Family Computer Golf: U.S. Course

Family Computer Golf: U.S. Course is a Japan-exclusive golf game released for the Family Computer Disk System on June 14, 1987. It is the first Mario game to support more than two players. Gameplay is more similar to the later NES Open Tournament Golf than to its companion title, Family Computer Golf: Japan Course, which was released a few months earlier. Despite the name, the holes are fictional.

Like Japan Course, the game comes on a blue disk, meaning it is compatible with the Disk Fax, a device found in public places across Japan such as department stores. These machines would send the player's saved games and high score information to Nintendo. Nintendo held a contest centered around this game. The top 100 players received a trophy and they along with 9,900 others received a gold Famicom cartridge of Punch-Out!! There was also an unannounced prize which was a special version of the game that came on a gold disk known as Family Computer Golf: Prize Card and was given out to 1,000 randomly chosen players who had scored a hole-in-one. This version was harder due to its "Special Course". It also has a hidden character that can be unlocked if the total score is 320 or under after four games. At the Stroke Play menu, holding and pressing  will replace Mario with a female character. She has the same abilities as Mario. This character was once unlockable in the blue disk version but it required the extra step of registering the disk with the Disk Fax which has been discontinued.

There are two game modes:
 * Stroke Play: Up to 4 players can try to do their personal best. The other players look like Mario (or the hidden female character) but with a different overall color. Player 2 is green, 3 is blue, and 4 orange. Player 3 uses Player 1's controller while Player 4 has to share it will Player 2. The 1 Player Stroke Play scores were used in the tournament which was contested by 77,000 players.
 * Match Play: Two players, controlling Mario and his green clone, compete against each other. Unlike Japan Course, there is no computer opponent.

References in later games

 * Mario Golf: World Tour: A costume, golf clubs, and a golf ball based on Mario's attire appear in this game for Miis.
 * Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U: One of Mario's palette swaps is based on his stars and stripes based clothing in Family Computer Golf: U.S. Course, although NES Open Tournament Golf is more frequently cited.
 * Super Mario Odyssey: The stars-and-stripes clothing once again appears.
 * Super Smash Bros. Ultimate: Mario's palette swap based on his outfit from this game returns.
 * Mario Golf: Super Rush: Mario's golf outfit from Family Computer Golf: U.S. Course returns in this game as a reward for achieving an A- rank in Ranked Match during January 2022.
 * Mario Kart Tour: Mario's golf outfit makes an appearance in this game as a playable driver, starting from the 2022 Los Angeles Tour.

Names in other languages

 * Family Computer Golf: Prize Card