Mario Golf
System: Game Boy Color
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Camelot
Released: 1999
Genre: Golf
Capabilities: Game Link Compatible, Transfer Pak Compatible, Game made only for Game Boy Color

The Game

Nintendo hired Camelot software, the same makers of Hot Shots Golf for PSX, and the N64 version of Mario Golf, to make this game. If you’re expecting an arcade golf game like the previous mentioned titles, be prepared for a completely different experience. How will it fare to it’s previous games, lets read the review and find out.

Graphics

This is a Game Boy Color only game, meant that graphics that only Game Boy Color can handle, and boy does it pay off. These graphics are awesome. All the golf courses are well done, and look like ones in sim golf games, not fantasy ones like in the 64 version of Mario Golf. The game has a familiar, overhead RPG look whenever you enter the Marion Clubhouse. T & E Soft usually makes all of Nintendo's golf games(Golf for VB, the True Golf Classics series which featured Pebbles Beach for SNES and Wailailae Club for N64), the games were pretty good, but Camelot(Hot Shots Golf for PSX) is way better and it is a good decision that Nintendo chose this developer. All the golfers look like they came out of a 16- bit RPG, and are really detailed and can easily tell if they’re a male or female and what they’re wearing. So overall a really nice job on the graphics by Camelot.

Sound

The music in here also sounds like it came straight out of an RPG, with tunes that remind me a lot like the ones that came out of Pokemon for Game Boy. Most of them sound pretty good to listen to and are kind of catchy and I was really surprised how good the music was pulled off here considering it’s a Game Boy game. The sound effects are mediocre, like all the other Game Boy games, shots sound like little ‘swishes’ and everything else sounds pretty average.

Game play

You got a power meter, where you stop it once to see how hard you hit the ball, and tap it again to see which spot you hit the ball in. If you remember Golf for Game Boy a while back, Mario Golf uses the same putting system with symbols to indicate slopes on the green. The game is sorta like a Golf RPG where you give one of the 4 fictional characters a name and give them experience points by playing tournaments, stroke matches and other types of golf games. And after your player levels up high enough, he'll be ready to face the club champ of one of the 4 golf courses. Once you beat the champ, you'll unlock him as a selectable character, after you beat him you can go against the next course's champ, and so on, and level up your guy until he becomes the grand pokemon, err golf, master. You'll be able to unlock the 5 secret characters, some you'll be able to transfer over into the N64 version of Mario Golf once Pokemon Stadium comes out with the Transfer Pak(Around February 2000) and be able to play as characters on the N64 version you couldn't of unlocked before. If you ever get board with the single player mode of the game you can always link up with a buddy for some 2-player fun!

Replay Value

The game surprisingly has a lot of depth for a golf game. I love this whole added ‘RPG’ concept of the game where you gain levels by getting experience points for winning matches, tournaments, and so on. And the story for the game isn’t all that bad either. Also the game can be played by up to 2 players with the Link Cable, and the added stuff with the Transfer Pak to get your created and leveled up GBC golfers on the N64 version of the game makes the replay value go way up!

In Brief

+: Innovative ‘RPG’ concept to golf, lots of added extras like 2-player link option, and Transfer Pak compatibility

-: Sound effects aren’t the greatest, gets hard to keep track of that little ball on the screen all the time

The Final Ratings Rundown

Graphics: 8.9
Sound: 6.8
Game play: 9.6
Replay Value: 8.9

Overall: 8.5

Rounded to fit GameFAQs Score: 9

Final Analysis

Don’t just consider this your average golf simulation by first game, because this game has so much depth, you’ll be surprised. I was hooked instantly on this game, and couldn’t put it down for days, Camelot has packed so much into this game and gave it so much effort so that you can have one of the best gaming experiences on your Game Boy. Without a shadow of a doubt, this is the best Game Boy Golf game! Go buy this now!