Product ReviewsMario Golf (Nintendo 64, 1999)

Beautiful in its simplicity.

Oh Mario, you have had so many games througout your lifetime, yet most of them have been so GOOD! You've had your hiccups (Sunshine, Strikers, and a few others) but the N64 was a console which had only quality Mario badged games. Mario 64 is still one of my favorite platform games to this day, and Mario Tennis is simply one of the best multiplayer experiences available, let alone one of the best tennis games ever.

And here is Mario Golf. Who thought a game that really only uses one button could be so good? I didn't need to play this game long to realize it was gold. The only thing I'm sad to say is that I didn't own a Nintendo 64 when I was a kid. I was attracted by more "mature" theme of the Sony Playstation, but I do regret having that mentality now.

Mario Golf is also a wonderful game to play with a group of friends on your couch. It can be very competitive but is fun no matter how well you do. The graphics are very bright and colorful. They may not be anything special to write home about, but for a N64 cart they have nothing to be ashamed about. The Mario characters are well animated and the sound is pretty well done too.

You don't have to be a fan of golf to like this game! I personally despise watching golf on TV. I've never been interested in any of the Tiger Woods games, either, because of their goal of playing the most realistic game of golf possible. Why would I want to play a realistic depiction of a game I'm not interested in real life? You're right, I wouldn't want to do that. And that's the beauty of Mario Golf. It is able to make an otherwise unattractive sport attractive to a person like myself.

The one complaint I have is (like other N64 games like Smash Bros., Mario Tennis, Wave Race, Goldeneye, etc.) there simply isn't that much fun to be had by playing the game by yourself. If you are into playing games with good single player content, this is probably not the game for you. There may be tournaments and things like that, but none of it is really interesting enough to play on your own (in my honest opinion). You can't beat the feeling you get by getting a hole in one and beating a buddy on the 18th hole after being down 3 strokes the entire game!

Mario Golf deserves a 9/10 ten, but only if you plan on having friends over to play it. It's gameplay mechanics have aged well based purely on their simplicity. While games like FPS's and realistic sports games have come a long way in the last ten years, it is the more accessible, arcadey games that possess the longevity to make them fun even to this day. It is what you would call a "classic" game. Check it out.Read full review...

A GREAT GAME !!!!!!!

While this is probably your best bet for a worthwhile golf game on GBA, it isn't exactly a Mario game either. You only start with four playable Mario characters at the beginning of the game (Mario, Yoshi, Donkey Kong and Princess Toadstool) and your primary character in storymode is Some Anime-looking Dude you get to name, similar to Mario Tennis (except you get 8 characters right off the bat in Mario Tennis). You have to spend quite a bit of time unlocking things before you really come close to anything remotely Mario-ish. And there's a lot to unlock. The storymode in the game is very SNES-esque in its RPG presentation, and there's a lot of different mini-games that play by some unique rules (slot clubs, for instance, randomly selects clubs for you for one hole, so in essence you could be left with trying to par a 495 yard par 5 with a 4-wood and a pitching wedge) and some that are just conventional "closest to the pin" contests. Completing these mini-games, as well as tournaments (both singles and doubles) gives you experience points, which you can utilize to build up specific parts of your game, such as driving distance or spin control. And like I mentioned earlier, in the early going while unlocking things and building experience (which may take a while), there isn't a whole lot of Mario going on, and that may turn some players away.

But if you're strictly looking for a good golf game for GBA, this is as good as it's going to get. Considering both the graphical and physics-engine limitations that are present (remember how awful some SNES golf games were?), this game really does a great job presenting a solid golf experience in terms of gameplay and control. It's your traditional three-click swing system, and you can control the spin and select the impact on the ball itself, letting the player manipulate his/her shot in a lot of different ways. Putting is pretty easy; if you putt with some mustard behind your shots, almost any putt will go in from within about 25 feet. The courses are all very different, providing tropical, desert and um.. Scotish atmospheres. The last course that is unlocked after winning each tournament and sufficiently building up experience is the Mushroom Course, the only all-out crazy Mario course in the game, and it's a doozy.

The thing to remember is this: if you're looking for a Mario themed game, you may want to look elsewhere, but if you're looking for a good golf game for GBA, this is the best you'll find.Read full review...

Best golf game ever made.

This is THE BEST golf game ever made. Bar none. Period. Full stop.

... okay you get the idea. This is an excellently balanced game. Great courses with different hole placement each time you play. Characters that vary widely in their abilities and the skill it takes to play them. Simple enough for first timers to pick up immediately, with just enough nuance that the expert or two of the group might need to be handicapped (a feature the game employs).

But at the end of the day, this game is just pure fun. By your self, or with 3 of your friends, its a good time.Read full review...

Second Greatest Golf Game

This game is the second best golf game I ever played. I do recommend that you learn how to spin the ball. There is a few holes where you are trying to win the medals and you you definitely need to spin the ball. (The mountain one is a good example. TOP SPIN!!) This game is challenging and will have you playing for hours. There is a BIG SECRET! In order to get 4-6 secret golfers then one must get the Mario Golf game on GAMEBOY! Yep! They are hidden in a different game on a different system! This is the only way to get them and complete all the character medals! I was stunned when I fould this out and had to get the Gameboy color for ONE GAME! It was worth it!Read full review...

Great Golf Game for N64

This is a fun game for the N64. It is relatively easy to get a hang of playing. There is a variety of different courses you can unlock through amassing experience points. There is also a fun mini golf mode with a variety of courses featuring numbers and letters. This game is fun for kids and is a great multiplayer game.Read full review...

Came exactly as is.

I got exactly what I was hoping for, which was a copy of this game that works perfectly. The labels themselves were worn, there was a tear on the back of the copy, and the pins were a little dusty, but otherwise, it works the way as it should. Recommended if you can find a matching price. Very fun game as well.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: jjgames

amazing game!!

I couldn't put it down once I picked it up. You would think that such a kiddie looking game would be a snap to play, dominate and finish. It was a lesson in humility once I saw that MG had some golfing challenges that would get under the skin of the coolest, most collected gamers. I still have a problem with the way the game looks, but there's really nothing that can be done about that as long as it's going to be a game based in universe of Nintendo's mascot character. The dichotomy of the game's look versus the way it plays may not matter this deep in to the N64's run since we were able to get over it with games like Mario Kart. Mario Golf is fun, plain and simple.Read full review...

Simple, yet challenging, Mario Golf is the definition of well rounded.

This is one of the best golfing games of all time, IMO. It seems so basic and elementary, but when you look a bit harder, it has many elements of the Tiger Woods EA series (in basic forms). Easy enough to pick up and play, but not so easily mastered; a fantastic game for any golf enthusiast.Read full review...

Awesome game great to play by yourself or with friends.

This is a fun party type of game. My family always has Mario Golf contests even 12 years after that fact that it came out. The single player portion of the game is wonderful. All sorts of challenge modes. Also allows you to earn new characters. Personal opinion is Bowser is the best but the hardest to get.Read full review...

Both are great. Highly recommended

These two sport Mario games are fun and easy to play. Mario Golf has great controls and good graphics and tons of Mario characters to choose from. Mario Tennis is even better. Great controls, awesome graphics and a great assortment of Mario characters to choose from.Read full review...