If you never burned through packs of batteries playing Camelot’s Mario Golf on Game Boy Color as a kid, then you’re missing out on the childhood gaming experience that converted many of us into golf game lovers. With the exception of a few Hot Shots Golf entries, no other game has managed to capture the whimsy and addictive progression appeal of Mario Golf until now. Golf Story has taken the Nintendo Switch eShop by storm, and earned legions of fans around the world. So what’s the big deal?
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Golf Story launched with very little fanfare. There were no commercials, no obscenely lofty promises from the developer, and no massive press kits. Sidebar Games worked hard on this game, announced a release date, and then launched the game on time. The next day it was all anyone could talk about, and for weeks it’s been the only game I wanted to boot up on my Switch.
In Golf Story you assume the role of a regular Joe with dreams of making his father proud by becoming a professional golfer. No one believes in you, but your determination, luck, and “unique” swing are all you need to push you through the doubters and white noise to become something special. Along your journey you’ll meet world-class celebrity athletes, washed up has-beens, grounds keepers so passionate they even mow the sand-traps, and a zealous rival who wants nothing more than to take you down.
The characterization in Golf Story is amazing considering it was developed and written primarily by one person. The writing here is genuinely funny, and you’ll come to love many of the closer friends and enemies who play major parts in your adventure.
The sheer variety of scenarios and quests you’ll take on is mind-blowing. In Golf Story you’ll do everything from competing in an innocent contest at the local driving range, to tracking down a group of moles to unravel an undead conspiracy. No matter what you’re tasked with — no matter how grand the mission — the answer is always golf, and it’s wonderful.
It’s also worth pointing out that, oddly, Golf Story makes some of the best use of the Joy-Cons HD Rumble than any other game on the Switch right now. Character dialog is perfectly accented by little ripples, bumps, and knocks from your controller, and Golf Story even utilizes the Joy-Con’s ability to produce sounds with unique vibration patterns. When whacking a ball off of a cliff, for example, the Joy-Con will emit a unique vibration that causes an audible cartoon-drop sound effect. It’s wild, and it adds a lot to the immersion and to conversations.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a true Camelot golf game successor if it didn’t have some wicked-addictive RPG and progression elements, and Golf Story has them in spades. With every fulfilled request, every tournament won, and every side-quest completed, you’ll earn experience and cash. As you level up you’ll distribute points to upgrade your power, control, accuracy, spin. By unlocking certain shops and meeting certain criteria you’ll be able to upgrade various sets of clubs, some of which will grant special skills.
The more you level up and grow, the more the worlds of Golf Story open up to you. These worlds, or courses, are as diverse as any other great RPG. Lush greenery, bone-littered deserts, haunted graveyards, and snowy winter wonderlands are all yours to explore, and explore you will. You can drop a golf ball anywhere, at any time, and take a swing. In fact, you’ll want to do this often; there are secrets hidden in the hub areas everywhere, and uncovering these secrets will lead to even more unique side-quests, putt-putt golf challenges, and some wild disc golf action.
For $15, you’re going to get much more than your money’s worth, here. Golf Story is a game that undersold, and over-delivered, which is why all of your Nintendo Switch friends won’t shut up about it. Whether you’re looking for a lighthearted RPG, an addictive golf game, or just some cute new characters to latch onto, Golf Story is an absolute gem that you won’t want to miss.
WWG’s Score: 4 / 5
