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This article is about the Nintendo 64 game named Mario Golf. For the Game Boy Color game of the same name, see Mario Golf (Game Boy Color). For the Mario Golf series, see Mario Golf (series).
Nintendo 64: June 11, 1999 July 26, 1999 September 14, 1999 September 14, 1999 Virtual Console (Wii): September 30, 2008 October 6, 2008 January 23, 2009 January 23, 2009 Virtual Console (Wii U): September 2, 2015 September 3, 2015 October 8, 2015 October 9, 2015 Nintendo 64 - Nintendo Switch Online: April 15, 2022[1] April 15, 2022[2] April 15, 2022[3]
Mario Golf is the first installment for the Mario Golf series and was released for the Nintendo 64 in 1999. It was developed by Camelot Software Planning. Though several sports games featured Mario characters in the past, Mario Golf is considered the first game in the modern "Mario Sports" line. It would be followed by several titles encompassing a variety of sports. Its Game Boy Color counterpart was released later that same year.
Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Plum are making some shots on the golf course. As each of them make their shots, their names appear on screen. They are each complimented for their amazing shots, as they each try to make a hole in one. Later, as the four are fetching their balls, Mario already spots his ball. Peach then calls Mario over to see if the ball in front of her is hers. Mario checks to see, but the ball actually belongs to Yoshi (or Donkey Kong). Another ball suddenly zooms in, and the ball turns out to be Baby Mario's. Yoshi carries Baby Mario on his back (or Donkey Kong would carry Baby Mario), as their names appear on screen, surprising Mario and Peach, who laugh it off. Luigi then looks for his ball, but soon spots it, while spotting Toad with an O.B flag in the process. Luigi slaps his face, and shrugs, not knowing that Mario, Peach, and Plum are standing around him, laughing. Lakitu then flies by, as the game's logo appears on screen.
Mario Golf is a golf game which combines largely traditional mechanics and gameplay devices with a presentation from the Mario universe, featuring the Mario series roster and hazards.
The basic gameplay uses the typical "sliding bar" mechanism of most golf video games, with several variables which must be anticipated, such as character attributes, wind strength and direction, rain, ball spin, and course topography. The gameplay modes include speed golf, ring shot, mini golf and skins match. The sun sets when the player gets to the last six holes of the main courses, in any mode.
Players can play most of the multiplayer modes with CPU players by selecting a character and pressing while holding down . However, Club Slots and Mini-Golf do not allow CPU players.
In this game, the golf ball makes a different sound when it bounces on the green than when it bounces on the fairway. In later games, both terrains produce the same sound for the ball.
Depending on how many strokes the player required to take to hit the ball into the hole, players receive a score and a name for the score. The following is a list of them, from best to worst scores:
The player has sunk the ball above par. When players have scored worse than a Bogey, a number indicating the number of extra strokes taken is shown instead.
This mode consists of a tournament between the human player and 29 computer players in an 18-hole course (though the computer players aren't seen except in the leaderboards). Despite this, there are only 14 playable characters in this game. The CPU player names range from characters from franchises such as Mario to The Legend of Zelda to Star Fox, as well as the first names of real people, usually localisers and voice actors. The player's objective is to finish the tournament in the top three positions to earn a Trophy. The player earns the most Course Points when they finish a tournament in 1st place. Birdie Badges can also be earned by finishing a hole with Birdie or better. While selecting a tournament, Boo Classic is misspelled as "Boo Clasic". While continuing a hole on either the Yoshi Championship or the Boo Classic, their tournament names will also be swapped.
The player competes in a Match Game against another computer player. In this game, the player with the fewest strokes gets a point. However, if the player in the lead wins enough points that they would be mathematically ahead even after losing all remaining matches, the game will end early. If the game is tied after 18 holes, Sudden Death starts. If the player wins, they unlock that character.
Like Stroke Play, but in mini-golf courses. Despite the rules being the same, CPU characters cannot be played against. The player selects from two courses, and each hole is par 3. It has three settings: Green (green-themed with a normal ball speed), Slow (blue-themed with a low ball speed), and Fast (red-and-yellow-themed with a high ball speed). Luigi's Garden has the first nine holes looking like numbers 1 to 9 and the last nine holes looking like letters A to I. The first 17 holes of Peach's Castle look like the rest of the alphabet letters and Hole 18 resembles a question mark. In Training, Mini-Golf courses do not play the Training BGM and instead play their own.
Like Skins Match, but with randomized clubs (though the player can use the putter at any time). Despite the objective being the same, CPU players cannot participate.
Interactions with Mario Golf for Game Boy Color[edit]
Mario Golf for the Nintendo 64 has the ability to link and exchange data with Game Boy Color version of the same game. With the use of the Nintendo 64 Transfer Pak, the player can use the characters: Kid, Azalea, Sherry, and/or Joe from the Game Boy Color version to play through the Nintendo 64 version of Mario Golf. The unlockable characters from the Game Boy Color version: Putts, Grace, Tiny, and Gene are not transferrable.
Kid about to be transferred from the Game Boy Color version.
The following is a list of default characters in the order of which they are unlocked. Kid, Joe, Sherry, and Azalea can also be unlocked through a Transfer Pak. In the Virtual Console port, the Transfer Pak feature to transfer these characters from the Game Boy Color version was removed. Each character has three alternate colors to choose from (similar to the alternate costumes in Super Smash Bros.) (players can choose the colors by using the , , and ), and each character can be chosen multiple times if there is more than one player.
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Mario Golf garnered generally favorable reviews. GameSpot describes the game as easy to play, by having simple features and by "removing the guesswork for gamers who are not familiar with the subtle nuances of golf" that may put off many players. IGN stated "When it comes to the intricacies that make golf the most loved and frustrating game on the planet, Mario Golf has it all. Challenging, but you will be drawn into it because of the nature of golf and your fear that the "little cartoon game" is mocking you".
"Mario Golf is fun, plain and simple. It's better than Waialea Country Club hands down, offering a much richer game of golf. While I eventually learned to tune out the cartoon-style characters and focus on the tougher parts of the game, it may be tough to reel-in those 19 year-olds like Nintendo wanted because it just doesn't look like a game they'd enjoy. That's too bad because there's plenty of fun underneath all of those layers. There are better sports games out there to be sure, but right now, Mario Golf should be the golfing game of choice."
"Although Mario Golf is a little on the cutesy side, anyone who wants a great golf game need look no further. There really isn't much of a choice, even if there were, Mario Golf would likely be your best bet anyway. This is a top-quality golf game, despite the cartoony premise. Anyone who would turn a blind eye to Mario Golf because of its exterior qualities will be missing perhaps the best golf game on a console. With an extensive amount of options in either single-player or multiplayer, Mario Golf is the game that will keep on giving. It's not like golf games suffer from the need to update on a yearly basis, like, say, hockey games. Therefore, to say that this game has lasting power would be an understatement. While a true golf fanatic would certainly enjoy this, perhaps the most important thing is that it's user friendly enough to appeal to the masses. As far as golf games go, and as a game in general, Mario Golf comes highly recommended."
Mario Golf is the 37th best-selling game for the Nintendo 64, selling approximately 1.5 million copies worldwide - 650,000 copies each in North America and Japan, and 200,000 elsewhere - and it would later be re-released as a Nintendo 64 "Player's Choice" title.
Super Mario Bros. - One of Bowser's alternate color schemes in Mario Golf is the green skin that Bowser had in his first appearance. A cover version of the overworld theme plays in Mario's Star and during part of the credits. A cover version of the underground theme is heard during the player's attempt to score a birdie.
Super Mario World - Yoshi's alternate color schemes in Mario Golf is the Red Yoshi, the Blue Yoshi, and the Yellow Yoshi.
NES Open Tournament Golf - One of Peach's alternate color schemes in Mario Golf is her green dress and Daisy's blue dress.
Super Mario 64 - Names of several characters in this game appear on the score Board, and many sound effects from this game such as camera change are used. Also Metal Mario is playable and has the same sound effects. Mario's Hole-in-one animation is the same as his victory animation from this game.
Wario Land II and Wario Land 3 - One of Wario's alternate color schemes in Mario Golf is the monochromatic outfit he wears throughout these games, despite the fact that that outfit is a product of technical limitations, not artistic choice.
Mario Party - Many of the sound effects from Mario Party, such as "menu select", "go back", "your turn", "pause", and "not available", are used. If the character whose taking their turn is out of Power Shots, it will make the "go back" sound in any attempt to press the when far away from the Green. One of Toad's voice clips from this game is reused. The coin sound effect is used for Birdie Badges.
Mario Kart 64 - Some of the sound effects from Mario Kart 64 are also used, such as "item drop" and "1st lap complete".
Super Smash Bros. Brawl - Two of Wario's alternate costumes are his red and blue outfit and his black and white outfit.
Mario Golf: World Tour - In addition to being a sequel to this game, all six main courses in this game are available as downloadable content with updated music and visuals (though Shy Guy Desert, Yoshi's Island, and Boo Valley have been renamed to Layer-Cake Desert, Sparkling Waters, and Rock-Candy Mines, respectively, and the music for Mario's Star has been changed). In addition, Peach's hole-in-one and birdie animations are similar to the animations in this game, with the only difference being that she deliberately has her sport outfit transform into her trademark dress in World Tour.
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - Two of Bowser's alternate costumes are his blue skin and his green skin, two of Donkey Kong's alternate costumes are his blue fur and his yellow fur, and one of Luigi's alternate costumes is his dark green and yellow outfit.
- Everyone
- All ages
- General
- All ages
Game Pak
Digital download
