Miles Bennett
Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour is a 2003 sports video game developed by Camelot Software Planning and published by Nintendo for the GameCube. It is the sequel to the 1999 Nintendo 64 title Mario Golf and is the third game in the Mario Golf series. The game was released in North America on July 28, 2003, in Japan on September 5, 2003, in Australia on February 11, 2003, and in Europe on June 18, 2004. Toadstool Tour features characters and elements from the Mario series and offers a variety of courses and gameplay modes, including traditional stroke and match play as well as alternative modes such as Ring Attack.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Release date | 28 July 2003 (North America), 5 September 2003 (Japan), 2004 (PAL regions) |
| Developer | Camelot Software Planning |
| Publisher | Nintendo |
| Platform | Nintendo GameCube |
| Genre | Sports video game |
| Game modes | Tournament, training session, Ring Attack/Ring Shot, Character Match, Doubles, multiplayer (up to four players) |
| No. of courses | 6-7 |
| No. of playable characters | 16-18 |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Game release and development
Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour, known in Japan as Mario Golf: Family Tour, is a sports video game developed by Camelot Software Planning and published by Nintendo for the GameCube. It is the sequel to the 1999 Nintendo 64 title Mario Golf and is the third game in the Mario Golf series.
The game was released in North America on 28 July 2003, in Japan on 5 September 2003, in Australia on 11 February 2003, and in Europe on 18 June 2004. Toadstool Tour is a golf game featuring characters and elements from the Mario series. There are 16 playable characters in total, each with a set of golfing statistics defining their style of play. The game's main mode involves the player competing in tournaments to obtain new features, although there are alternative modes consisting of a training session and variations to the golf format. This includes "Ring Attack", requiring the player to hit the ball through rings of varying sizes while remaining on or under par.
Toadstool Tour was developed by Camelot Software Planning, the same team responsible for the game's predecessor, Mario Golf. During an interview with two Camelot developers, Hiroyuki and Shugo Takahashi, it was revealed that the game was developed simultaneously with the GameCube Mario Tennis title, Mario Power Tennis. According to the brothers, ideas and technology used for the development of Toadstool Tour were also used for Power Tennis. The music was composed by Motoi Sakuraba, who previously scored Mario Golf. The game was displayed as a playable demonstration at the E3 convention in 2003.
Toadstool Tour became part of the Player's Choice label in 2004, which offers a reduced price to games that have sold more than one million copies. The game received a positive reaction from critics, who praised the game's visuals, sound, and variety of courses. However, it was criticised for being too similar to its predecessor and for the absence of events and player progression in the game's single-player mode.
Efficient Ways to Loosen Stubborn Golf Spikes
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Characters and gameplay
Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour is a golf game that features characters, enemies, and themes from the Mario series. It is the third game in the Mario Golf series and was developed by Camelot Software Planning and published by Nintendo for the GameCube. It was released in North America on July 28, 2003, in Japan on September 5, 2003, and in PAL regions in 2004.
There are 16 playable characters in total, each with a unique set of golfing statistics that define their style of play. These characters include Daisy, Koopa, Diddy Kong, Waluigi, Birdo, Bowser Jr., Boo, Shadow Mario, and Petey Piranha, who are playable for the first time in the Mario Golf series.
The game offers a variety of modes, including tournaments, training sessions, collecting coins, and shooting the ball through rings. The main mode involves the player competing in tournaments to obtain new features, while alternative modes include a training session and variations to the golf format, such as "Ring Attack," where the player must hit the ball through rings of varying sizes while remaining on or under par.
The game also features seven courses, with later versions offering more complex terrain and exotic features. The more advanced courses introduce difficult terrain and elevation, such as bunkers, which limit the accuracy and range of shots. There are also hazards, such as lava pits and Thwomps, which incur a one-shot penalty if landed on. Each course takes its name from a particular Mario feature, such as "Peach's Castle Grounds," which is themed around the Mushroom Kingdom and includes themed hazards like chain chomps in bunkers and warp pipes to change the ball's location.
In terms of gameplay, the player's objective is to hit the ball into the hole using as few strokes as possible. Before the swing, the player chooses a club and sets a general direction and range for the ball to travel. During the swing, the player determines power by timing a button press for a marker to stop at the desired point on a power meter. The player can also influence the direction of the ball by applying spin. Players can alternate between auto and manual shots, with the latter providing more control but a higher risk of a poor shot. Many gameplay aspects, such as spin, are affected by the individual statistics of each character, including their control of the ball and the height of their shot, which determines how much their play is affected by the wind.
Golf Tees: Choosing the Right Ones for Your Game
You may want to see also
Courses and modes
Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour features seven courses, with later versions featuring more complex terrain and exotic features. The more advanced courses offer a higher frequency of difficult terrain and elevation, such as bunkers, which limit the accuracy and range of shots. There are also hazards like lava pits and thwomps, which incur a one-shot penalty if landed on. Each course takes its name from a particular Mario feature, such as \"Peach's Castle Grounds\", themed on the Mushroom Kingdom. This course includes themed hazards like chain chomps in bunkers and warp pipes to change the location of the ball.
Toadstool Tour contains several gameplay modes and variants of golf, as well as traditional stroke and match play. The game's main mode involves the player competing in tournaments to obtain new features, although there are alternative modes consisting of training sessions and variations to the golf format. This includes \"Ring Attack\", where the player must hit the ball through rings of varying sizes while remaining on or under par. Other modes include "Hole-in-One Contest", "Password Tournament", and "Ace Computer Difficulty Mode". The game also features a \"Doubles\" option, allowing two players to play alternate strokes as a team.
Multiplayer for up to four players is supported, and can be played with one to four controllers. All of the game modes are explained briefly in the game, and multi-player game modes can also be played with one player and AI opponents. In Tournament mode, the player competes against others for first place in an 18-hole round of golf and to earn the best badges on specific holes. The lowest score at the end of the tournament wins. In Character Match, the player competes in a one-on-one challenge against a computer character on any course using match play rules. Star Characters can be unlocked by accepting challenges from characters and winning. In Ring Shot, the player competes by hitting shots through various rings on a course while still finishing at or under par.
The game also features connectivity with Mario Golf: Advance Tour using the Nintendo GameCube Game Boy Advance cable. This allows players to get exclusive characters for each version of the game. Neil and Ella can be transferred into the game by connecting Mario Golf: Advance Tour for the Game Boy Advance with the GameCube.
Golf Sunglasses: Enhancing Your Game Vision
You may want to see also
Reception and criticism
Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour, released in 2003, received generally positive reviews from critics. The game was praised for its visuals, sound, and variety of courses. GameSpot, for example, welcomed the game's visuals, arguing that the recurring Mario characters "never looked better". IGN also lauded the graphics present in the full motion video and the rest of the game, as well as Toadstool Tour's audio. Official Nintendo Magazine placed the game 53rd on a list of greatest Nintendo games, commenting: "Perfect controls, lovely visuals, a classic character roster... what more could you want from a sports game?".
However, some reviewers criticised the game for its use of camera, especially when the ball's presented route would ignore obstacles. The game was also likened to the Tiger Woods PGA Tour games, which served as a criticism when Eurogamer and EGM noted the absence of events and player progression in the game's single-player mode. The latter publication, EGM, wanted "a more compelling single-player mode" that would offer "a golf pro who coaches me based on my swings". Toadstool Tour was also criticised for a perceived lack of advancement from its predecessor, with some reviewers finding it too similar to the previous Mario Golf game.
Toadstool Tour became part of the Player's Choice label in 2004, which offers a reduced price to games that have sold more than one million copies. By July 2006, the game had sold 830,000 copies and earned $26 million in the United States. Next Generation ranked it as the 72nd highest-selling game launched for the PlayStation 2, Xbox or GameCube between January 2000 and July 2006 in that country. Combined sales of Mario sports games released in the 2000s reached 2.5 million units in the United States by July 2006.
Golf Yips: What Are They and How to Fix Them?
You may want to see also
Regional variations
Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour, known in Japan as Mario Golf: Family Tour, was released in North America on 28 July 2003. It was then released in Japan on 5 September 2003, in Australia on 11 February 2003, and in Europe on 18 June 2004.
The game was released for the Nintendo GameCube, with a handheld console counterpart, Mario Golf: Advance Tour, on the Game Boy Advance.
The game was developed by Camelot Software Planning, the same team behind the previous game in the series, Mario Golf. It was published by Nintendo.
There were some regional variations in the game. As the game was first released in North America, the NTSC-J and PAL versions were subjected to further refinements, primarily in gameplay and graphics. The Japanese version, for example, measures putting distances and wind speed in meters and meters per second, instead of feet and miles per hour. The American release also featured an exclusive version of the game, where players could play the Bullseye Tour in the Special Tournament mode.
Golf Slips: What's the Deal?
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
28 July 2003.
5 September 2003.
2004.
