Golf Story

Did You Know?

• A sequel, Sports Story, was announced on 10 December 2019 in a Nintendo Indie World showcase.
• Sports Story was released on 23 December 2022.
• Golf Story won the award for best original sports game at the National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers Awards.

Gameplay and synopsis

Golf Story is a top-down adventure game based on golf. The player character, a down-on-his-luck golfer, seeks to reclaim his childhood love of the game after 20 years away, impressing his estranged wife and playing on the professional tour. Presented as a traditional RPG, the character gains skills in power and accuracy. Eight unique areas contain side quests and minigames for experience and money, used to develop skills and buy equipment. Each area has a nine-hole course unlocked after missions. Golf uses a three-click system for aim, power, and accuracy. Players can shoot from any location to obtain collectables. The game also includes disc golf, miniature golf, an Atari-like golfing mini game, a driving range, and bowls.

Development and release

Golf Story was originally developed as a Wii U title by Sidebar Games, a two-man team from Queensland, Australia, and was their first home console release after eight years of smaller games. Due to a lengthy development from expanded scope, development moved to the Nintendo Switch after the Wii U's lifespan ended, allowing Sidebar to get assistance from Nintendo. The game was influenced by past golf titles, particularly the Game Boy Color version of Mario Golf. A split-screen two-player story mode was planned but cut. The game was released on 28 September 2017 in North America, Europe, and Australia, and on 9 March 2018 in Japan, published by Flyhigh Works. A limited physical release by Limited Run Games appeared on 28 September 2018. Downloadable content was planned but shifted to a sequel.

Reception

Golf Story received generally favourable reviews on Metacritic based on 39 critic reviews, and OpenCritic reported 75% of critics recommended it. Critics praised the game's feel and charm. Martin Robinson of Eurogamer called it one of the finer games on the Switch, an irresistible combination of golf and RPG. Gita Jackson of Kotaku said it was a Switch RPG worth playing, even for non-golf fans. The story and characters were appreciated: Emily Sowden of Pocket Gamer noted the fun golfing, interesting story, and great characters. Andrew Reiner of Game Informer said the game makes players care about characters and their world. Miguel Angel Escudero of IGN wrote it overflows with charisma. Ginny Woo of GameSpot commented it captured yesteryear's RPG trappings and character witticisms. Some reviewers found the RPG lacking in mechanics and originality; Alex Fuller of RPGamer noted it does not provide anything overly new. Eurogamer ranked it 50th on its Top 50 Games of 2017 list, and Electronic Gaming Monthly ranked it 24th on its 25 Best Games of 2017 list. The game was nominated for Best Switch Game in Destructoid's Game of the Year Awards 2017, and for Best Switch Game and Best RPG in IGN's Best of 2017 Awards. It won Biggest Surprise in Game Informer's 2017 RPG of the Year Awards.