One of the additions to Xbox Game Pass this week that went somewhat under the radar was Turbo Golf Racing, which launched on Thursday, August 4th in Xbox Game Preview, meaning it'll remain in an early access state for some time.

As a result, this isn't your typical review — we're not going to score it or anything like that for now, as the game will be changing considerably over the next 12 months (or however long it remains in the Xbox Game Preview program).

So, what is Turbo Golf Racing? It's essentially a mashup of Rocket League, a racing game and a golf game, in which your goal is to smash an oversized ball down a golf course and putt it into the hole before everyone else. You compete with up to eight other online players across three bite-sized rounds, and your finishing position determines what kind of rewards you get. There's a (free) Season Pass structure for unlocking new additions to your vehicle and ball, and also a Power Core system where you can apply a maximum of two upgrades such as increased boost speed and the ability to make the ball bouncier.

The gameplay is undoubtedly good fun, and it's very Rocket League-like in the way it handles so the controls are easy to grasp from the outset. The addition of weapons and power-ups add depth, and the variety in the courses means you'll be tested on accuracy, spin, elevation and more. Plus, you've got the added intensity that comes with having to race everyone to the finish, which helps to give it that "just one more game" feeling - especially considering the matches are usually only around 90 seconds to two minutes long.

If there's a downside, it's that the longevity doesn't seem all that great right now. Playing the game is fun, but at least during the Xbox Game Preview portion of its existence, Turbo Golf Racing doesn't really do enough to entice you to stick around permanently. There's little fanfare involved in winning a match, the unlockable items aren't anything special, and we ultimately feel like we've seen it all already — even after just a very short period of time playing the game.

Even so, Turbo Golf Racing is off to a promising start on Xbox Game Pass. There are some really solid foundations here, and we're intrigued to see where the game will go over the next 12 months. Download it, play a few games, and you might be surprised by just how enjoyable it can be.