Anyone for Golf? ⛳

Video Games
1

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I do love a good golf video game. I hold any new golf game up against my holy trinity:

  • Microprose Golf (1991, Atari ST)
  • Mario Golf (1999, GBC)
  • Links 2004 (2003, Xbox)

A few more of note that I’ve spent quality time with over the years:

  • Everybody’s Golf (1997, PS1)
  • Vijay Singh 3D Golf (2005, J2ME)
  • Golf Story (2017, Switch)

Anyway, I recently discovered the series of golf games by Japanese developer T&E SOFT. Initially through the SNES versions I had added to my SNESC, but I quickly moved to the Mega Drive versions as they’re much better IMHO. Specifically, the Japanese releases with the extra dithered grass. :heart_eyes:

The best way to play the Mega Drive versions these days seems to be though the PicoDrive emulator, which allows the CPU to be overclocked to 400% and a few other niceties which all mean that game plays at a silky smooth 60fps and so feels quite modern.

I’ve since become slightly obsessed with the series. I was going to attempt to play them all. Until I saw exactly how many they released over the years. The task is made easier as they basically made one engine every few years and then released a bunch of games that used it. So that means I can get away with playing a slice of the following list if I do my research and pick the games accordingly. This will also be a little more affordable as importing old big box Japanese games is quite expensive.

THE LIST

Precursor
Real Golf Game
リアルゴルフゲーム
1982, PC-6001

Original
3-D Golf Simulation
３Ｄゴルフシミュレーション
1983, MSX :white_check_mark:
1982, FM-7
1983, PC-6001
1983, PC-8801

3D Golf Simulation Part 2
３Ｄゴルフシミュレーション Part 2
1984, PC-8801

3-D Golf Simulation - High-Speed Edition
３Ｄゴルフシミュレーション・高速版
1984, MSX

3-D Golf Simulation Super Version
3Dゴルフシミュレーション スーパーバージョン
1985, PC-6001 mkII

1
New 3D Golf Simulation: Harukanaru Augusta
遥かなるオーガスタ
1989, PC-98 :white_check_mark:
1990, FM Towns
1991, X68000 :white_check_mark:
1991, SFC :white_check_mark:
1993, MD :white_check_mark:

2
Eight Lakes G.C. (Add-on)
エイトレイクスＧ．Ｃ．
エイトレイクス ゴルフクラブ
1990, PC-98 :white_check_mark:
1990, FM Towns
1991, X68000

3
T&E Selection (Add-on)
Ｔ＆Ｅセレクション
1990, PC-98 :white_check_mark:

New 3D Golf Simulation: Harukanaru Augusta HD
遥かなるオーガスタHD
1991, PC-98 :white_check_mark:

4
Waialae no Kiseki (Waialae Country Club)
ワイアラエの奇蹟
1991, PC-98 (add-on) :white_check_mark:
1991, SNES :white_check_mark:
1992, SFC :white_check_mark:
1994, 3DO :white_check_mark:
1994, MD :white_check_mark:
1997, Satellaview
1998, N64 :white_check_mark:

5
Pebble Beach no Hatou (Pebble Beach Golf Links)
ペブルビーチの波涛
1992, PC-98 (add-on) :white_check_mark:
1992, SFC/SNES :white_check_mark:
1993, MD :white_check_mark:
1995, 3DO :white_check_mark:
1995, SAT :white_check_mark:

6
Devil’s Course (Wicked 18)
デビルズコース
1992, PC-98 (add-on) :white_check_mark:
1993, SFC/SNES :white_check_mark:
1994, MD :white_check_mark:
1995, 3DO :white_check_mark:

Masters: Harukanaru Augusta 2
マスターズ 遙かなるオーガスタ2
1993, SFC :white_check_mark:
1994, PC-98 (no add-ons) :white_check_mark:

Masters New: Harukanaru Augusta 3
マスターズ NEW 遙かなるオーガスタ3
1994, 3DO :white_check_mark:
1995, SAT
1995, SFC :white_check_mark:

T&E Virtual Golf (Golf)
T&E ヴァーチャルゴルフ
1995, VB :white_check_mark:

The Hyper Golf: Devil’s Course (Valora Valley Golf)
ザ・ハイパーゴルフ デビルズコース
1995, SAT :white_check_mark:

Pebble Beach - The Great Shot
グレートショット ～ペブルビーチ～
1996, ARC (ST-V)

Pebble Beach no Hatou NEW: Tournament Edition
ペブルビーチの波濤 NEW トーナメント・エディション
1996, SFC :white_check_mark:

Masters New: Shin Harukanaru Augusta
マスターズ 新・遥かなるオーガスタ
MASTERS 新・遥かなるオーガスタ
1996, PSX :white_check_mark:

Pebble Beach no Hatou Plus
ペブルビーチの波濤PLUS
1996, PSX :white_check_mark:

Waialae no Kiseki: Extra 36 Holes
ワイアラエの奇蹟 Ｅｘｔｒａ ３６ Ｈｏｌｅｓ
1997, SAT :white_check_mark:

Jun Classic C.C. & Rope Club
ジュンクラシック&ロペ倶楽部
1997, SAT :white_check_mark:
1998, PSX :white_check_mark:

Masters '98: Harukanaru Augusta
MASTERS '98 遥かなるオーガスタ
1997, N64 :white_check_mark:

Waialae Country Club: True Golf Classics
(Western only release)
1998, N64 :white_check_mark:

Harukanaru Augusta for Windows
遙かなるオーガスタfor Windows
1999, Windows

Golf Paradise (Swing Away Golf)
ゴルフパラダイス
2000, PS2 :white_check_mark:

Golf Paradise DX
ゴルフパラダイスDX
2000, PS2

Disney Golf Classic (Disney Golf)
ディズニーゴルフ クラシック
2002, PS2 :white_check_mark:

Super Real Golf
2005, FOMA

Touch Golf (True Swing Golf)
大人のDSゴルフ
2005, NDS :white_check_mark:

2 Likes
2

Mentioned it in the VB thread but I really liked their VB game. Had no idea they were so prolific in the golfosphere.

1 Like
3

Yes, the VB game seems to use the same engine as other games they did in that era. So, PS1/Saturn/3DO.

4

Aside from Access Software stuff in the Leaderboard days, I have never been big into golf games but the surreal atmosphere of T&E’s Virtual Boy game drew me in.

5

Links Golf 2004, Mario Golf GBC, and Everybody’s Golf PS1 are my favorites of all time. You have excellent taste!

6

I wish there was an easy way to play Links 2004, I don’t really have the space or desire to keep my Xbox plugged in.

7

Leaderboard was the first golf game I played, on the Atari ST. I had no idea what fade/draw was and we had to figure out the three click system and of course didn’t read the manual.

8

Still driving my way through these!

Will figure out how I can do a checklist (plugin) in the OP, or at lest some sort of progress bar or image.

9

The only golf game I somewhat enjoy is the Neo Geo Turf Masters one. It’s so pretty!

1 Like
10

Love Neo Turf Masters and have a soft spot for the old NES game, even though it’s not that great. I need to get Golf Story. I own the GBC Mario one but haven’t really played it. I’ve never played any of the Everybody’s Golf series, either. I was going to check out the newest one but it sounds like it’s kind of different than past entries? I’m guessing the one before that on PS3 would be cheap and easy to find.

11

I like golf games but never got into too many. I used to play a lot of Arnold Palmer Golf (edit, per Wikipedia this was known as Naomichi Ozaki Super Masters in Japan) on Genesis back in the day; more recently Hot Shots Golf on PSP.

12

Cross post mentioning Chip Shot: Super Pro Golf on Intellivision. Amazing game.

13

I’m still going…

Just restarted T&E SOFT’s golf game on DS after a 12 year break. It’s brilliant, as expected.

It’s got the same awkward visual style that majority of T&E 3D golf games have. And cumbersome UI. But at this point I’m used to it. Swiping the stylus to swing the club back and forth is very intuitive and - at least right now on rookie class - the whole thing a joy to play.

Whoever made this video only swipes up, rather than dragging the club head back and then forward. Oh well.

14

Got Golf Story physical coming from LRG when they finally mail it in 93 years.

My fave golf game is possibly Pro Golfer Saru: Kage no Tournament - post apocalyptic golf! Or maybe original Game Boy golf.

1 Like
15

I used to play heaps of Awesome Golf on Atari Lynx with a friend way back. I guess i’d call it broken now, cause you could very easily get unrealistic scores. But that didn’t stop us, just made us play more. How low can we go!

16

I just got this recently, not started it yet though.

@androgyne not heard of that one, will investigate!

17

I loved the first Mingol (Everybody’s Golf/HotShots) Never got into the sequels. I also enjoyed the Camelot 3DS Mario Golf game a lot.

18

Camelot only did the first Mingol so your experience makes compete sense

19

Awesome Golf on the Lynx is the bomb! :golf: :firecracker::fireworks:

Back in the early 90’s when I belonged to an Atari computer user group, we would Lynx-up for some 4-player Awesome Golf action. Warbirds, Battlewheels, Xybots, Rampart, Guantlet: The Third Encounter, Battlezone 2000 and Checkered Flag, were our other go to multiplayer games. Those were some good times.

1 Like
20

Not played it! Will investigate.