Two new discoveries via @harborline_765
Let’s Play Blackbeard Golf (GBA)
Related to the Dreamcast game Golf Shiyouyo 2. Engine programmed by one guy! Plays even better if you use an overclocked “GBA” (MiSTer, emulator)
Mobile Golf (GBC)
Sequel to Mario Golf GBC without the story mode but with extra golf stuff. Fan translation is available which also unlocked content that used to require online access.
Kurohige Golf really did overshoot my expectations! I picked it up because the boxart was promising 3D courses, and the engine is indeed impressive with great use of camera angles and sprites. But the actual game is superb.
There’s this adventure mode on a pirate island where you face off against 6 opponents across its 18 holes. And the course design there is just fantastic. I wish the star versions of Mario Golf courses on GameCube were this inventive.
I’ve been playing the Japan-only 1998 PC game Harukanaru Augusta for Windows.
It’s got that late T&E SOFT vibe, in that is real 3D with full motion camera (Saturn, 3DO, SNES, MD have fixed camera). It seems to be a higher fidelity equivalent of the earlier N64 game Masters 98. Gameplay and game engine wise it’s closely related to the three PS1 games.
It’s good.
And I’ve been playing Super Video Golf on Mac/PC/Linux, a sort of modern reimagining of what a 90s golf game might have looked like. Still in active development, it’s also great.
Fab article about Nintendo’s Golf (NES, FC, FDS, Arcade) and the differences between versions.
Hi @matt ,
Do you have iOS (iPhone SE 2020 to be specific) golf game recommendations? Apologies if you’ve covered that in the thread already.
I’ve been playing WGT Golf on and off. It’s a solid game, but I’m not too keen on the multiplayer focus for most of it (and of course the seemingly pay to win later game - I’m a lvl 7 hack now).
Thank you, sir!
No straight golf recommendations, sadly, everything I’ve tried was married with micro transactions or a slow grind in some way. Though I’ve not tried them all.
None serious takes on golf
The unfortunate reality of most mobile gaming I guess. I’ll check those out though. Thank you.
I’m away for the (US) holiday and wanted to see what options were out there. I should have brought my MiSTer for Neo Turf Masters!
Even the Apple Arcade golf game by Clap Hanz has an artificially extended grind. Probably to keep you going past any free trial of the service. Really disappointing.
Lost Sega Golf MMO Starring Sonic Resurrected After 15 Years
I’ve been reading The Impact of Iwata recently and it was noted (and shown) in there how the holes for the original Golf for NES was actually re-created in Wii Sports Golf. That got me interested in playing some video game golf again including a game I picked up in a PC Engine order for a song in complete condition, Naxat Open.
I’ve always enjoyed swing meter golf, and the differences between games are often interesting to see and document. Naxat Open is a decent looking game on PC Engine. It also has a very streamlined but not dumbed down implementation of golf with swing meter controls. You get the choice of what clubs you want in your bag, club selection everywhere except sand bunkers, the ability to hit the ball at various spots, and it has good enough visual representation that you can aim and play the ball where you expect… provided you can get in the red part of the meter on the forward swing. Miss that at all, and you’re only going to get like 50 yards at best.
It’s a unique and punishing method of control with the meter. I played a full 18 holes and was a good 20-ish to 30 strokes over par, but I did enjoy the difficulty. The music is definitely a fail though as it’s only got one track that plays over and over. There doesn’t seem to be any options menu either, and it’s just kind of straight up golf.
Glad I played it, and will probably pull it out again sometime. It’s fun to go back and look at stuff like this. Developers did all kinds of different stuff within the same genre to create something unique.
People say that it is “too easy” but maybe easy is good once in awhile. ESPN Final Round Golf 2002 on the GBA is a favorite of mine.
Golf games pre-Nintendo are very strange and have really esoteric controls. Before HAL designed the golf control scheme that most modern games still have, they were experimenting with all kinds of weird stuff.
Is this true? I’ve heard it before but I’m doubtful
It’s very likely. I haven’t seen any examples of golf games made before 1984 that have a similar control scheme.
Moar GOLF!
Picked it up this past weekend for $12 cart only. Very glad I did! It’s just… golf. Really well done and plays great. And it’s not easy! I shot a 97 on my first round on Japan Course.
Props for keeping the film on your pocket screen!
Haha! Props for being lazy! Lol! I even have the official screen protector. I still haven’t taken the time to affix it to the Pocket!
This is about the time of year I start to get frisky for handheld games. More travel and being elsewhere makes me pull out the travel classics.
I’ve been playing Touch Swing Golf on DS and it’s really good!!
It got me thinking about the oft ignored (by me!) Golden Tee machines that are at bars. Installed a “Golden Tee Classic” on my AtGames cabinet and dang it’s a pretty fun arcade game!
It really is! The DSiWare version is even better, turning the main event into a challenge mode where you tackle stages/challenges that increasingly ramp up in difficulty.
Here’s my review
