Tennis, soccer, baseball, so why not golf?
I bought this game many years ago just after it had been released. I was immediately impressed, and I must say I still love this game. It's one of my favourites for GBC. Why? I must say that I'm not a fan of the sports and that I had practically no knowledge of it before I started playing this game. But in some way it did hit me, and I kept playing it for a long time. And even now, when I go on holiday, I still take my GBC with me to play Mario Golf.
You start out creating a character. You choose between boy and girl, and right or left-handed. Your ultimate goal is to become the best golf player in the world and eventually beat the master, Mario. The long path ahead of you begins at the first golf school, the Marion Club. The game contains four different golf clubs/schools, and when you win the tournaments at every club and defeat all of the club champs you can participate in Peach's Tournament. Then you can face Mario and Wario!
Control-wise, the game uses the same stroke mechanic as almost all golf games do. There's a bar with a small pointer moving over it from left to right. Stop it on the right side to determine the shot's power, stop it at exactly the correct point on the left side to get your accuracy maxed. Timing is key in this. Once the ball lands on the green the putting procedure starts. You pick a club, watch the slope of the green, adjust your shot to it, determine the power of the shot and hit the ball. Nothing too complicated.
Not unexpectedly, the game uses a level up system. Get enough experience points and you level up to improve abilities like control, height and drive of the ball.
Graphically the game's more than OK. GBC can't take much (how many bit is it, anyway?) but the scenery is colourful and for once you can tell the difference between a boy and a girl. The music fits the game: there's a couple of different songs, they fit playing golf and don't get on your nerves. What else can you want? Sound effects don't count for much, a couple of bleeps and oinks when you strike the ball, when it hits the grass and those sort of things. Solid.
You will find this a game that you keep picking up over and over again. It never ceased to be fun to play a tournament at one of the clubs, challenge a Club Champ or play against a friend by linking your two GBCs together. If you ever want to beat Mario you have no choice but to keep playing, since he is hard and you will need to be high-leveled.
Overall, a fantastic game, one of the best for Gameboy Color (even for non-golf fans).
~ Originally written and posted on GameFAQs 01/23/04.
~ Edited 08/20/08.