|
Fore! Mario and friends hit the
scene in all new genre of games:
Mario Sports titles. Never
before has one been done before,
and with the help from Camelot,
Nintendo launched it's largest
franchise into a new realm
Anytime a major franchise in
anything enters a new area,
there's always some concerns and
there is always some doubt. Of
course, excitement and
anticipation are also found
throughout fans. Mario Golf hit
the scene with a fresh look and
a new idea, combining the area
of Tiger Woods with the most
recognizable gaming character
ever.
For a first try, Mario Golf is
an excellent all-around game
with some obvious (but not
major) flaws. After all, it's
not expected to be perfect on
the first try, though it's
always nice to see a game that
has very few flaws. That holds
true in this game, and with a
combination of great graphics,
great gameplay, and nice
features, Mario Golf is a game
that truly started a great
series.
The gameplay of the game is
truly great. It's simple, yet
it's really not boring. It's
easy to swing a club, and
there's a lot of different
options a player can utilize to
get a desired hit. A player can
easily change the distance of
the shot with or without chaning
clubs, as well as the trajectory
and angle of the ball, like in
real golf. There's also the
limited option of power shots,
which allow the player to go
deep off the tee.
Other things that affect the
gameplay are the wind and
obstacles. The wind actually
plays a factor in a shot, and
hazards such as bunkers affect
the current shot as well.
There's also plenty of water
hazards and out of bounds
markers. Putting isn't exactly
exciting, but it is what it is.
A player can do all this in a
variety of modes: Tournament,
Match Play, etc. If you're a
golf junkie like myself, this is
a huge thrill because it allows
for different ways to play.
Players can win trophies and can
unlock other characters, as well
as challenge their friends in
fun modes like Mini-Golf and
Club Slots. Whether you like
pure golf or gimmick golf, Mario
Golf has it all.
The amount of characters is also
a great feature to have. There's
a ton of old favorites, but
there's also a lot of new
characters, although they aren't
of the Mario theme. Each
character provides his or her
own attributes which is great
because for some holes, one kind
of character is needed while
certain other holes are best
fitted for a completely opposite
character
And of course, characters and
tournaments get harder as they
go. There is a bit of difficulty
on some situations, but for the
most part, the game is
relatively easy. The courses
provide the most difficulty
later on, because they can
become difficult with the
conditions. It's just that the
computer players are so weak.
The only other significant
problem is spin. In short, there
is no spin. A player cannot put
topspin or backspin on a ball,
despite the point of contact
like in real golf. That's a
shame because it could add a
completely new element to the
game, and it could provide for a
much more realistic option for
golf purists.
Other than that, Mario Golf hits
a hole-in-one. The graphics are
very nice, although there are
some spots where they could've
been improved. The music is
great and very fitting for the
golf theme, and the replay value
is outstanding with many hours
of total play.
Mario Golf truly is a great
game, despite the fact that it
breaks the traditional rules of
the Mario series that we've all
known for years. It has
tremendous gameplay and is very,
very fun. There's not a whole
lot of flaws, and they are
generally covered up nicely by
everything else that shines in
the spotlight.
Overall Score: 9.1/10 |
