Mario Golf: Advance Tour

"On par with its Gamecube counterpart"

Introduction This is my fourth game in the Mario Golf series, and in my opinion it's proving to be the most addictive one so far. I played for about four hours nonstop right after purchasing it (something I rarely do with any game). I should also add that this is my first review, so hopefully it'll provide you with whatever info you're looking for and persuade you to buy this great game! If not, give the review a crappy rating.;)

Gameplay: 10/10 There are tons of things to do in this game, including several play modes and options. A large portion revolves around a story mode, where you play the role of an amateur golfer trying to become the champion. There are tournaments to prove who's the best; the champ takes the trophy along with bragging rights and respect from other in-game characters. After a tournament round, your character gains experience based on your performance and rank. The experience can be divided however you want amongst you and your doubles partner. When you level up you're able to select which stats you'd like to perfect (drive, height, fade/draw, control, etc). The game is an RPG, which means you can explore the courses, talk to fellow golfers, receive help and advice, level up, participate in events/challenges, acquire new golf equipment (primarily new clubs). There are other innovative play modes, such as Speed Golf, Go-Go Gates (gates are strategically placed on the fairways and you must hit the ball through the gates while still maintaining par or better for each hole), and Club Slots. You can even create your own taunts. This is by far the most involved and rewarding golfing game I've played. I have yet to experience any cases of faulty physics; most of the gameplay is about as realistic as you can expect from a golf game.

Another interesting feature (which to be honest, I haven't gotten the chance to try out yet) is the connectivity capabilities. Advance Tour can hook up to Toadstool Tour using a GBA and connector cable, which allows you to transfer character stats and other things. There are also multiplayer modes.

Control: 9.5/10 The controls are very easy to learn. They're not too complex, but you still have complete control over the ball. You can add spin, alter the trajectory, and change clubs ease. This makes the game very enjoyable and easy to play from the moment you purchase it.

Sound: 7/10 The sound is mostly just the cheerful tunes you'd expect from a Mario game. There are also nice quality voice clips that shout “Eagle!”, “Birdie!”, etc. Overall, nothing to complain about, even though I prefer playing with the sound off.

Graphics: 10/10 The graphics perfectly complement the cheerful environment and theme of the game. The menus are very colorful and well designed; the text is easy to read. It looks much better than I anticipated, providing some of the best graphics I've seen on the GBA so far.

Difficulty: 6/10 While I admit I have yet to finish the game, I haven't found anything too challenging so far. Fortunately, this means there are little or no frustrating moments to ruin your experience! Regardless, the game is still very fun to play and the entertainment value is high.

Overall: 9.5/10 This is definitely a must-have game for any collection, even if you're already an experienced player with the previous installments of the series. If you're not a fan of golf, there's still a good chance you'd enjoy the game as much as I do. I'd only suggest a rental if you dislike the other Mario Golf games, in which case you should still give this one a chance. =)

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 07/27/04