OVERALL RATING		3.0
Presentation		4.0
Control		3.0
Gameplay		3.0
Fun factor		2.5
User Rating		3.5

3D Hunting Trophy Whitetail Championship 2009 is a hunting simulation game that banks on people who enjoy the sport of big game hunting.  This gives them the opportunity to shoot their rifles year round in locations across North America but while it does have some nice features, it's also lacking in others.

The game lets you see action in two modes: Action Hunt and Hunt.  Action Hunt is basically a simplistic shooting gallery of sorts where you can select one of four weapons and take on a series of  10 qualifying rounds that, if completed with the required accuracy, will make that weapon available in the more realistic Hunt mode.  Once in Hunt mode, you can travel the lands and go after deer, elk, caribou, grizzly and black bears.

There are a number of good points to the game including being rendered in full 3D.  This gives the game a very good look with realistic detail to the animals.  It also allows you to travel an open environment where you have the freedom to roam anywhere.  Tools at your disposal include the four different weapons (lever-action, bolt-action and scoped rifles, plus a Bow), scent mists, binoculars and a caller, while an easily accessible map gives you the location of targets.  

For most of the targets you will have to get close and catch them by surprise, but a few of them, specifically the bears, they are a little bit more resistant.  By this I mean that they will actually rush and try to maul you.  If you're not careful, you can become the hunted instead.  This is a good turn of events but overall the game still feels lacking.

Now i'm not a hunter, but I bet any one of them can tell you that one of the most exciting parts of the sport is sneaking up on your mark, taking steady aim and then making the shot.  With the AI instilled in these animals, you can just about walk up to them in broad daylight, with a clean line of site, singing the Star Spangled Banner, and STILL tag them.  Sure they'll run away if you miss, but you'll be right back in range within a few seconds.  There's hardly any skill involved, unless you count fiddling with the controls.

That's because in some instances, there are eight, yes eight, buttons  to use for movement and aiming.  I guess this works for many first person shooters, but when you can only use two thumbs on the touchscreen, it's just too many.  A simpler method should have been used and something that isn't so touchy either.

3D Hunting could benefit from better AI, tactics, realistic challenges and smoother controls, rendering it no more than a 3D shooting gallery, but overall it's a start for those who enjoy hunting.  At the low .99 cent price point, it's not that big of a risk if you want something simple to suit your needs.