Did you know that it’s been 22 years since the first Mario Golf appeared in 1999? Over the years, Nintendo and Camelot have teamed up several times to bring our favorite characters to the golf course. In February, the news came out that Mario and his friends could once again look up their golf clubs, as Mario Golf: Super Rush was announced that month. Meanwhile, Switch owners can get started with the latest game in the Mario Golf series. Does the title hit a hole-in-one?
Go on a golfing adventure in the Mushroom Kingdom
Like Mario Tennis Aces, Mario Golf: Super Rush also includes a story mode. The adventure begins in the pretty village of Greenweiden, the birthplace of golf in the Mushroom Kingdom. Together with Chargin’ Chuck, Boo and Toadette you take on the challenge of growing from a rookie to a professional golfer. Immediately the next morning, you will gather in front of the clubhouse and your golfing adventure will begin. Without revealing things that happen later in the adventure, the story at the beginning is actually quite loose and simple. Unfortunately there isn’t much depth to it. It is somewhat funny to talk to all the characters you see in the world, but don’t expect extensive conversations here either.
In terms of the story, it is not very exciting, but you will probably wonder why you would play this mode. What I’ve noticed during this more than six-hour adventure is that you understand much better how Mario Golf: Super Rush is put together. When I got my hands on this game I was so excited that I immediately wanted to start playing golf. As you expected, this didn’t go very well and I missed a number of techniques that you can use well during Mario Golf. After speaking to the head coach in front of the clubhouse, you will receive your first golf clubs and get started with the first practice lessons. This way you get a little bit of the feeling of the club stroke during the first exercise. The aim here is to get 60 points, which you do by dropping the golf ball in the correct place in the circle of points. These types of exercises are split across the story mode and you often learn a technique before you have to apply it on the golf course.
Yet the adventure really doesn’t just consist of lessons, because the ultimate goal is of course to grow into a professional golfer. Usually you first go out on the track alone to explore it a bit, but eventually you will also take on your opponents. These golf sessions consist of normal rounds of golf, but also speed golf (more on that later). You will also earn coins after lessons, exploring a new golf course and playing golf competitions. You can use these to buy new clubs, outfits and shoes. In addition, you also get points with which you can improve your Mii character. Every time your character levels up, you get the option to increase your hitting power or choose more energy, speed, ball control and spin. The choice is really up to the player and the nice thing about this is that these upgrades are really tied to your Mii character, allowing you to use all of these powers in each mode.
In terms of gameplay, it is in the story mode of Mario Golf: Super Rush so mustache. You learn all the techniques and, not unimportantly, you also unlock other golf courses by playing this adventure. If you choose not to get started with this mode, you only have a choice of two standard environments in which you can play golf and speed golf. I have to say that the other environments that you unlock later in the story mode are a lot cooler to play golf on. Because of this, in my opinion, it is really worth the effort to get started with the adventure.
Fly over the golf course
Sure, in Mario Golf: Super Rush you can play a simple round of golf with a touch of Nintendo charm, but Nintendo wouldn’t be Nintendo if they didn’t add something of a special mode. Of course they have done that again with this title, because players can also get started with speed golf and flag hunting. While I had a good time with standard golf, speed golf and flag hunting are a lot more fun to get started with. In speed golf, the aim is to hit the golf ball and run after it as quickly as possible. So you don’t get a golf cart, but you really have to use your legs. This creates very nice situations, especially online or on the couch with friends. Each playable character also has his or her own special power with which you can get in the way of the opponents and other people’s golf ball. For example, Yoshi can run on a giant egg and Wario flies through the air like a rocket. By using these powers as tactically as possible, you can ensure that your fellow players take longer to get their golf ball into the hole, so that you can ultimately win. Speedgolf provides an extra challenge in the first place, but at the same time also gives an original twist to a standard game of golf.
I have to say that flag hunting is also very entertaining, but I think I will be playing this mode less often. This is actually because this mode, unlike speed golf where you can play golf in any environment, but has two courses. One is an easy job for the strategic players and the other a difficult job for the technical players. Although the items on these two courses are different, it is set in the same arena, which makes it feel a bit similar. This is a shame because I really like the idea of flag hunting. In this mode, the aim is to complete three holes as quickly as possible. You may think this is quite easy, but it is definitely not the case. You play against three other players who can run to the same hole where you might want to go. The possible pressure you experience in this mode can therefore be quite high, but luckily a game does not last extremely long and you can quickly catch your breath after a few minutes.
Transform one Joy-Con controller into a golf club
There are two ways you can play Mario Golf: Super Rush, using the buttons and motion controls. We are of course all familiar with all the buttons on our controllers, but to occasionally use a different type of control is also fun. Many of you will probably remember Wii Sports, a game that appeared on the Nintendo Wii in 2006. The motion controls for Mario Golf: Super Rush are actually quite similar. You have to hold one Joy-Con controller in your hands, get into a golf stance and then make the movement as if you were holding a real golf club. The character you then see on the screen will perform this trick at the same time. I have to say that motion control golf is a lot more complicated. This is because a small slant to the left or right will cause the golf ball to change direction. Of course this is very realistic, but because of that you will have to practice well to eventually be able to hit a hole-in-one. So put it on!
Audiovisual
Let me get straight to the point and say that I think Mario Golf: Super Rush looks great. In most golf games on the market you really only see green fields, audience and some trees and shrubs. Fortunately, that is not the case with this title because the tracks and environments are set up very differently in this game. Of course you can also enjoy normal green golf courses in this game, but Mario Golf: Super Rush also has several golf courses with different themes. Without revealing all golf courses and environments, one of those special courses is set in a desert, which already creates a completely different atmosphere. What’s also nice is that almost all playable characters have a matching outfit. I’ve always been a fan of Toad, but now that I’ve seen this character in a shirt, glove and a cute hat, I like him even more.
Moreover, just as in the area of the appearance of the music, there is really nothing to criticize. For starters, the sound of the club hitting the golf ball is very realistic and the music stays well in your head. In speed golf, the music is even faster and even a nice guitar comes through, creating even more layers in the music.
Conclusion
Mario Golf: Super Rush is a golf game that succeeds in many ways. Players can do new things with different modes, making it positively different from an original game of golf. Still, it’s a shame that the adventure in the story mode isn’t very exciting and that they could have gotten a little more out of it in my opinion. Fortunately, standard golf, speed golf and flag hunting are really well put together in terms of quality. Moreover, it is nice that you can play each mode together with your friends on the couch, but also online. If you like some good music and the sport of golf seems fun, Mario Golf: Super Rush is definitely worth playing.
+ Speed golf and flag hunting are a nice variation on the standard rounds of golf
+ Fun environments where you can play golf
+ Different ways to play
+ Fantastic music
– Unfortunately, the story in the adventure is not very exciting
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