Golf: US Course

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Golf: US Course
Golf: US Course
For alternate box art, see the game's gallery.
Developer HAL Laboratory
Publisher Nintendo
Platform Family Computer Disk System
Release date Japan June 14, 1987[1]
Languages English
Genre Sports (golf)
Mode 1–4 players alternating
Format
FDS:
Disk Card
Input
Famicom:
Serial code FMC-GFUE

Golf: US Course[2] (alternatively formatted as Golf: U.S. Course, and also known as Family Computer Golf: US Course) is a Japan-exclusive golf game released for the Family Computer Disk System on June 14, 1987. It is the second game in the Mario Golf series and is the first game of the Super Mario franchise to support more than two players. Gameplay is more similar to that of the later NES Open Tournament Golf than to that of its companion title, Golf: Japan Course, which was released a few months earlier. Despite the name, the holes are fictional.

Gameplay

Gameplay of Golf: US Course
Screenshot of gameplay

Gameplay is similar to that of the previous Golf: Japan Course but with further features added. The course view and course map are now separate screens that can be toggled between, alongside the green view. This allows for a greater amount of detail, especially on the course view. Dense trees are no longer out of bounds but are navigable areas; they always have at least a small amount of land around them, even if they appear to be in water from the map. The wind meter shows a crosshair within a larger crosshair to show the direction and speed relative to whichever direction the player will putt. There are four options along the bottom of the screen in course view, which can be navigated between by holding down B Button and using the +Control Pad left and right, while doing the same but using the +Control Pad up and down to change their values. These options are:

  • Tee point: This option is functional only before the first successful stroke, and it allows the tee to be moved left and right.
  • Swing speed: Changes how fast Mario swings, from 1 (slowest) to 3 (fastest). Faster strokes hit harder, but they are more difficult to hit cleanly.
  • Club: Switches between the 14 available clubs (the same as in the previous games).
  • View: Switches between the three viewpoints, though once the player is on the green it becomes locked.

Additionally, the score sheet can be viewed by pressing Start Button. Unlike in Japan Course, rather than a loading screen appearing every four to five rounds with a coffee shop, the loading screen appears every two rounds with a view of the score sheet thus far.

There are two game modes:

  • Stroke Play: Up to four players can try to do their personal best. The other players look like Mario (or the hidden female character) but with a different overall color. Player 2 is green, Player 3 is blue, and Player 4 is orange. Player 3 uses Player 1's controller, while Player 4 has to share it with Player 2. The 1 Player Stroke Play scores were used in the tournament that was contested by 77,000 players.[3]
  • Match Play: Two players, controlling Mario and his green clone, compete against each other. Unlike in Japan Course, there is no computer opponent. A player can forfeit a round by pressing Select Button, holding +Control Pad up, and pressing Start Button.

There are four slots to save scores (represented by flags, lowered by Diskun when overwriting) with blank slots recorded as 900.

Contest and alternate version

Like Japan Course, the game comes on a blue disk, meaning it is compatible with the Disk Fax, a device found in public places across Japan such as department stores. These machines would send the player's saved games and high score information to Nintendo. Nintendo held a contest centered around this game. The top 100 players received a trophy, and they along with 9,900 others received a gold Famicom cartridge of Punch-Out!! There was also an unannounced prize, which was a special version of the game that came on a gold disk known as Golf: Special Course and was given out to 1,000 randomly chosen players who had scored a hole-in-one.

Staff

Main article: List of Golf: US Course staff

Gallery

For this subject's image gallery, see Gallery:Golf: US Course.

References in later games

Mario Golf: World Tour
  • A costume, golf clubs, and a golf ball based on Mario's attire appear in this game for Miis.
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U
  • One of Mario's palette swaps is based on his stars-and-stripes-based clothing in Golf: US Course, although NES Open Tournament Golf is more frequently cited.[4]
Super Mario Odyssey
  • The stars-and-stripes clothing once again appears.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
  • Mario's palette swap based on his outfit from this game returns.
Mario Golf: Super Rush
  • Mario's golf outfit from Golf: US Course returns in this game as a reward for achieving an A- rank in Ranked Match during January 2022.
Mario Kart Tour
  • Mario's golf outfit makes an appearance in this game as a playable driver, starting from the 2022 Los Angeles Tour.

Names in other languages

Language Name Meaning Notes
Japanese ゴルフUSユーエスコース[?]
Gorufu Yūesu Kōsu
Golf: US Course
Golf: Special Course
Language Name Meaning Notes
Japanese ゴルフスペシャルコース[?]
Gorufu Supesharu Kōsu
Golf: Special Course

Notes

Information about U.S. Course, Return of Donkey Kong, and Super Mario Bros. II from a Nintendo Fun Club magazine
A preview of U.S. Golf.
  • Nintendo had planned on releasing the game in America under the name U.S. Golf, with a brief preview being featured in the fifth issue (Feb/March 1988) of Nintendo Fun Club. This localization would end up being canceled for unknown reasons.

References

  1. ^ ゴルフUSユーエスコース. Nintendo Japan (Japanese). Retrieved August 13, 2024.
  2. ^ HISTORY | Mario Portal |. Mario Portal (English). Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  3. ^ ゴルフUSコース. Famicon Masterpieces. Retrieved January 23, 2021.
  4. ^ Sakurai, Masahiro (July 10, 2014). Post by Masahiro Sakurai. Miiverse. Archived October 17, 2017, 18:08:48 UTC from the original via Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 19, 2024.

External links