Mario Golf: Super Rush
A Mario Golf entry introducing Speed Golf and Battle Golf modes.
Mario Golf: Super Rush is a 2021 sports video game developed by Camelot Software Planning and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. It is the sixth installment in the Mario Golf series and features characters from the Mario franchise competing in golf across multiple modes. The game received mixed reviews, with praise for its gameplay mechanics and criticism for its limited content at launch.
Quick Facts
- Platforms
- Nintendo Switch
- Released
- June 25, 2021
- Series
- Mario Golf
- Modes
- Single-player, multiplayer
- Developer
- Camelot Software Planning
- Publisher
- Nintendo
- Composer
- Motoi Sakuraba
- Genre
- Sports (Golf)
Facts from the source article.
Gameplay
The core gameplay follows traditional golf rules, where the player aims to complete each hole with the fewest strokes using various clubs. Tools such as the Shot Gauge and a scan feature help assess terrain and ball trajectory. Players can use standard button controls or motion controls for swings. Each character possesses a unique Special Shot ability that charges during a match, granting increased power and a disruptive ball effect, such as Luigi's freezing ground ability; this can be toggled on or off before a match. Speed Golf is a new mode where players race to finish courses in the fastest time, running to their ball after each swing while navigating obstacles and other players. Battle Golf, another new mode, takes place on a nine-hole course where players compete to sink their ball into three holes as quickly as possible. Target Golf, added via a post-launch update, challenges players to score the most points over five shots by hitting three targets with four scoring zones each; scoring a zone removes it, and hitting the last zone in a target awards bonus points. Special balls with effects like increased zone points or altered landing behavior can replace all players' balls, but Special Shot abilities are disabled in this mode.
Development
The developers considered naming the game Mario Golf Aces but chose Super Rush to emphasize the speed and spirit of the new Speed Golf and Battle Golf modes. The idea for Speed Golf originated from Hiroyuki and Shugo Takahashi, who noted the lack of movement in typical golf games and wanted to highlight other enjoyable aspects of the sport, comparing the mechanic to moving and jumping as Mario in Super Mario Bros. levels. Classic Standard Golf was retained for fans of the series' traditional gameplay. Battle Golf was designed as an esports-like mode and was originally less streamlined; the finished version was added to the game's opening to showcase its fun. The power gauge was changed from horizontal to vertical without impact controls primarily to suit Speed Golf, as the developers felt the traditional shot selection process did not align with the dynamic new mode. After testing, they found the new gauge still felt like golf and aimed to explicitly display the bend and deviation caused by inclines, giving players a true sense of golf without needing impact timing.
Release
Mario Golf: Super Rush was developed by Camelot Software Planning and published by Nintendo. It was announced during a Nintendo Direct on February 17, 2021, and released worldwide on June 25, 2021. Pre-orders included an exclusive pin set. King Bob-omb was accidentally mentioned as a playable character on the official game page before being amended, and his inclusion was later confirmed in an overview trailer alongside Pauline and Chargin' Chuck.
Reception
Mario Golf: Super Rush received mixed or average reviews on Metacritic, with OpenCritic reporting 42% critic recommendation. Criticism focused on the lack of content at launch, including few courses and characters, though Nintendo promised post-launch support. The Golf Adventure mode received mixed reactions. The game was the best-selling retail game in Japan during its first week, with 80,430 physical copies sold, and had sold 2.48 million copies worldwide by December 31, 2022. Despite mixed reviews, it won Sports Game of the Year at the 25th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards.
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