(Moved Virtual Boy stuff to newly created Golf (series) page due to ambiguity on what we should do with it. Other bits still need split to own pages though.)
{{split|Golf|Stroke & Match Golf|Golf (Game Boy)|Golf*|discussion=Talk:Golf#Split "VS. Golf" (or "Stroke & Match Golf") from Golf}}
{{split|Golf|Stroke & Match Golf|Golf (Game Boy)|discussion=Talk:Golf#Split "VS. Golf" (or "Stroke & Match Golf") from Golf}}
{{about|the 1984 video game|the microgame with the same name|[[Golf (microgame)]]|the event in the 3DS version of [[Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (Nintendo 3DS)|Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games]]|[[Golf (event)]]|an overview of all golf-related titles in the Mario series|[[Mario Golf (series)]]}}
{{about|the 1984 video game|the microgame with the same name|[[Golf (microgame)]]|the event in the 3DS version of [[Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (Nintendo 3DS)|Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games]]|[[Golf (event)]]|an overview of all golf-related titles in the Mario series|[[Mario Golf (series)]]}}
{{game infobox
{{game infobox
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|developer=[[Nintendo Research & Development 2|Nintendo R&D2]]<br>[[Hudson Soft]] (PC-8801, PC-8001mkIISR, and Sharp X1 ports)
|developer=[[Nintendo Research & Development 2|Nintendo R&D2]]<br>[[Hudson Soft]] (PC-8801, PC-8001mkIISR, and Sharp X1 ports)
'''''Golf''''' is a game for the [[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]] released in 1984. It is based on the {{wp|Golf|sport of the same name}}. The golfer, a heavyset man with a cap and mustache, has been identified as [[Mario]] in supplemental material, albeit not wearing his traditional shirt and overalls.<ref>''[[Mario Mania]]'', page 9.</ref> However, the game ''[[Captain Rainbow]]'' would instead identify the golfer as ''Ossan'', which happens to be a generic internal name Mario had during the development of ''[[Donkey Kong (game)|Donkey Kong]]''.<ref>http://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/#/wii/mario25th/1/3</ref> The game's sequels (''[[Family Computer Golf: Japan Course]]'', ''[[Family Computer Golf: US Course]]'', and ''[[NES Open Tournament Golf]]'') all more clearly depict the golfer as Mario. Additionally, the [[Game Boy]] variation of this game would feature Mario on the Western cover art but not the Japanese version, though the in-game sprite still appears to depict him.
'''''Golf''''' is a game for the [[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]] released in 1984. It is based on the {{wp|Golf|sport of the same name}}. The golfer, a heavyset man with a cap and mustache, has been identified as [[Mario]] in supplemental material, albeit not wearing his traditional shirt and overalls.<ref>''[[Mario Mania]]'', page 9.</ref> However, the game ''[[Captain Rainbow]]'' would instead identify the golfer as ''Ossan'', which happens to be a generic internal name Mario had during the development of ''[[Donkey Kong (game)|Donkey Kong]]''.<ref>http://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/#/wii/mario25th/1/3</ref> The game's sequels (''[[Family Computer Golf: Japan Course]]'', ''[[Family Computer Golf: US Course]]'', and ''[[NES Open Tournament Golf]]'') all more clearly depict the golfer as Mario. Additionally, the [[Game Boy]] variation of this game would feature Mario on the Western cover art but not the Japanese version, though the in-game sprite still appears to depict him.
A {{wp|Golf (1995 video game)|polygonal, 3D variation of this game}}, developed by {{wp|T&E Soft}} and published by that company in Japan and [[Nintendo]] in America, was released for the [[Virtual Boy]] in 1995. In it, Mario is replaced by a generic golfer lacking a mustache. This version was titled '''''T&E Virtual Golf''''' in Japan and, as such, was likely not initially developed as a follow-up to this game; however, in America, it was titled '''''Golf*''''' on the cover, '''''Golf''''' on the title screen, and '''''Nintendo Golf''''' on the in-game loading screen, indicating it was localized as one. Aspects of its gameplay would be incorporated into ''[[Mario Golf (Nintendo 64)|Mario Golf]]'' for the [[Nintendo 64]].
A copy of the original game was embedded in [[Nintendo Switch]] firmware. Activating it required the internal system clock to be set to July 11—[[Satoru Iwata]]'s {{wp|death anniversary}}—and performing his iconic "{{wp|List of Nintendo Direct presentations|directly to you}}" hand gesture with both Joy-Con controllers on the HOME Menu. If successful, a voice clip of Iwata from a [https://youtu.be/NWbYvzjAst8?t=16 Japanese 2012 presentation] would confirm the input, and an emulator of ''Golf'' with added motion control support would promptly boot up.<ref name=Flog>http://switchbrew.org/index.php?title=Flog</ref> ''Golf'' has significance as one of the first video games Iwata programmed himself for Nintendo while working at [[HAL Laboratory]].<ref>[http://shmuplations.com/iwata/ Satoru Iwata – 1999 Developer Interview originally featured in Used Games magazine, translated by shmuplations.com]</ref> This version of ''Golf'' was overwritten as of the 4.0.0 update, making it unplayable.<ref name=Flog/> Aside from the NES game's inclusion on the Switch, the international version of ''VS. Golf'' was later included on ''[[Arcade Archives]]''.<ref>Hamster Corporation. [http://www.hamster.co.jp/american_hamster/arcadearchives/switch/golf.htm ''Arcade Archives: Golf'']</ref>
A copy of the original game was embedded in [[Nintendo Switch]] firmware. Activating it required the internal system clock to be set to July 11—[[Satoru Iwata]]'s {{wp|death anniversary}}—and performing his iconic "{{wp|List of Nintendo Direct presentations|directly to you}}" hand gesture with both Joy-Con controllers on the HOME Menu. If successful, a voice clip of Iwata from a [https://youtu.be/NWbYvzjAst8?t=16 Japanese 2012 presentation] would confirm the input, and an emulator of ''Golf'' with added motion control support would promptly boot up.<ref name=Flog>http://switchbrew.org/index.php?title=Flog</ref> ''Golf'' has significance as one of the first video games Iwata programmed himself for Nintendo while working at [[HAL Laboratory]].<ref>[http://shmuplations.com/iwata/ Satoru Iwata – 1999 Developer Interview originally featured in Used Games magazine, translated by shmuplations.com]</ref> This version of ''Golf'' was overwritten as of the 4.0.0 update, making it unplayable.<ref name=Flog/> Aside from the NES game's inclusion on the Switch, the international version of ''VS. Golf'' was later included on ''[[Arcade Archives]]''.<ref>Hamster Corporation. [http://www.hamster.co.jp/american_hamster/arcadearchives/switch/golf.htm ''Arcade Archives: Golf'']</ref>
The [[Virtual Boy]] game contains 18 holes, all of which take place at the '''Papillion Golf & Country Club'''. Due to the 3D capability, it includes slopes, and the area the ball will land is represented by a large square grid.
Famicom/NES: May 1, 1984 October 18, 1985 November 15, 1986 VS. System: August 1984 October 1984 (VS. Golf) December 1984 (VS. Ladies Golf) PC-8801: 1985 Sharp X1: 1985 PC-8001mkIISR: 1985 Famicom Disk System: February 21, 1986 Nintendo PlayChoice-10: August 1986 Game Boy: November 28, 1989 March 1990 1990 e-Reader: April 21, 2003 Virtual Console (3DS): June 29, 2011 September 8, 2011 October 13, 2011 October 13, 2011 July 20, 2016 Virtual Console (Wii U): October 10, 2013 October 10, 2013 October 10, 2013 November 13, 2013 Nintendo Switch:* March 3, 2017 March 3, 2017 March 3, 2017 March 3, 2017 March 3, 2017 *Only playable July 11. Nintendo Switch (Arcade Archives): October 25, 2019 October 25, 2019 October 25, 2019 October 25, 2019
Golf is a game for the NES released in 1984. It is based on the sport of the same name. The golfer, a heavyset man with a cap and mustache, has been identified as Mario in supplemental material, albeit not wearing his traditional shirt and overalls.[1] However, the game Captain Rainbow would instead identify the golfer as Ossan, which happens to be a generic internal name Mario had during the development of Donkey Kong.[2] The game's sequels (Family Computer Golf: Japan Course, Family Computer Golf: US Course, and NES Open Tournament Golf) all more clearly depict the golfer as Mario. Additionally, the Game Boy variation of this game would feature Mario on the Western cover art but not the Japanese version, though the in-game sprite still appears to depict him.
A copy of the original game was embedded in Nintendo Switch firmware. Activating it required the internal system clock to be set to July 11—Satoru Iwata's death anniversary—and performing his iconic "directly to you" hand gesture with both Joy-Con controllers on the HOME Menu. If successful, a voice clip of Iwata from a Japanese 2012 presentation would confirm the input, and an emulator of Golf with added motion control support would promptly boot up.[3]Golf has significance as one of the first video games Iwata programmed himself for Nintendo while working at HAL Laboratory.[4] This version of Golf was overwritten as of the 4.0.0 update, making it unplayable.[3] Aside from the NES game's inclusion on the Switch, the international version of VS. Golf was later included on Arcade Archives.[5]
The gameplay of Golf is relatively simple. The player is given a ball, and a map on the right side of the screen shows the hole that they must hit the ball into. The obstacles on the way are also displayed on the map. The player gets more points depending on how many times they hit the ball to get it into the hole. Many different types of clubs are also available to choose from by pressing Up/Down on the + Control Pad. Left/Right changes the direction the player will hit the ball in; on the fairway, this is limited to 16 directions and represented by an arrow, while on the putting green, the directions are unlimited and represented by a crosshair-like target.
Hitting the ball is done via a meter beneath the viewing field. Pressing the button once makes the golfer swing the club back, with the arrow on the meter moving left. Pressing it again causes them to swing forward, also moving the arrow back to the right—how far to the left it was determines the stroke's power, and if it reaches the far left, it will start moving right again on its own without a strength being yet determined. Pressing it a third time hits the ball, with the arrow's position relative to the meter's target area determining the impact point and thus how the ball will move; hitting the target on the center makes the ball go straight, hitting to the right of the target causes a left-curving hook ball, and hitting to the left of the target causes a right-curving slice ball. If the second step is skipped, the ball will merely be swiped a few yards ahead, and skipping the third step causes the club to miss entirely. The ball's direction in the air is also influenced by the direction and speed of the wind, which varies between rounds and is determined by an arrow and label found above the viewing area. On the putting green, meanwhile, the direction is influenced by the lay of the green, represented by arrows in different directions and densities.
Unlike in most golf games following it, there is no distinction between fairway and rough; as such, the only terrains are standard grass, putting green, and sand bunkers, with trees representing out-of-bounds areas.
Bogey, par, birdie, or Eagle. The score is up to you. Golf is 18 holes of realistic links action. Each hole has tricky hazards, so strategy is a must. Read the wind direction, check the distance, select a club, adjust your swing and keep your eye on the ball. Now drive it home. From twisting fairways and hungry sand traps to big water hazards and deceptive greens, Golf is packed with challenges.
This version of the game does not have multiplayer functionality.
Clubs
There are 14 different clubs in the game: three woods (1W, 3W, 4W), eight irons (1I, 3I, 4I, 5I, 6I, 7I, 8I, 9I), a pitching wedge (PW), a sand wedge (SW), and a putter (PT). Higher numbers mean lower length on the shaft and the resulting drive. Woods have a drive that causes the ball to roll a short distance after landing, and as such, they are most useful for covering ground. Irons have a drive that causes the ball to stop short almost immediately after landing, making them the most useful for precision with avoiding hazards. The pitching wedge gives a short-length but very tall drive, and as such, it acts as a 10-level iron. The sand wedge gives a short-distance swat and is the most useful for escaping sand bunkers. The putter is unique, only rolling the ball a small amount forward along the ground to move it onto and across the putting green; its meter is shorter than the others and lacks an impact area, and it is the only club available while the ball is on the green.
Holes
Golf features 18 holes separated into nine labeled "OUT" and nine labeled "IN." Each hole features some green and some woods, and every hole except hole 11 features sand traps. Holes 2, 3, and 5 feature inland ponds; holes 7 and 16 feature rivers; and holes 6, 9, 13, 15, and 18 have water covering the majority of the map. The other holes do not have water. Once the player gets the ball close to the target (the actual "hole," marked by a flag) on each map, the section of the screen that previously showed a map of the entire course shows a zoomed-in map of the putting green.[6][7]
Outward nine
Hole 1
390y
Par 4
Hole 2
395y
Par 4
Hole 3
215y
Par 3
Hole 4
388y
Par 4
Hole 5
491y
Par 5
Hole 6
398y
Par 4
Hole 7
408y
Par 4
Hole 8
494y
Par 5
Hole 9
247y
Par 3
Inward nine
Hole 10
395y
Par 4
Hole 11
220y
Par 3
Hole 12
410y
Par 4
Hole 13
542y
Par 5
Hole 14
174y
Par 3
Hole 15
343y
Par 4
Hole 16
400y
Par 4
Hole 17
466y
Par 4
Hole 18
513y
Par 5
VS. System
The game was released for the VS. System, for which the game is also known as Stroke & Match Golf or VS. Golf. Three versions of this game exist. All have a "stroke" version for casual play, and a "match" version for competitive play against another player or a computer opponent. The general gameplay remains the same as the NES original, with the same control scheme, physics, and clubs. However, music and additional sound effects are added. All have more than 18 possible holes, though only 18 show up per round; certain holes are reserved as possible "first" and "second" holes, but the rest are entirely random.
The singular Japanese version features the same Mario lookalike as the NES game but has 26 holes in total. 17 of these holes are edited versions of holes from the original Golf, with aspects such as the putting green, out-of-bounds trees, bunkers, and water hazards given more difficult positions. Due to its nature as an arcade game, a points system is in place, measured in hundreds; a bogey loses 100 points, a double bogey or above loses 200 points, and getting an equal score on a hole while sinking the ball second loses 50 points. Reaching zero points causes a game over, needing extra credits to continue. It has an attract mode showing gameplay.
Two international versions of the game exist, with one having the same male character as the NES version, but the other, also called VS. Ladies Golf, instead featuring a female player. These each have 21 possible holes for each 18-hole playthrough. Most of the Men's version uses holes straight from the NES version with occasional minor changes. In the Ladies' version, a few holes are reused from the Japanese release with a few tweaks, but most are completely unique. The points system in these versions was altered to be more forgiving, with the points being measured in single and double digits depending on how many credits are inserted and losing a smaller amount proportional to the amount of strokes taken, though pars also lose a single point. Unlike the Japanese version, the golfer in these releases performs a fist-pump upon getting a birdie or lower. These releases have attract modes with instructions.
Holes
The below orders for each release's holes are based on how they are stored in the respective game's ROM.[8]
The Game Boy game retrofits aspects from later NES golf games, such as trees acting as solid obstacles that must be gone over or around, differentiation between fairway and rough zones, and putting greens having multiple ways to push the ball. All of the original game's clubs return, and the game contains 36 different holes split between two courses: Japan and U.S.A. In the Japan Course, forested areas act as out-of-bounds zones, while in the U.S.A. course, they are treated as standard rough spots. Unlike previous games, it lacks the golfer-based viewing field, with him instead being shown on a more zoomed-in version of the bird's-eye-view map. The view can be switched between the zoomed-in map, the full map, and a view of the green via the button. Each course has a scoreboard with five records to beat; the player's final placement determines what reward (if any) the golfer receives. Once again, the golfer resembles Mario, with player one having light skin and a dark cap, while player two has dark skin and a light cap. On the Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance, backgrounds and heads-up-display graphics are colored green, while character and object sprites are colored a reddish orange.
Holes
Japan Course
Outward nine
Hole 1
391y
Par 4
Hole 2
468y
Par 4
Hole 3
162y
Par 3
Hole 4
479y
Par 5
Hole 5
380y
Par 4
Hole 6
226y
Par 3
Hole 7
274y
Par 4
Hole 8
335y
Par 4
Hole 9
495y
Par 5
Inward nine
Hole 10
342y
Par 4
Hole 11
142y
Par 3
Hole 12
393y
Par 4
Hole 13
545y
Par 5
Hole 14
443y
Par 4
Hole 15
258y
Par 4
Hole 16
429y
Par 4
Hole 17
484y
Par 5
Hole 18
207y
Par 3
U.S.A. Course
Outward nine
Hole 1
384y
Par 4
Hole 2
194y
Par 3
Hole 3
481y
Par 5
Hole 4
352y
Par 4
Hole 5
408y
Par 4
Hole 6
556y
Par 5
Hole 7
354y
Par 4
Hole 8
398y
Par 4
Hole 9
186y
Par 3
Inward nine
Hole 10
331y
Par 4
Hole 11
498y
Par 5
Hole 12
454y
Par 4
Hole 13
147y
Par 3
Hole 14
451y
Par 4
Hole 15
394y
Par 4
Hole 16
232y
Par 3
Hole 17
500y
Par 5
Hole 17
429y
Par 4
Gallery
For this subject's image gallery, see Gallery:Golf.
Nintendo planned to release an 18-hole golfing game as a launch title for the Family Computer, but software companies declined the project and believed that it could not be done with such limited memory at the time. Then-HAL Laboratory employee Satoru Iwata was eager to prove this technical achievement and program the game himself, which required him to create a custom data compression routine.[10]
Golf is the second released video game that Satoru Iwata programmed for Nintendo, after Pinball.[10]
Like in Ice Climber, the red-colored character on the North American NES box art is actually the second player.