2025-05-01T18:00:00Z

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In his weekly column, Nick Sutrich, the Senior Content Producer for Android Central, dives into the vibrant world of virtual reality (VR) gaming, covering everything from cutting-edge hardware to the latest releases in games and technology. This week, he shines a spotlight on one of the standout titles in the Meta Quest library: Walkabout Mini Golf.

Walkabout Mini Golf has established itself as one of the finest games available for Meta Quest, ranking as the 20th best-selling title in its library. This enduring success has empowered its developers, Mighty Coconut, to continually enhance the game with fresh updates, features, and new courses for players to enjoy. The latest addition, titled Raptor Cliff's, has just launched, marking a thrilling new chapter in the games development. This release comes alongside two significant announcements, making April 2025 a particularly noteworthy month for fans of Walkabout Mini Golf.

Prior to the launch of Raptor Cliff's, Mighty Coconut revealed that they would be integrating six previous downloadable content (DLC) courses into the base game. This move is accompanied by a modest price increase of just $5, allowing players access to nearly double the number of original courses. To add to the excitement, existing players will receive these updates at no additional cost, ensuring that they can enjoy the expanded content without having to spend more.

To further celebrate these milestones, Mighty Coconut has joined forces with FormX Design to unveil the Grip-to-Putter 3, which represents the third generation of a highly regarded VR golfing accessory. This collaboration aims to enhance the overall experience for players, ensuring that Walkabout Mini Golf remains the best mini-golf game you can play, provided you have access to a Meta Quest headset or an iPhone.

Moving on to the intriguing details surrounding the name of the latest course, Raptor Cliff's, many players have likely noticed the apostrophe and wondered about its significance. This question was answered by the senior art director of Walkabout, Don Carson, along with one of the level designers, Henning Koczy, during a walkthrough of the new course. It turns out that the apostrophe signifies the name of the courses mascot, Raptor Cliff, who serves as the face of the roadside golf attraction featured in this latest DLC. You can spot a depiction of him as you enter the course, right behind the gift shop.

Carson explained that the course design aims to evoke the nostalgic charm of roadside attractions along the Northwestern coast of America during the 1970s, a theme inspired by his own childhood visits to such places with his grandparents. He noted that while there is nothing overtly anachronistic in the gift shop, the visual cueslike the vintage carssuggest that players are not in the year 2025. The designed aesthetic underscores that this is not intended to be a terrifying Jurassic Park experience; rather, the dinosaurs are depicted as friendly companions who enjoy interacting with players.

The experience kicks off as players putt their way through a massive redwood tree, where they are greeted by a whimsical T-Rex, its tongue lolling out like a playful dog. If you observe the dinosaur long enough, you might catch a glimpse of it scratching its belly as it watches you play golf, a delightful detail that adds to the overall charm of the course.

Carson emphasized that all the dinosaurs in Raptor Cliff's are "very well-fed," maintaining a playful atmosphere that invites friendly interactions rather than fear. Several holes creatively incorporate dinosaur themes; for example, one hole requires players to roll the ball up the back of a Stegosaurus, while another invites them to putt the ball into a Brontosaurus's mouth before navigating between its legs on the subsequent hole. Moreover, there is even a Triceratops that players can sit upon, alongside the introduction of a new zipline mechanic and moving cars scattered throughout the island.

The innovative designs also include unique gameplay mechanics, such as bouncing the ball off a sign to advance to the next section of the hole. Carson remarked on the creativity allowed within the realm of mini-golf in VR, highlighting that traditional golf courses lack such imaginative features for fear of disrupting the game or hitting other players.

As Carson explored the second caddy shop on the course, he encouraged players to look for hidden stories and details woven into the environment. Emma Mercado, who contributes to avatar accessories and environmental decorations, has a knack for embedding narrative elements within the courses. For example, players can spot quirky items like dinosaur slippers and half-eaten containers of fudge in the gift shop, hints at the fun, story-driven approach the team has embraced.

Interestingly, Carson shared that Mercado has a penchant for creating vignettes related to jilted love affairs throughout the courses, showcasing her flair for storytelling. He recalled an instance in Venice where a scene reflected a botched engagement, with knocked-over wine and flowers strewn about, further enriching the experience.

The thematic coherence of each course is carefully orchestrated by the design team, who consider factors like course size and complexity to provide engaging gameplay throughout the year. Koczy mentioned that while holes are typically designed within a range of 60 to 80 square meters, larger courses, such as Mount Olympus, necessitate additional space. In contrast, Raptor Cliff's was designed to create a cozy, inviting atmosphere, reminiscent of a nostalgic summer camp experience. This enchanting environment offers a much-needed break from the sedentary reality many face in todays world, where long hours are often spent sitting.

On the topic of gameplay accessories, while the YOGES Adjustable Length club had long been a favored choice for VR golfers, the new Grip-to-Putter 3 has now taken the top spot. The previous iteration, Grip-to-Putter 2, faced challenges with compatibility for the Quest 3, prompting FormX to overhaul the design for this new version.

Though it doesnt feature an adjustable length like the YOGES club, the Grip-to-Putter 3 introduces a physical grip-to-putt handle that enhances the user experience. In Walkabout, this innovative feature allows players to practice their swings without worrying about hitting the ball until they are ready. However, using a standard golf club attachment would inhibit access to the grip buttona limitation that the Grip-to-Putter 3 effectively addresses with its specially designed handle.

The Grip-to-Putter 3 includes a trigger on the handle that players press and hold to activate the grip-to-putt functionality seamlessly. The setup process is also notably less cumbersome than other golf club attachments, as users simply slide the controller into a designated chamber and lock it in place, eliminating the need for wrist straps or complex mechanisms.

One minor issue noted was that in some cases, inserting the controller too deeply into the chamber could unintentionally activate the grip button. However, this problem is easily resolved by adjusting the controller's position. Despite this, the overall experience of using the Grip-to-Putter 3 has been overwhelmingly positive, providing players with an added sense of weight and realism in their virtual golfing.

For those seeking the best club attachment for Walkabout Mini Golf on the Meta Quest 3, the Grip-to-Putter 3 stands out as an essential accessory to enhance gameplay.