When it comes to yearly sports games, few come with the quality reputation of the Tiger Woods series. Since the initial release in 1999, the team at EA Sports has been praised for superb and fun gameplay, while the realistic simulation feel has been consistently improved in recent years. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13 will look to add more authenticity to the experience, while including an intriguing new game mode to the series.

Total Swing Control is the major gameplay addition this year, giving the user more control over their swing than ever before. There are four key points for this feature. The tempo and speed of your swing will now matter when it comes to your shot distance, as will the new Strike Meter. The closer you get to the sweet spot of the club will allow you to control power, spin, and trajectory. Your swing arc will also now be charted, meaning the closer you are to the perfect arc, the better the result will be. Lastly, the player can now control every aspect of their shot setup, including your stance and ball placement, allowing the user to create every possible shot imaginable. While casual players may not see the importance of these features, loyal players of the series and avid golfers will love these additions, which should bring unprecedented realism to the series.

Unfortunately for Wii users, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13 will not be available on Nintendo's console, although EA has said that a Wii U version is possible later this year. However, Xbox 360 users are getting full Kinect integration for the first time. It'll be interesting to see how well Kinect is implemented, as Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13 is the first major sports title to utilize Microsoft's motion system. EA has already promised FIFA and Madden will be Kinect-ready in 2012, so this could be a good indicator of what we can expect going forward. For PS3 users, PlayStation Move will also be fully supported, as it was last year.

Brand new for this year is the Tiger Legacy Challenge, which allows you to play as Tiger Woods from the very beginning of his golf career. This goes all the way back to his days as a toddler at age 2, when he first became known on a national level. The goal is to complete all of Tiger's accomplishments, hoping to reach the ultimate goal of breaking Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 major championships.

Other new additions for Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13 include five new pro golfers: Ben Crane, Ross Fisher, Dustin Johnson, Hunter Mahan, and Graeme McDowell, bringing the total to 22. Six new courses have also been added, but some will not be available unless you purchase the Collector's Edition. Additional courses will be made available via DLC, but purchasing all of the extra content will likely set you back an additional $50.

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13 looks like another solid entry in the long running golf series. Be sure to check back here at GD for full coverage once the game is released.

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