GAME REVIEW: Mario Golf: Super Rush

Everyone’s favorite plumber is back playing golf again with all of his buddies from the Mushroom Kingdom in Mario Golf: Super Rush. Mario first took up the game of golf back in 1985 in the classic title Golf on the NES; since then there’s been five more titles in the mainline Mario Golf series. Mario Golf: Super Rush is the first entry in the series in seven years, and the first console entry since Mario: Golf Toadstool Tour on the GameCube. There’s a whole lot of new, and a whole lot to revisit in this installment, so let’s get started.

Gameplay:

Mario Golf: Super Rush has revamped the gameplay quite a bit, even though some changes may seem subtle. Before your shot, you can hit X for an overhead view of the course. Here you can aim your shot to hit the fairway or avoid trees.

For swinging your club, Nintendo has done away with the old three click system where you tap to start your swing, tap to set your power, and then tap to finish when swinging your club, and has implemented a two click swing instead–tap the meter to start, tap again (or double tap for spin) to set your power and swing. Additionally, the swing meter is now vertical instead of horizontal, and now has yard markers attached to the meter, so you can see how far you’re hitting the ball. During your swing phase, you can double tap A for topspin, double tap B for backspin, or tap right or left for a little fade or draw. When the meter is going up, you can hold left or right to curve your shot in a given direction.

Aside from all of the swing techs that there are, you can simply use the L button to hit a special shot. Special shots will allow you to hit the ball a little further with pinpoint accuracy, and depending on the character the special shot will have a different affect when the ball lands, such as throwing bombs to knock other balls out of the way, or even electrocuting the ball so your opponents meter becomes disoriented. These special shots give it the arcade and light hearted feel that returning players will remember, they can also be turned off on any mode when playing with friends or online.

If you’re a veteran of the series, these changes may take some time getting used to, but they’re a great improvement overall. These small changes give the game the feel of a serious golf game where the characters aren’t too overpowered; it’s not as simple as lining up your shot on a yellow arrow and timing your meter accurately to have it land perfectly. Getting a good score feels much more rewarding in Mario Golf: Super Rush.

Game Modes:

Standard Stroke Play: This is your standard round of golf that you’re familiar with in all Mario games, or any golf game for that matter. You can choose to play with 1-4 players on a round, and you shoot the best possible score that you can to win.

Speed Golf: Speed Golf is a brand new mode in Mario Golf: Super Rush. This mode is fast paced and a blast to play with friends or even against the computer. When you tee off, you grab your clubs then go chase your ball down; while running, you can use a stamina boost for a burst of speed (and knock your opponents out of the way), collect coins for items at the pro shop, collect and use power ups, and collect hearts to refill your stamina. Not only are you collecting items to help get you to your ball faster, but you’re also avoiding obstacles, and trying to to run through the rough or the sand to slow you down. You can play Speed Golf in one of two ways: stroke play–where you finish with the lowest score, or my preferred method, win by best time.

Battle Golf: Battle Golf is another new mode introduced in this game. Players all start at the same spot in a wide open area where there are nine holes to shoot at with the goal of being the first player to sink three shots, this mode plays like speed golf where you chase your ball down after hitting it. There’s no linear path in this mode; you can attempt to shoot for any hole you desire, but if another player sinks their shot into a hole then the hole is taken off the board. This mode is fast paced and very fun; however, my only complaint is that the rounds end very quick and the game brings you right back to the lobby instead of playing multiple rounds.

Adventure Mode: Adventure mode is back, and it feels very similar to Mario Tennis: Aces, even down to having the characters’ avatars in the bottom corners when speaking. However, this time around the adventure mode does a lot to switch things up to keep it fresh throughout your experience. You begin Adventure Mode by taking control of your Mii as they join a golf academy and play through a series of matches and challenges to work their way through the ranks. Each match and challenges awards you coins for buying new gear at the clubhouse and experience points that help you level up your Mii. From the beginning, you start off with basic tutorials and matches, then move your way towards interesting challenges such as finishing the front nine in under a certain amount of time, or plotting how to complete a nine hole course in under 40 shots. These interesting challenges keep story mode fresh and entertaining, which will make you keep coming back for more. This mode will run about five to six hours to complete.

Closing Thoughts:

Mario Golf: Super Rush is a welcome addition to revive the Mario Golf series on Switch. The gameplay is wonderful, the graphics are smooth and fluid, the new modes are great, and the online features work well. However, there are some drawbacks. As fun as Speed Golf and Battle Golf are, there’s no setting in single player to change the difficulty of the computer, which allows it to get a bit stale since the AI can be rather inadequate at times. Adventure Mode could be a little bit longer; there’s still plenty to do with leveling up your Mii so you can beat your friends online, but there could be more. Online play is fun, but it’s only lobbies and no leaderboards. I was disappointed that I couldn’t even see how many wins I have online. Lastly, there are only six courses at launch; each course is vastly different, which keeps it fresh, but I would definitely like to see more courses available. Overall, the launch seems light, but Nintendo had said that there’s be free content updates in the future for Mario Golf: Super Rush, which I hope resolve the issues stated above.

Verdict: 3.5 / 5

Mario Golf: Super Rush is a fun game to play with friends online or together in your home. With new ways to play and a fun Adventure Mode, this game has kept me busy for quite some time in its release. I recommend this game to anyone looking for a new multiplayer Mario game that’s approachable for everyone.

Tell us what you think! Will you be picking up Mario Golf: Super Rush? Share your reactions in the comments below or join the conversation on Boss Rush Network’s Discord.