Mario Golf: World Tour

Mario Golf: World Tour is an upcoming sport title for the Nintendo 3DS. It is the fifth installment of the Mario Golf series, and it has been announced that the game will feature gyroscope support. The game will also feature Wi-Fi capabilities.

Gameplay
The gameplay will be similar to past installments of the Mario Golf series. Players will have to hit shots while taking into account character attributes, wind, weather, and course topography. The power, accuracy, and spin of shots are determined by the timing when the player taps buttons on the touch screen as a target line slides up and down the power meter. A simplified control system, like the Auto control system from Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour, will return where the player only has to worry about the power of the shot. The touch screen can now be used for selecting clubs, initiating shots, and adding spin. As well, the trajectory of the shot can be altered by moving the control stick or by using the touch screen as the character winds up their shot; this is similar to the impact zone feature of past games. A new feature known as Item Shots will allow players to hit shots with different effects via items. These include burning through trees with a Fire Flower, creating Jump Blocks over water hazards, ignoring wind via Bullet Bill, increasing draw or fade by Boomerang, and freezing the terrain with an Ice Flower. These items can be collected by hitting Question Blocks on the course, although players sometimes start holes with items.

There will be two main modes of play: Castle Club and Quick Round. Castle Club will be a campaign mode where the player plays as their Mii and tackles through different tournaments. Using coins, the player will be able to buy equipment for their Mii that will affect their stats such as drive distance and shot trajectory, similar to the Mii customization feature in Mario Tennis Open. Quick Round will be similar to past Mario Golf games, where the player can select a Mario character or their customized Mii. Quick Round will feature a variety of modes such as Single Player, Match Play, Speed Golf, and Point Play. There will also be other modes, including ones similar to Club Slots (albeit limiting the usable clubs and items) and Side Games of Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour and one where players must collect coins around the course while still making par, similar to Ring Attack and Coin Shoot. Most if not all of these modes will provide coins for the player.

Multiplayer
This game will feature various types of multiplayer. Local play is available for up to four players, but it does not support download play. There will also be online play, in which tournaments can be created, similar to the communities in Mario Kart 7, or players can be matched with opponents of a similar skill level, like in Mario Tennis Open. During multiplayer, all players play at the same time, which will speed play up significantly because players will not have to wait until it is their turn to play. However, all players must finish the hole before they are allowed to move on. Players can see the ghost shots of other players and on-screen icons will also show how the player's shots measure with the other players' in terms of distance. Players can send taunts or cheers to each other by pressing icons, as well as emoticons.

Playable
Currently, it is known that a total of at least 17 playable characters will be in the game. These characters consist of 13 default characters, as well as 4 unlockable characters.

Default

 * Mario
 * Luigi
 * Peach
 * Daisy
 * Yoshi
 * Wario
 * Waluigi
 * Donkey Kong
 * Bowser
 * Boo
 * Diddy Kong
 * Bowser Jr.
 * Mii

Unlockable

 * Toad

Non-playable

 * Mega Goomba
 * Monty Mole
 * Toad
 * Toads
 * Shy Guys
 * Hammer Bro.
 * Koopa Troopa
 * Cheep Cheeps
 * Mega Urchins
 * Bob-omb
 * Wiggler
 * Piranhacus Gigantici
 * Bullet Bill
 * Butterflies

Items
Various items can be used during gameplay to affect the player's shots.
 * Mushroom - Speeds up the player's shot. Also comes in the Triple variety.
 * Fire Flower - Increases the shot distance and burns through trees and obstacles.
 * Ice Flower - Freezes terrain to allow the ball to bounce multiple times.
 * Bullet Bill - Ignores wind.
 * Bob-omb - Causes the ball to fly high into the air.
 * Boomerang Flower - Increases the draw or fade of the shot.
 * Jump Block - Creates a Jump Block in midair, letting the ball avoid water hazards.
 * A tornado that sucks up nearby coins.

Customizable gear
There is a variety of purchasable gear that can be used to customize the player's Mii that will affect their stats.

Golf clubs

 * Normal Clubs
 * Mario Clubs
 * Luigi Clubs
 * Wario Clubs
 * Waluigi Clubs
 * Yoshi Clubs
 * Peach Clubs
 * Daisy Clubs
 * Birdo Clubs
 * Mushroom Clubs

Clothing combos

 * Normal Combo
 * Green Shell Combo
 * Banana Combo

Golf balls

 * Normal Ball
 * Wario Ball
 * Mario Ball
 * Boo Ball
 * Peach Ball
 * Thwomp Ball

Headgear

 * Normal Cap
 * Yoshi Cap
 * Green Shell Visor
 * Banana Visor
 * Chain Chomp Visor
 * Peach Visor
 * Mario Visor

Shirts

 * Normal Shirt
 * a black shirt with white spots

Gloves

 * Yoshi Gloves
 * Peach Gloves

Pants

 * Normal Pants
 * black pants with white spots

Shoes

 * Yoshi Shoes
 * Green Shell Shoes
 * Banana Shoes
 * ? Block Shoes
 * Peach Shoes
 * Mario Shoes

Costumes
Like in Mario Tennis Open, costumes will be unlocked by achieving special criteria.

Courses

 * Forest Course, where multi-colored hills can be seen in the distance.
 * Seaside Course, a beach-themed course with a similar appearance to Blooper Bay.
 * Mountain Course
 * Cheep Cheep Lagoon, an underwater course with Cheep Cheeps and and other marine creatures.
 * A desert-themed course with multi-colored cacti.
 * Wiggler Park, a flower garden course with a Mega Goomba and other giant characters.
 * Yoshi Lake, a course with many water hazards and a Yarn Yoshi theme.
 * Peach Gardens, a Peach's Castle-themed course.
 * A Donkey Kong Country Returns themed course.