The golf courses of the Mushroom Kingdom have been quiet for many years now, but after being shut down for a decade, they’re open once again. This is where all the characters of the Mario universe come to unwind after the daily grinding of running, jumping, and collecting coins, a place where they can work out their rivalries like gentlemen do – on the links. Unfortunately, this latest installment in the Mario sports series is no hole-in-one, but lands somewhere between an even par and disappointing bogey.
Modes on the Fairway
The main menu offers two major game modes in addition to the helpful tips offered at Toad’s Booth. Mario Golf (Quick Round) lets you get acquainted with several different varieties of Mario Golf. In Stroke Play, the winner is the player who finishes all the courses with the lowest number of strokes, obviously. In Match Play, the winner is whoever wins the most holes, which you win by having the lowest number of strokes on a particular hole. Speed Golf is based on how long you take to hole the ball, rather than how many strokes you use, and Point Tourney awards points based on par – for example, you get 1 point for a bogey, 2 for par, 3 for a birdie, etc. Vs. Mode is where you go for multiplayer games, and from here you can play Community matches and SpotPass tournaments in addition to local and online matches.
Camelot, the studio that has developed most of the games in the Mario Golf series, scores a hole-in-one with the Challenge mode. There are lots of different variations on the main theme, but a few really interesting ones stand out. For example, Character Match pits you against a Mushroom Kingdom character in a nine-hole one-on-one match, and Ring Master has you hitting the ball through several large rings before you can complete the hole. Point Challenge is a three-hole challenge that has players play slots at the beginning of each hole, limiting them to only three clubs and a putter (unless they line up three stars, in which case all clubs are available), adding an interesting layer of difficulty to this challenge. When you complete these challenges, you’re not only rewarded with Star Coins (which allow you to unlock the more demanding Moon Coin challenges), but also with equipment and Mii costumes for the Castle Club.
At the Castle Club, your Mii avatar can freely explore a well-laid-out complex of buildings and their grounds, talk with some of the Mushroom Kingdom’s more well-known figures, purchase equipment and clothing, and work on his or her appearance. You can practice golf fundamentals as well as advanced techniques until you’re ready to keel over, take on challenges, or play through various tournaments, hopefully improving your own handicap. Unfortunately this is where the developers seem to have wasted a lot of potential by not integrating the really great Challenge mode all that well, and they miss an opportunity for a good, funny story involving all the characters like Mario, Luigi, Donkey Kong, Bowser, etc., even though such a story would practically write itself. Instead, the compound is not much more than an amusing graphical alternative to a boring menu system.
Gameplay right on par
In terms of gameplay, Mario Golf World Tour is highly reminiscent of other games in the genre such as Everybody’s Golf (Hot Shots Golf in North America), without departing from them in any significant way. No matter if your golfer is left or right-handed, or whether you’re using a simple or more advanced stroke technique, before you even begin your back-swing your eyes should be on the meter in order to time the power, accuracy, and spin of your shot correctly. Of course the distance to the hole, wind, playing surface and traps, and the inclination of the course also play a major role, as does your choice of the right club. You can also use a Super Shot (though these are limited) and various items typical of the Mario universe that give the ball special characteristics, such as a speed boost or immunity to wind. If you don’t trust your own skills, visit the shop and treat yourself to equipment like golf clubs or special clothing that will improve your character’s stats.
During the course of the game, there were certain things that stuck out which I don’t think everyone’s going to be impressed with – in fact, many will find them to be serious drawbacks. For example, you have to win first place in each of the tournaments in order to unlock the next one. While the little victory ceremony at the end of the 18th hole of each tournament suggests otherwise, it appears that second and third place might as well be last place, as they are completely worthless for advancing through the game. The game’s difficulty is also not very well balanced – while the first course, the Forest Course, is challenging but still fair, the following tournaments on the Seaside Course and the Mountain Course are either too easy or too hard. I ended up getting the impression that the AI might be cheating in order to artificially prolong the game. And unfortunately, it’s often really hard or impossible to understand just how your opponents get the score they do in tournaments.
Classic Mario Feel
Golfers who are interested in games like this but are tired of Mario should give this title a wide berth. In terms of both graphics and sound, this game is full of just about everything associated with the mustachioed plumber and his long-time companions. The individually themed courses have been carefully crafted and differ very much from one another, whether in the forest, on the beach, or in the mountains. The other areas you can unlock go even further, with courses like the underwater Cheep Cheep Lagoon, Donkey Kong Jungle, or the very feminine Peach Gardens. The 3D option is really well done, and adds a level of depth to the game that’s well worth seeing. And of course this is all accompanied by the familiar happy music from the Mario games, and it’s up to you whether you want to hum along with it or just turn it off.
Official Trailer
