Title: Mario Golf Publisher: Nintendo Features: GameBoy Color. Link Cable Compatible. Battery Save. Format: RPG/Sports Sim Reviewer: Ben I could never really get a birdie! I'm cool, Jo Cool (well, not really) It's not hard to see why it's GBC only! Now, just follow through... Introduction I hate videogame sports simulations. I'm not a great fan of golf either. This is why I was really surprised when I found that I couldn't get enough of Mario Golf! In my opinion, Mario Golf has to be one of the most detailed, simple to play and all around fun games I've ever played. Mario Golf is very accurate with all sorts of factors like wind, types of ground (such as waste, sand, rough and fairway), the position of where your ball is hit and the type of club used all taken into consideration. If you've got no idea on your golf terminology, don't worry - the game comes complete with an in-game golfing dictionary so you can chip your ball on the fairway AND know what it means. Game Play I'm amazed at how addictive a golf game could be. When I first plugged the cart into my GBC (it's GBC Only, by the way, and it really shows) I thought that it would be a really bland boring game. Not so. You begin by creating your own character, who levels up as he or she progresses through the game by gaining experience (just like in those new-fangled turn based RPGs I've been hearing about!). You progress through the game, entering tournaments, putting competitions and various other stages. You do this in a top down, Zelda style world. You objective through all of this is to meet Mario, who is seen as the golfing God. There are five different courses to conquer I believe, each with their own special pitfalls such as sand, water, or just being too damned hard. Don't let the fact that the game is called Mario Golf discourage you though, because it really does look quite normal, with only cameos from Mario, Luigi, Wario (yeah!) and Bloober. Apart from that, it's just nice, normal Golf. Add to that the possibility of seeing your character in glorious 3-D when the Transfer Pak finally arrives, and you've got yourself one really great game! Final Comments Mario Golf is a nicely designed, technically accurate golf game. It has great graphics with standard sound and sometimes irritating music. If you're looking for a fresh challenge to conquer on your GameBoy, or just something to pass those long car trips with, then this is it. Plain and simple. Whether you're a golf fan or not. If you don't like golf, beware: you'll be hooked. The scary thing is that I'm watching golf on TV now! [ Back To Game Reviews ]