Ava Romero
Mario Golf is a video game series developed by Camelot Software Planning and published by Nintendo. The first game in the series, Mario Golf, was released in 1999 for the Nintendo 64. The game features Mario, his friends, and his enemies playing golf on a variety of Mario-themed courses. Players can choose from a number of characters and courses, each with features adapted to the Nintendo world. The game received universal acclaim and was followed by several other installments in the Mario Golf series, including handheld versions and releases for the Nintendo GameCube, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo 3DS, and Nintendo Switch. The series offers simplified pick-up-and-play gameplay, doing away with the complexities of real-life golf while still offering deep game engines that account for variables such as wind strength, character attributes, and spin on the ball.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Game type | Sports video game |
| Developer | Camelot Software Planning |
| Publisher | Nintendo |
| Platforms | Nintendo 64, Game Boy Color, Nintendo GameCube, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo Switch |
| Release date(s) | 1999, 2008, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2021, 2022, 2024 |
| Game modes | Speed Golf, Ring Shot, Mini Golf, Skins Match, Tournament Mode, Golf Adventure, Ranked Match, Battle Golf |
| Characters | Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Yoshi, Donkey Kong, Wario, Bowser, Kid, Plum, Sonny, Harry |
| Number of courses | 18 |
| Gameplay | Simplified "pick-up-and-play" style, deep game engine, influence of wind, rain, and terrain |
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What You'll Learn
Mario Golf: Super Rush
Each character in the game's roster has a unique Special Shot ability. A Special Shot is charged up over the course of a match, and once activated, gives every club a higher shot power and a unique ball gimmick designed to disrupt opponents. For example, Luigi's ball has the ability to freeze the ground.
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Game modes
Mario Golf is a sports video game series developed by Camelot Software Planning and published by Nintendo. The first game in the series, Mario Golf, was released in 1999 for the Nintendo 64. The game features several modes, including the traditional stroke and match play, speed golf, ring shot, mini golf, and skins match. The main mode is "Tournament Mode", where players compete against AI opponents on different courses to win trophies.
As the series progressed, new modes were introduced, such as "Character Match", where characters battle AI opponents to gain statistical enhancements and become "star characters"; "Coin Attack", where players collect coins scattered across courses; and "Ring Attack", where players must direct the ball through rings of varying locations, angles, and diameters while maintaining par.
The latest game in the series, Mario Golf: Super Rush, features five game modes. These include "Standard Golf", where up to four players compete to get the lowest score; "Speed Golf", where players race to complete courses in the fastest time; "Battle Golf", a head-to-head mode for up to four players online or locally; "Solo Challenge", a single-player mode where players can train their skills through "Score Attack" or "Time Attack"; and "Golf Adventure", a single-player story mode where players control their own Mii character and progress through a country club setting, facing competition from the Mushroom Kingdom.
Mario Golf: Super Rush also introduces "Special Shots", unique abilities for each character that enhance shot power and provide a ball gimmick to disrupt opponents. Players can also use "Special Dash" to rush past opponents by pressing (L) when they have enough stamina. The game can be played solo or with up to four players online with a Nintendo Switch Online membership.
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Character abilities
Mario Golf: Super Rush features a large cast of characters, each with their own unique abilities and styles. Players can duke it out on the golf course as Mario or his friends, using their golfing prowess and special abilities to gain an edge over their opponents.
Mario, for example, has a speed of 9, making him one of the fastest golfers in the game. His Special Shot blasts away balls on impact and gives him a lengthy speed boost and Super Star invincibility that knocks off other players he touches. Mario's Special Dash, on the other hand, is a bit tricky to use.
Luigi, on the other hand, is more of a tactician. His Ice Flower Freeze ability imbues his ball with the power of ice, freezing the immediate golfing area upon impact and creating difficult terrain for other players.
Princess Peach is an iconic character in the franchise, but her golfing abilities are not the strongest. She lacks a core skill to carry her through the game, although her overall skillset is not terrible.
Yoshi has the highest speed rating in the game, along with a solid stamina rating of 9. His Egg-Roll Dash ability allows him to speed past competitors, making up for his poor control of the ball. Yoshi can also use his Eggschanger ability to eat his ball and release an egg in its place, which transforms back into a golf ball upon landing and impacts its trajectory.
Bowser Jr. takes a more tactical approach than his father, Bowser. When activated, he spawns a Clown Car, which he rides and uses to punch the ball to its destination.
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Game development
The Mario Golf video game series is primarily developed by Camelot Software Planning and published by Nintendo. The series includes nine installments, with characters from the Super Mario franchise participating in golfing events. The first game in the series, Mario Golf, was released in 1999 for the Nintendo 64. It was developed as a simpler game to help Camelot Software Planning get accustomed to the Nintendo 64 hardware. Nintendo was impressed with the prototype and decided to assign Camelot to develop the game, which received "universal acclaim".
The Nintendo 64 version of Mario Golf offers a variety of Mario-themed courses and characters to choose from, including Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Yoshi, Wario, and some original characters. The game was designed to be intuitive and accessible, with easy-to-read meters and controls that allow players to aim and adjust their swings. It also includes different game modes, such as Standard Golf and Speed Golf, where players can race through the course and hinder their opponents with dashes and special shots.
The Game Boy Color version of Mario Golf, also developed by Camelot, adds role-playing elements to the game. Players can create and develop their golf-playing characters, earning experience points by winning tournaments, playing minigames, or receiving items from other characters. This version offers four initial courses with varying terrain features, such as seaside, dunes, and the basic Marion Club course. The Game Boy Color version received slightly stronger aggregated reviews than the Nintendo 64 version, with many praising its addictive gameplay and intuitive controls.
The Mario Golf series has since expanded to other Nintendo consoles, including the GameCube, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo 3DS, and Nintendo Switch. The sixth installment, released in 2014 for the Nintendo 3DS, and the seventh installment, released in 2021 for the Nintendo Switch, titled Mario Golf: Super Rush, introduced new characters, courses, and game modes. The series has been well-received for its blend of arcade-style golf gameplay and the familiar Super Mario characters, offering a unique and enjoyable experience for both golf and Mario fans.
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Reception and sales
The Mario Golf series has sold 8.58 million copies worldwide. The first game in the series, Mario Golf, was released in 1999 for the Nintendo 64. It received "universal acclaim" according to Metacritic, with the Game Boy Color version receiving slightly stronger reviews than the Nintendo 64 version. IGN called the Game Boy Color version "an absolutely brilliant rendition of golf and a perfect game for the go".
The third game in the series, Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour, was released in 2003 for the GameCube. It received positive reviews from critics, who praised the game's visuals, sound, and variety of courses. However, it was also criticised for being too similar to its predecessor. Official Nintendo Magazine placed the game 53rd on their list of greatest Nintendo games. By July 2006, Toadstool Tour had sold 830,000 copies and earned $26 million in the United States.
The sixth instalment in the series, Mario Golf: Super Rush, was released in 2021 for the Nintendo Switch. It received mixed reviews from critics. While the gameplay mechanics, new modes, controls, and visuals were praised, the game was criticised for its low amount of content at launch and the short length of its adventure mode.
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Frequently asked questions
Mario Golf is a video game series developed by Camelot Software Planning and published by Nintendo. The series involves various Mario characters, such as Luigi, Princess Peach, and Yoshi, playing golf.
The first game in the series, Mario Golf, was released in 1999 for the Nintendo 64.
The original Mario Golf was released on the Nintendo 64 and the Game Boy Color. Subsequent games in the series have been released on the GameCube, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo 3DS, and Nintendo Switch.
Mario Golf features several gameplay modes, including Tournament Mode, Speed Golf, Ring Shot, Mini Golf, and Skins Match.
Mario Golf simplifies the gameplay of traditional golf, allowing players to choose a club, direction, and range before each swing. Players can also influence the power and spin of their shots through timing and button presses.
