' (where the ball angles to the left from the intended trajectory) or a 'slice' (where the ball angles to the right from the intended trajectory).

The similarity of PangYa with other online golf games end here. The game's graphics look more like that of an anime than real golf, and many features are derived of creative imaginations rather than realism. For example, players use golf clubs that resemble household products or baseball bats, courses such as Silvia Cannon and Wiz Wiz are set in fantasy realms, and certain special shots that do the physically impossible can be performed.

Currency
The currency of PangYa is Pang. Pang is normally earned by finishing a hole at even par or lower, pulling of unusual shots and making difficult chip-ins. Pang can be used at the Shops to buy equipment or items. Equipment generally improves the player, while items generally help the player to perform certain shots. For example, the Lucky PangYa item widens the white PangYa zone on the power meter so the player can hit a PangYa without much difficulty. The Pang can also be used to upgrade equipments and clothing avatars for different characters via a slot system, which grants slots for players to upgrade their character's attributes.

A cookie system has also been established on most PangYa servers (PangyaSEA's A-Cash system deviates from this, but is inherently identical), which allows people to buy equipment and items using real cash. Cookie/A-Cash items usually give a slight advantage over Pang-bought items as they usually possess innate attributes as well as more slots to offer than Pang-bought avatars. (An example on PangyaSEA would be the Hawaii Shirt worn by Leorio, a Pang-purchased shirt offering one Power Slot, versus several pieces of Leorio's A-Cash clothing that offers an immediate Power+1 attribute and 3 additional Power Slots.)

PangYa Season 3 : Revolution
Between the 25th and the 27th of July 2006. Korea PangYa has launched its closed beta of PangYa Season 3 : Revolution. The new season featured many new feature in addition to revamping of the current game features. These include but probably not limited to:


 * Enhanced game menu interface
 * New character Kaz - Descendant of a demon king.
 * 2 new special shots - Spike shot and Double Power Shot
 * Chatroom - Up to 30 players can join a selected course and interact with each other. Interaction include chat, showing emotion, playing PangYa music on an in-game player, and trading of pang based item between players.
 * New play mode, approach mode - Similar to Pang Battle's final round. Players' ball are placed at a bad lie in dire condition and strong wind condition. Players are required to hit as close to the hole as possible without sinking it in. This mode support up to 30 players.
 * Mascot system - Much like caddie, mascot will follow you around a game and will provide non-stat based bonuses(Extra experience, extra pang, extra item slot etc.). Some mascots have small detail like a sign that player can put messages on.
 * New 'AAA' difficulty course - Deep Inferno
 * Hairstyles - Players can now change their character hairstyle.
 * New animations - Earlier character like Scout/Hana receives new unique power shot animation(Much like Max using only one hand during power shots and Arin disappearing and reappearing.). In addition to that characters now receives new animations for Albatross and Hole-in-one shots unlike in Season 1 and 2 where they just show the animation from Eagle shot. Camera angle and pan has also been revamped to make shots look more dramatic.

It looks likely that PangYa Japan will soon be upgrading to Season 3. Check the homepage for hints of upgrade.