The question that pops into everyone's minds when it comes time for a new EA Sports title to release goes something like this: "How much different is it than the last?" That's the problem that comes from releasing a sports title every single year. Developers can't exactly change the experience 100% every time they put the game out. Instead, the core game typically remains the same while tweaks, gimmicks and game types are added.

With NHL 07 it was the addition of the "Skill Stick". With Madden 06 it was the addition of "QB Vision", which was ditched almost immediately. Madden 09 saw the inclusion of NFL IQ, a scoring system that determined A.I. difficulty. Sure, some of these additions warrant the purchase of an entirely new game. Others simply come as a gimmick that players would just as soon pass on entirely. In some cases, players only buy the latest EA Sports title in order to see their squad's newest roster.

So, Tiger Woods 10... what makes it different? Is it enough to warrant the purchase of a new Tiger if you've already got 09?

We'll start with the good. This year, Tiger boasts some courses that are entirely new to the franchise. Players will be able to play in the U.S. and British Open. And the new courses look great. 09 had a solid list of courses to play, but I will say that I found that the course lighting engine left the grass and shade a little on the brown side. This year, the colors are rich, luscious and healthy. That's beautiful, especially when you're taking a rainy Saturday inside to sit with some Tiger.

Speaking of weather, this new game comes with a pretty unique feature. They've linked up with The Weather Channel in order to provide real-time weather for the playable courses. If it's raining at the physical location of TPC Sawgrass while you're playing the game, it's raining for you too. Now I know that some folks simply see this as a generic add-on that does little for the overall package. If you're the type of guy that gets off on these types of gadgety features, then this one's something that'll leave you all giddy.