Mario Golf (Nintendo 64)

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 Super 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.

The game was re-released for the Wii's Virtual Console in 2008 and the Wii U's Virtual Console in 2015, and was released on Nintendo 64 - Nintendo Switch Online on April 15, 2022.

Introduction
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.

Gameplay
Mario Golf is a golf game which combines largely traditional mechanics and gameplay devices with a presentation from the Super Mario universe, featuring the Super Mario franchise 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.

Scores
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:

Game modes
Mario Golf features 10 game modes:

Tournament

 * Number of Players: 1

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 Super 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.

Get Character

 * Number of Players: 1

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.

Ring Shot

 * Number of Players: 1

The player must shoot the ball through all rings while finishing at par or better.

Speed Golf

 * Number of Players: 1

The player must finish all 18 holes as fast as possible.

Stroke Play

 * Number of Players: 1-4 (CPU allowed)

A standard game of golf. The winner is the player with the fewest total strokes.

Mini-Golf

 * Number of Players: 1-4 (CPU not allowed)

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.

Training

 * Number of Players: 1

The player can play any course and hole, as well as change the weather settings. Driving Range is only available in this mode.

Match Play

 * Number of Players: 2 (CPU allowed)

Like Get Character, but with two players and there are no characters to be unlocked.

Skins Match

 * Number of Players: 2-4 (CPU allowed)

The winner of the hole gets a point. In a tie, the points are carried over. The winner is the one with the most points.

Club Slots

 * Number of Players: 2-4 (CPU not allowed)

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
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.

Courses
There are eight courses plus a training range in the Nintendo 64 version of Mario Golf. They are:

Mario's Star Holes

 * Hole 1 - Yoshi
 * Hole 2 - Boo
 * Hole 3 - Wiggler
 * Hole 4 - Cheep-Cheep
 * Hole 5 - Thwomp
 * Hole 6 - Lakitu
 * Hole 7 - Shy Guy
 * Hole 8 - Piranha Plant
 * Hole 9 - Bowser
 * Hole 10 - Koopa Troopa
 * Hole 11 - Bullet Bill
 * Hole 12 - Toad
 * Hole 13 - Goomba
 * Hole 14 - Chain Chomp
 * Hole 15 - Blooper
 * Hole 16 - Princess Peach
 * Hole 17 - Bob-omb
 * Hole 18 - Mario and Luigi

Playable
The following is a list of default characters in the order of which they are unlocked, with Plum, Charlie, Peach, and Baby Mario being available from the start. 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. Plum, Charlie, Sonny, Harry, and Maple make their first appearances in any game, while Metal Mario is absent from the Japanese version.

Kid, Joe, Sherry, and Azalea can also be unlocked through a Transfer Pak. In the Virtual Console port and Nintendo Switch Online, the Transfer Pak feature to transfer these characters from the Game Boy Color version was removed.

Score card names
These appear intermixed with playable character names in the score card. Many are cameos and other references, including to real-life employees and associates of Nintendo at the time.

Reception
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".

Sales
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.

References to other games

 * 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 World 2: Yoshi's Island - Yoshi's sound effects were taken from this game.
 * 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".

Regional differences

 * The international version's character select screen was changed to include Metal Mario, who is not present in the Japanese version. The European version also reordered the characters.
 * During gameplay, the Japanese version does not have the power indicator (leftmost gray bar) in the Power Meter. It was added in the US and European versions. In addition, the wind display was moved to the left slightly in the international versions and its font was changed to be more noticeable.
 * The European version uses a different song for the cutscene that plays during the intro. Oddly, the original song is still present on the cartridge, albeit unused.

References in later games

 * Wario Land 4 and early WarioWare titles - Some of Wario's voice lines were reused.
 * Luigi's Mansion - Mario's pose is reused for his portrait artwork.
 * Super Smash Bros. Melee - Plum appears as a trophy.
 * Wario World - Some of Wario's voice clips were reused.
 * 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.

Trivia

 * If all 4 players pick either Yoshi or Donkey Kong, a hidden song based on Palm Club from Mario Golf on the Game Boy Color will play.