Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour

"This is one great golf game."

Get ready to hit the links! Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour is the latest golf game released for the Mario Golf series. Is it any good? I believe it is. The graphics are improved, there is more options to choose from, and it just seems to better than the original.

Graphics: 8
Like I said, there is a huge update in the graphics from the original game, which seems obvious because this is a game cube game.

For one, golf courses look awesome. Everything is nice and colorful, and it just makes the holes a lot more exiting to play. Plus, there are a variety of objects that you get to see and play with, depending on which coarse you're on.

Another improvement is the look of the characters. Most of them look really well done and full of detail, while other, not so much. Plus, depending on which character you are play, you get different ‘nice shot' animations. What a nice feature.

Probably the only thing that I didn't like about the graphics is that sometimes they can look a little bit to bright, which can hurt hour brain after a while, but its not that bad. Also, some of the holes look a little to happy, probably because this game is trying to appeal to all gamers of all ages, so just be aware of that if your new to this game.

Sound/Music: 7
Not bad in the sound department. I like the voice acting and the reaction of all the characters. The sound of the ball being hit by the club is clear and original. I like the sound in this game, and again, it's an improvement over the original game.

The music is also quite good. When you're at the title screen, you get this lively, parade sounding music. Its ok, but its not great, and it doesn't really feel like your playing a golf game. On the coarse, the music is fell done and fits the theme of the level. Since I don't really care about the music in this game, I just turned it off, because sometimes, it can get repetitive to hear.

Game Play: 8
MG: TT is a standard golf game. You take a club; hit it in the hole under par, do it again and again. After 18 holes, you get your score and move on. Sounds boring, doesn't it. Well, not exactly. The Mario golf series is known for making wacky and challenging mini games on these golf courses, so in a way, its not boring. MG: TT is just like the original, with only a few things added in, and a few things taken out.

For example, in the original, you could play on a mini golf coarse, ranging from hard turf to soft surf. MG: TT does not have this feature, which is a shame, because mini golf was the best part of the series. Also, there is no driving range, which isn't very important, so it's best that they let it go.

What they did add in were golf practice mini games, all new characters that have to do with Mario, and a bunch of hidden side games that you can try and find. Plus, there are many original things from the past game, so don't worry.

Now, the best thing that they improved over the original game was the swing mechanic. Gone are the days of over shooting or undershooting you ball because they added this power guide on your power bar, so if you want to precisely land a ball anywhere you want, then set the gauge, hit the ball and watch it fly.

Another good thing to me is that they increased the speed on power bar, so getting use to it might seem harsh, but you will get the hang of it. Also, I believe that evens out how many ‘nice shots' you get, which makes the game more challenging. Also, along with the improved swing system that they added in, you could do back spin and top spin if you press a combination of buttons just right. Also, on side note, if you don't like the manual swing, you can instead press the A button and the game will finish the swing for you, despite that you cant hit spin, and the computer does a crummy job at straitening out your shots.

Replay Value: 6
Mario Golf: TT gets old pretty quickly, and that's always true with all golf games, because no matter how much stuff you can add to the game, the principal idea is just golf. Although, at least this game will keep you entertained for a couple of months.

Get it or pass it: I would say get it if it's in the discount bin at your local game shop. It's a fun game, but its just golf, and it will get old quickly.

Conclusion: I hope that Nintendo will release another Mario Golf game for the Wii. Its clear that the idea is still fresh, and with the new controller, it will just make Mario Golf better than ever.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 02/22/08

Game Release: Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour (US, 07/29/03)