=========================================================
MARIO GOLF FAQ
Ver 1.0
by
SIDE_FX (sideFX@asu.edu)
Last Update: 8/11/99
=========================================================
===================
Table of Contents
===================
(1) INTRODUCTION
- About Mario Golf
- Starting Out
(2) BASICS
- Terms
- Clubs
- Shot Overview
- Ball Control
- Play Screen
- Course Points
- Power Shots
(3) CHARACTER STATS
- Key
- Cast
- Charts
(4) PLAY MODES
- Club Slots
- Get Character
- Match Game
- Mini-Golf
- Ring Shot
- Skins Match
- Speed Golf
- Stroke
- Tournament
- Training
(5) COURSES
(6) CHEERS / TAUNTS
(7) COOL STUFF
(8) GAME BOY COLOR VERSION
(9) FURTHER INFORMATION
(10) HISTORY
(11) CREDITS
(12) ABOUT
=========================================================================
(1) INTRODUCTION
=========================================================================
+------------------+
| ABOUT MARIO GOLF |
+------------------+
Mario Golf is a fun golf game for the N64 that takes place in various
and familiar Mario-themed landscapes. The cartoony characters should
grab the attention of a young audience while the excellent physics of the
game will hold the attention of older gamers. Whether you're a die-hard
golf fan or a golf newbie who doesn't know the difference between a bogey
and a birdie, you'll be hooked on Mario Golf faster than Mario can yell
"Mama-mia!"
+--------------+
| STARTING OUT |
+--------------+
When you first start out, only 4 characters (Baby Mario, Charlie, Peach,
and Plum) are immediately playable in all of the play modes. Other
characters have to be earned by achieving certain goals (see Section 3:
Character Stats). Also, the only course you can immediately play is Toad
Highlands. You gain access to the other courses by earning Course Points
in the various play modes.
=========================================================================
(2) BASICS
=========================================================================
+-------+
| TERMS |
+-------+
BIRDIE - term for scoring one stroke under par on a hole
BUNKER - a sand trap
CUP - the hole on the putting green that you must sink the ball into
DRAW - a shot in which the ball flies to the right after being hit and
curves to the left before landing
EAGLE - term for scoring two strokes under par on a hole
FADE - a shot in which the ball flies to the left after being struck and
curves to the right before landing
FAIRWAY - the groomed lawn that makes up the largest portion of a hole
GREEN - the area of short, cut grass that surrounds the cup
HOLE-IN-ONE - to get the ball into the cup in one stroke
IMPACT POINT - the point on the golf ball (marked by a red dot) where the
club will strike the ball
PAR - the standard number of strokes for a hole
PIN - the flagstick that marks a hole
ROUGH - the area of long grass surrounding the fairway
WIREFRAME - this is the grid that you will see when you lining up a shot
that shows *approximately* where the ball with land
+-------+
| CLUBS |
+-------+
WOODS (for going the distance)
-----
1 WOOD - The most powerful club you have. Unfortunately, it loses its
effectiveness if the ball isn't perched on a tee.
3 WOOD - Not as powerful as the 1 WOOD, but it comes in handy on par 5
holes when you're on the fairway.
4 WOOD - Slightly less powerful than the 3 WOOD, but it's useful when
you want to hit the ball far and you're not on the fairway.
IRONS (more accurate than Woods in foul weather)
-----
2 IRON - The strongest iron at your disposal. It's helpful when you want
to hit the ball a far distance when you're in the rough.
Unfortunately, it loses its effectiveness when you're in deep
rough.
3 IRON - Hits the ball higher than the 2 IRON, but not as far. It's
helpful on the fairway or when the ball is in moderately heavy
rough.
4 IRON - For use when you're getting close to the green or when the ball
has landed off the fairway.
5 IRON - A well-rounded club that can get you out of the rough, but still
packs enough power to send the ball a considerable distance.
6 IRON - Good for moderate to short shots. This club can get underneath
the ball and lift it out of grassy or rocky areas.
7 IRON - Good for fairly short shots or if the ball is in heavy rough.
8 IRON - Good for a solid approach to the green. This club's power sends
the ball high into the air, but not very far along the ground.
9 IRON - Provides a fair amount of distance while still having enough
power to pull the ball out of the rough.
PITCHING WEDGE
--------------
Use this when you are very close to the green or when the ball is in deep
rough.
SAND WEDGE
----------
Like its name implies, this club is best suited for getting the ball out
of a bunker. Unfortunately, your ball won't travel very far.
PUTTER
------
This club is best if used on the green to tap the ball into the cup.
NOTE: Using this club will probably be the most *frustrating* part of
game, so start learning all the nuances about putting AS SOON AS
POSSIBLE.
+---------------+
| SHOT OVERVIEW |
+---------------+
A shot has two parts: the height and trajectory.
All the characters' shot heights are broken up into three categories:
LOW, STANDARD, and HIGH. Keep in mind that the higher the shot, the
more the shot will be affected by the wind.
All the characters' shot trajectories are broken up into three
categories: FADE, STRAIGHT, and DRAW. Straight shots tend to be MUCH
more forgiving and are a lot easier to get used to; but if you want to
use the upper tier of elite golfers, you better get used to either the
FADE or DRAW shots.
+--------------+
| BALL CONTROL |
+--------------+
ELEVATION
---------
If you hit a ball from a low to a high elevation, the ball will tend to
roll more than if it was hit on a flat elevation.
Hitting a ball from a high elevation to a low elevation will cause the
ball to roll less than if the ball was hit on a flat elevation. If the
elevation difference is great enough, the ball may just bounce a few
times and just roll a yard or two.
SPIN
----
By pressing the Z button and using the control stick, you can move the
impact point on the golf ball. This puts a spin on the ball.
By moving the impact point to the top of the ball, you put a top spin on
it. A ball with top spin tends to cut through the wind better since it
spends less time in the air and rolls more when it hits the ground.
By moving the impact point to the bottom of the ball, you put a tail spin
on it. A ball with a tail spin flies higher through the air and is
affected more by the wind than a normal shot. When the ball hits the
ground, it also tends to roll less.
By moving the impact point to the right, the ball curves to the left. On
the other hand, moving the impact point to the left will cause the ball
to curve to the right.
TERRAIN
-------
Although you'll want to try and keep the ball on either the fairway or
the green, a lot of times you'll find yourself in some *nasty* terrain.
Each form of terrain has a Power Rate (located in the right-hand corner
of the screen). For instance, if the Power Rate says 50 and you're
aiming for a 200 yard drive, the ball will travel only about 100 yards.
WEATHER (Rain and Wind)
-----------------------
When you're playing a hole, there are two things relating to the weather
that can affect your shot: rain and wind.
When it rains, the power of your shots will be slightly diminished, so
you'll to apply more force. Also, the ball won't roll as well since the
ground is wet. Keep this in mind when it comes time to putt.
If there is wind on the hole you are playing, you'll see a picture of BOO
in the upper-right-hand corner of the screen along with the wind's
velocity. BOO will look in the direction of the wind. For example, if
BOO is looking directly at you, the wind is blowing against the ball, so
you'll need to apply more power. On the other hand, if BOO is looking
directly away from you, the wind is blowing with the ball and will send
it farther.
If the wind is blowing to the right, you'll need to compensate and aim
a little bit to the lift. Vice versa, if the wind is blowing to the
left, you'll need to compensate and aim a little bit to the right.
Another option to compensate for winds is to curve the ball against the
wind by putting a spin on the ball.
Compensating for the wind may take a little getting used to. Keep in
mind that the longer the ball is in the air, the more the wind will
affect it. The best way to get used to the wind is in the TRAINING play
mode where you can practice on any opened course and set both the wind's
direction and velocity. For added difficulty, you can also make it rain.
+-------------+
| PLAY SCREEN |
+-------------+
INFO - this section describes some of the more important parts that make
up the play screen that you should check when you're playing a
game
CLUB / DRIVE DISTANCE
---------------------
Found in the bottom-left corner of the screen. This displays the club
you are using along with its corresponding drive distance.
ELEVATION
---------
Above the WIREFRAME, you'll see a value that displays the difference of
elevation between your current location and the target in question. For
instance, if the elevation is listed as 20 Y DW, that means that the
target is 20 yards below the elevation of your current position.
IMPACT POINT / BALL LIE
-----------------------
Found near the bottom-right corner of the screen. This shows where the
club will strike the ball and the kind of the terrain the ball is
currently located in.
PIN DIRECTION
-------------
This is the litte flag located at the top of the screen. It shows the
direction to the pin.
POWER RATE
----------
Found in the bottom-right corner of the screen. This shows how much
power the ball will receive. For instance, if you aim for a 200 yard
drive when when the power rate says 50, the ball will only travel about
100 yards.
REST
----
Located near the top of the left-hand side of the screen. This lists
how far the pin is from your current location.
WIND INDICATOR
--------------
The wind is shown by the BOO in the upper-right hand corner of the
screen. The BOO looks in the direction of the wind and indicates its
velocity in miles per hour.
WIREFRAME
---------
The grid you see that approximates where the ball will land when it is
hit.
+---------------+
| COURSE POINTS |
+---------------+
On all the play modes (except for Ring Shot and Training), you earn
Course Points just for playing. Course Points let you unlock the rest of
the courses found in Mario Golf (see Section 5: Courses). The best way
to earn Course Points is to repeatably play the Tournament play mode.
+-------------+
| POWER SHOTS |
+-------------+
A Power Shot gives your character an extra burst of power. This comes
in really handy during the tee-off and on holes with a par of 5. Each
character is given 6 Power Shots. But, if you time your swing perfectly
so that the announcer yells "Nice Shot!", your remaining Power Shots
won't decrease!
=========================================================================
(3) CHARACTER STATS
=========================================================================
+-----+
| KEY |
+-----+
DRIVE
-----
This refers to the length of a character's driving distance.
SHOT TYPE
---------
There are three shot types.
A DRAW shot is where the ball flies to the right after being struck and
curves to the left before landing. A DRAW shot value of +3 means that
the curve of the ball is much greater than the curve of the ball of a
DRAW shot value of +1.
A FADE shot is where the ball flies to the left after being struck and
curves to the right before landing. A FADE shot value of -3 means that
the curve of the ball is much greater than the curve of the ball of a
FADE shot value of -1.
A STRAIGHT shot is just like it sounds--the ball flies straight after
it is hit. This shot type is the easiest to learn to control; and
weather conditions, terrain, and poor timing are a *LOT* more forgiving
on STRAIGHT shots.
SHOT HEIGHT
-----------
This refers to the height of the ball's arc (trajectory) when it is hit.
There are three shot heights (Low, Standard, and High). The higher the
arc, the more obstacles a ball can clear and the longer the ball will
stay in the air. However, the longer the ball stays in the air, the more
the wind will affect its path.
PLAYABLE
--------
Describes when a character becomes selectable in all play modes.
UPGRADE FROM
------------
Provides a list of characters who would be relatively easy to upgrade
from. For example, Yoshi's UPGRADE FROM list consists of Plum and
Peach. This means that if you're used to playing as Plum or Peach,
learning to use Yoshi should be relatively painless.
UPGRADE TO
----------
Provides a list of characters who would be relatively easy to upgrade to.
For example, Peach's UPGRADE TO list consists of Yoshi and Maple. This
means that if you're used to playing as Peach, learning to use either
Yoshi or Maple should be relatively painless.
NOTE: If you aren't familiar with how terrain, elevation, and wind
conditions can affect a ball's trajectory, you way want to take a
look at Section 2: Basics before you choose a character to use.
+------+
| CAST |
+------+
BABY MARIO
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
| DRIVE : 215 yards
| SHOT TYPE : ----[]X--- +1 Draw
| SHOT HEIGHT : High
| PLAYABLE : At start
|
| UPGRADE FROM : none
| UPGRADE TO : Sonny
|
|
| Baby Mario is the first character you have access to that has a DRAW
| shot. If you plan to upgrade to the "Big 3" (Mario, Bowser, and Metal
| Mario), it wouldn't hurt to start training with Baby Mario. His DRAW
| shot may take a little while to get used to, but the time you invest
| in him will help you out if you decide to start using characters with
| stronger DRAW shots.
|
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
BOWSER
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
| DRIVE : 280 yards
| SHOT TYPE : ----[]XXX- +3 Draw
| SHOT HEIGHT : High
| PLAYABLE : After he is defeated in the Get Character mode
|
| UPGRADE FROM : Mario
| UPGRADE TO : Metal Mario
|
|
| Bowser has the second best drive in the game. He beats Mario by 10
| yards; but Metal Mario bests him by 5 yards. Bowser is huge, but
| he plays just like Mario and Metal Mario.
|
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHARLIE
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
| DRIVE : 210 yards
| SHOT TYPE : ---X[]---- -1 Fade
| SHOT HEIGHT : Low
| PLAYABLE : At start
|
| UPGRADE FROM : none
| UPGRADE TO : Luigi
|
|
| Charlie is the first character you have access to that has a FADE shot.
| If you plan to use Donkey Kong in the future, this is a good person to
| start with to get used to the FADE shot.
|
| Like all characters with a FADE shot type, Charlie has a LOW shot height
| that isn't affected by the wind as much as most of the other
| characters.
|
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
DONKEY KONG
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
| DRIVE : 275 yards
| SHOT TYPE : -XXX[]---- -3 Fade
| SHOT HEIGHT : Low
| PLAYABLE : After 30 stars are earned in Ring mode
|
| UPGRADE FROM : Wario
| UPGRADE TO : none
|
|
| Donkey Kong has the third longest drive behind Metal Mario and Bowser.
| Since Donkey Kong has a LOW shot height, however, his shot isn't
| affected by the wind as much as Metal Mario and Bowser's HIGH shot.
|
| Basically, it's a trade off. Metal Mario and Bowser may have a longer
| drive than Donkey Kong, but their HIGH shots are affected more strongly
| by the wind than Donkey Kong's LOW shot.
|
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
HARRY
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
| DRIVE : 260 yards
| SHOT TYPE : ----[]XX-- +2 Draw
| SHOT HEIGHT : High
| PLAYABLE : After he is defeated in the Get Character mode
|
| UPGRADE FROM : Sonny
| UPGRADE TO : Mario
|
|
| Harry is basically the same as Sonny. The only significant difference
| is that Harry's drive bests Sonny by 20 yards.
|
| If you haven't unlocked Mario, Bowser, or Metal Mario yet and you plan
| to use them in the future, Harry is a good character to train with.
|
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
LUIGI
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
| DRIVE : 220 yards
| SHOT TYPE : --XX[]---- -2 Fade
| SHOT HEIGHT : Low
| PLAYABLE : After he is defeated in the Get Character mode
|
| UPGRADE FROM : Charlie
| UPGRADE TO : Wario
|
|
| Luigi is the first player you can win in the GET CHARACTER play mode.
| His fade shot is sharper than Charlie's, but getting used to it
| shouldn't take long.
|
| Like all characters with a FADE shot type, Luigi has a LOW shot height
| that isn't affected by the wind as much as most of the other
| characters.
|
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
MAPLE
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
| DRIVE : 245 yards
| SHOT TYPE : ----[]---- +0 Straight
| SHOT HEIGHT : High
| PLAYABLE : After 50 birdie badges have been earned in the
| Tournament mode
|
| UPGRADE FROM : Princess, Yoshi
| UPGRADE TO : none
|
|
| Maple is the elite of the characters who have a STRAIGHT shot type.
| Maple has a pretty good drive and her STRAIGHT shot can't be beaten.
| If characters with FADES and DRAWS give you a headache, Maple is the
| character to use. She may not have the power of Donkey Kong, Bowser,
| or Metal Mario, but she has enough power to score birdies and even a
| few eagles on most of the courses.
|
| On some of the advanced courses (such as Mario's Star) where the
| fairways are small and narrow, you'll find her STRAIGHT shot is a major
| advantage.
|
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
METAL MARIO
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
| DRIVE : 285 yards
| SHOT TYPE : ----[]XXX- +3 Draw
| SHOT HEIGHT : High
| PLAYABLE : After ALL 108 birdie badges have been earned in the
| Tournament mode
|
| UPGRADE FROM : Mario, Bowser
| UPGRADE TO : none
|
|
| Metal Mario is the ULTIMATE character for raw power. He boasts an
| incredible 285 yard drive--5 yards more than Bowser. If you're
| familiar with playing with Mario or Bowser, upgrading to Metal Mario
| will be VERY easy.
|
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
MARIO
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
| DRIVE : 270 yards
| SHOT TYPE : ----[]XXX- +3 Draw
| SHOT HEIGHT : High
| PLAYABLE : After he is defeated in the Get Character mode
|
| UPGRADE FROM : Harry
| UPGRADE TO : Bowser, Metal Mario
|
|
| Once again, Nintendo's mascot returns. Mario has a good drive, but
| Bowser bests him by 10 yards. Fortunately, if you want to stick to
| Mario and still have the best drive in the game, you can use Metal
| Mario.
|
| The "Big Three" (Mario, Bowser, Metal Mario) are all pretty much
| same. Switching back and forth between these characters is relatively
| painless.
|
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
PEACH
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
| DRIVE : 212 yards
| SHOT TYPE : ----[]---- +0 Straight
| SHOT HEIGHT : High
| PLAYABLE : At start
|
| UPGRADE FROM : Plum
| UPGRADE TO : Yoshi, Maple
|
|
| Peach is very similar to Plum. The only differences are that Peach's
| shot height is HIGH and her drive is 4 yards more. Like Plum, Peach is
| a good beginning player. Her HIGH shot height may take a little
| getting used to if you got used to playing as Plum (who has a LOW shot
| height). Keep in mind that the wind affects a HIGH shot more than a
| LOW shot and you should do just fine.
|
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLUM
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
| DRIVE : 208 yards
| SHOT TYPE : ----[]---- +0 Straight
| SHOT HEIGHT : Low
| PLAYABLE : At start
|
| UPGRADE FROM : none
| UPGRADE TO : Princess, Yoshi
|
|
| Plum is a great player to start out with to get the *feel* of the game.
| She has the worst drive in the game, but if you play the Toad Highlands
| course, the only time this may cause a problem is on the par 5 courses.
| Also, her LOW shot height may not clear some tall objects, but the Toad
| Highlands course has relatively few obstacles.
|
| The reason I recommend Plum for beginners is because her LOW shot
| height is not affected by the wind as much as HIGH shots and her
| STRAIGHT shot type creates a relatively easy trajectory to predict.
|
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
SONNY
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
| DRIVE : 240 yards
| SHOT TYPE : ----[]XX-- +2 Draw
| SHOT HEIGHT : High
| PLAYABLE : After he is defeated in the Get Character mode
|
| UPGRADE FROM : Baby Mario
| UPGRADE TO : Harry
|
|
| If you liked Baby Mario's play style, upgrade to Sonny when you you get
| the chance. Sonny's DRAW is sharper, but his style should be pretty
| easy to pick up.
|
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
WARIO
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
| DRIVE : 250 yards
| SHOT TYPE : -XXX[]---- -3 Fade
| SHOT HEIGHT : Low
| PLAYABLE : After he is defeated in the Get Character mode
|
| UPGRADE FROM : Luigi
| UPGRADE TO : Donkey Kong
|
|
| Wario is very similar to Donkey Kong. Their FADE shots are virtually
| identical with the only difference being that Donkey Kong's drive is
| 30 yards more than Wario.
|
| If you like the LOW FADE shot better than the HIGH DRAW shot, you
| should feel right at home using Wario.
|
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
YOSHI
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
| DRIVE : 230 yards
| SHOT TYPE : ----[]---- +0 Straight
| SHOT HEIGHT : Standard
| PLAYABLE : After he is defeated in the Get Character mode
|
| UPGRADE FROM : Plum, Princess
| UPGRADE TO : Maple
|
|
| Yoshi is an easy character to get used to. He's got a STRAIGHT shot,
| an OK drive, and his STANDARD shot height isn't affected by the wind
| as much as characters with a HIGH shot height.
|
| If you want to stick to just STRAIGHT shooters, Yoshi should tide you
| over until you've earned Maple.
|
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
+--------+
| CHARTS |
+--------+
POWER (DRIVE LENGTH)
--------------------------
Metal Mario 285 yards
Bowser 280 yards
Donkey Kong 275 yards
Mario 270 yards
Harry 260 yards
Wario 250 yards
Maple 245 yards
Sonny 240 yards
Yoshi 230 yards
Luigi 220 yards
Baby Mario 215 yards
Peach 212 yards
Charlie 210 yards
Plum 208 yards
SHOT TYPE
-------------------------------------------------------------------
FADE STRAIGHT DRAW
----------------- ---------- -----------------
Donkey Kong (-3) Maple Metal Mario (+3)
Wario (-3) Yoshi Bowser (+3)
Luigi (-2) Peach Mario (+3)
Charlie (-1) Plum Harry (+2)
Sonny (+2)
Baby Mario (+1)
SHOT HEIGHT
-------------------------------------------------------------------
LOW STANDARD HIGH
----------- ---------- ----------
Donkey Kong Yoshi Metal Mario
Wario Bowser
Luigi Mario
Charlie Harry
Plum Maple
Sonny
Baby Mario
Peach
=========================================================================
(4) PLAY MODES
=========================================================================
+------------+
| CLUB SLOTS |
+------------+
PLAYERS
-------
This mode is for 2 to 4 players.
DESCRIPTION
-----------
The rules are basically the same as in the Skins Match, only you use a
slot machine to determine what clubs you can use on each hole.
+---------------+
| GET CHARACTER |
+---------------+
PLAYERS
-------
This mode is for 1 player.
DESCRIPTION
-----------
This mode allows you play against a computer opponent. This play mode is
where you earn the ability to use most of the hidden characters. After
you select your character, select the character whose picture is in
silhouette. If you defeat this character in an 18-hole game of golf in
any of the courses, the defeated character is now selectable in any of
the other play modes. If you want, you can also select to play against a
character who is already selectable.
The winning character is the first to fill all his slots with coins.
Originally, there are 10 slots. The winner of a hole (the player with
less strokes) receives a coin which is placed in the player's next
available slot.
For the first tie and every two following ties (first, third, fifth,
etc.), a slot is deleted from both players. EXAMPLE: If both players
tie on the first hole, then the winner of the game will be the first
player to win 9 holes.
WARNING: If you're lousy at this game, the match could be over for you
after only 10 holes if the computer wins 10 holes in a row.
Vice versa, you can sweep the computer if you're good.
PLAYERS TO UNLOCK
-----------------
You can unlock the following players in the given order by beating them:
o Luigi
o Yoshi
o Sonny
o Wario
o Harry
o Mario
o Bowser
The following information provides a few hints for unlocking these
characters.
GENERAL TIPS
------------
- As a tournament progresses, the computer AI seems to break down--the
computer starts making more mistakes, so don't give up if you start to
fall behind.
- Even if you're WAY behind and a loss is unavoidable, just play the
game out--you'll still earn Course Points.
- MASTER the Toad Highlands course. This course is probably the BEST
chance you have to unlock most of the characters.
CHEATS
------
- If you're doing lousy on a hole, you can SAVE AND QUIT. When you
continue your game, you'll be back at the tee-off! This also works
in the Tournament play mode.
PLAYING AGAINST LUIGI
---------------------
If you haven't unlocked any hidden characters yet, Luigi has a longer
drive than whatever character you are using. Keep this in mind on
holes with a par of 5. You may want to use one or more Power Shots on
these holes to keep up with Luigi. Fortunately, Luigi doesn't use
his own Power Shot very often.
Luigi seems to be a lousy putter. If the putt is a 18+ yard short-
length putt, Luigi will miss most of the time. For middle-length putts,
Luigi will miss over 90% of the time.
Luigi's biggest weakness seems to be holes with a par of 4. For some
reason, he seem to bogey often on these holes. Also, Luigi doesn't seem
to adjust well on courses with heavy winds and/or rain.
Chances are, you'll want to challenge Luigi on the Toad Highlands course
(either because you're pretty good at this course by now or because you
haven't unlocked any of the other courses yet). On this course, Luigi
shoots a few birdies, but most of his other shots are split between
bogies and pars with a few more pars than bogies.
PLAYING AGAINST YOSHI
---------------------
Yoshi is a little better than Luigi--but not by much. During the first
9 holes of Toad Highlands, Yoshi plays pretty well -- mostly pars with a
couple of birdies and maybe 1 bogey. For the last 9 holes of Toad
Highlands, Yoshi starts to choke and shoots 3+ bogeys, mostly pars, and
very few birdies.
Yoshi putts a little better than Luigi, but just by a little. For short-
length putts, Yoshi shoots pretty much the same. However, Yoshi seems
to sink a couple of middle-length putts--something Luigi seldom does.
If you beat Luigi on Toad Highlands, beating Yoshi on this course won't
be much more difficult.
----------
More character tips on the way soon (when I get around to typing them
up)...
----------
+------------+
| MATCH GAME |
+------------+
PLAYERS
-------
This mode is for 2 players.
DESCRIPTION
-----------
The rules for this play mode are the same as in the Get Character play
mode. The winning character is the first to fill all his slots with
coins. Originally, there are 10 slots. The winner of a hole (the player
with less strokes) receives a coin which is placed in the player's next
available slot. If a few ties occur, the last of the remaining slots
disappears for both players. In other words, after a few ties, both
players have one less slot to fill.
If you didn't get that last paragraph, just keep in mind that basically,
the winner is the first player to win 10 holes. :-)
WARNING: If you're lousy at golf and/or your opponent is much better
than you, the match could be over for you after only 10 holes
if your opponent wins 10 holes in a row. Vice versa, you can
sweep the computer if you're good.
+-----------+
| MINI-GOLF |
+-----------+
PLAYERS
-------
This mode is for 1 to 4 players.
DESCRIPTION
-----------
Your putter is the only club you have to take on different courses
shaped like numbers and letters of the alphabet.
INFO
----
This mode is fun, but some windmills or other moving structures would
have been nice. Mini-golf may help to build up your putting skills; but
this mode is more a test of your Geometry skills than your putting
ability. You'll see what I mean when you try this mode out--ricochet
is the key to doing well.
+-----------+
| RING SHOT |
+-----------+
PLAYERS
-------
This mode is for 1 player.
DESCRIPTION
-----------
Rings hover above different courses in various patterns. Your goal is to
hit the ball through all the rings AND sink it within par. For every
completed hole, you earn a star. Four every four stars you earn, the
another course becomes accessible (after 4 stars the second course is
opened, after 8 stars the third course is open, etc.). There are a total
of 6 courses. In each course, you can earn 6 stars for a grand total of
36 stars.
If you haven't tried out any of the other play modes yet, you may want to
become more familiar with the game before you attempt this mode since it
requires you to have a firm grasp on controlling the ball.
PLAYERS TO UNLOCK
-----------------
o Donkey Kong - earn 30 stars in the 6 courses
GENERAL TIPS
------------
- Choose a character you are very familiar with. If your character uses
a shot that FADES or DRAWS, remember to keep the unusual trajectory of
the ball in mind when aiming for the rings.
- You may want to choose a character who shoots straight (i.e. Princess,
Yoshi, etc.) since these characters' trajectories are relatively easy
to predict.
- In each the course, the rings are varying heights so you may want to
choose a character accordingly. For instance, if the ring is low to
the ground, choosing a character who shoots HIGH (such as Harry), may
cause you to inadvertently overshoot the ring if you aren't used to
that style.
- If the weather conditions aren't to your liking, HOLE OUT and try the
hole again. The weather conditions will have changed.
- You will probably find yourself in situations where it's necessary to
apply *unusual* spins on the ball. Practice makes perfect :-)
+-------------+
| SKINS MATCH |
+-------------+
PLAYERS
-------
This mode is for 2 to 4 players.
DESCRIPTION
-----------
The player who has the fewest strokes on a hole wins a skin. When a tie
occurs, the skin rolls over to the next hole meaning that who ever wins
the next hole wins 2 skins instead of 1.
+------------+
| SPEED GOLF |
+------------+
PLAYERS
-------
This mode is for 1 player.
GENERAL TIPS
------------
- All the other players in the Tournament start to choke on the last 9
holes.
DESCRIPTION
-----------
The only competitor in this play mode is the clock. You play 18 holes on
any of the courses you've unlocked trying to minimize both your score AND
in as little time as possible.
+--------+
| STROKE |
+--------+
PLAYERS
-------
This mode is for 1 to 4 players.
DESCRIPTION
-----------
The winner is the player who has the best overall score on the course
that is chosen.
+------------+
| TOURNAMENT |
+------------+
PLAYERS
-------
This mode is for 1 player.
DESCRIPTION
-----------
In this play mode you're in a tournament competing against 29 other
contestants. The character with the lowest score wins.
This is THE play mode to earn Course Points on. If you win a
tournament, you'll win a gold trophy. These trophies are worth
a LOT of Course Points. For instance, earning a gold trophy on
the Boo Valley course will net you 2000 Course Points!
BIRDIE BADGES
-------------
If your score a birdie or better on a hole, you earn a birdie badge.
This play mode is the only mode where you can earn birdie badges.
Once all of the 6 courses have been unlocked, you can earn a maximum
total of 108 birdie badges (6 courses * 18 holes = 108 badges).
PLAYERS TO UNLOCK
-----------------
o Maple - earn 50 birdie badges
o Metal Mario - earn ALL 108 birdie badges
CHEATS
------
- If you're doing lousy on a hole, you can SAVE AND QUIT. When you
continue your game, you'll be back at the tee-off! This cheat is
helpful if you're trying to earn birdie badges on all of the holes in a
course or if you're frustrated trying to earn a gold trophy the real
way.
+----------+
| TRAINING |
+----------+
PLAYERS
-------
This mode is for 1 player.
DESCRIPTION
-----------
You can practice on any holes on any of the courses you have unlocked.
You can also head out to a driving range. In addition, you can change
to weather to suit your needs.
=========================================================================
(5) COURSES
=========================================================================
INFO
----
When you first start the game, the only course you have access to is
Toad Highlands. The rest of the courses are unlocked by earning Course
Points in the different play modes. The best way to earn Course Points
is in the Tournament mode. After a course is unlocked, your Course
Points reset to zero.
There are six courses included with Mario Golf:
o Toad Highlands - 0 Course Points
o Koopa Park - 50 Course Points
o Shy Guy Desert - 300 Course Points
o Yoshi's Island - 1000 Course Points
o Boo Valley - 1500 Course Points
o Mario's Star - 2200 Course Points
=========================================================================
(6) CHEERS / TAUNTS
=========================================================================
INFO
----
During a match involving 2 or more contestants, players have the option
to cheer or taunt their opponent(s). Cheers are executed using the
Control Pad while Taunts are done using the C buttons.
Since Bowser, Donkey Kong, and Yoshi don't speak, their cheers and
taunts are corresponding noises and growls.
Mario and Metal Mario have the same cheers and taunts.
* BABY MARIO *
+---------------------------------------------------
| _CHEERS_
|
| UP - [ Nicey Shot, ga, ga, ga... ]
| DOWN - [ Ah-choo! Heh... ]
| LEFT - [ Aw-right-y! Hmmm... ]
| RIGHT - [ Wonderful! ]
|
| _TAUNTS_
|
| C-UP - [ Hurry up, ga, ga, ga... ]
| C-DOWN - [ Four! ]
| C-LEFT - [ Mama-mia! ]
| C-RIGHT - [ Woo-hoo! Ga, ga, ga... ]
+---------------------------------------------------
* BOWSER *
+---------------------------------------------------
| _CHEERS_
|
| UP - [ (growl) ]
| DOWN - [ (growl) ]
| LEFT - [ (growl) ]
| RIGHT - [ (growl) ]
|
| _TAUNTS_
|
| C-UP - [ (growl) ]
| C-DOWN - [ (growl) ]
| C-LEFT - [ (growl) ]
| C-RIGHT - [ (growl) ]
+---------------------------------------------------
* CHARLIE *
+---------------------------------------------------
| _CHEERS_
|
| UP - [ Good shot! ]
| DOWN - [ OK! ]
| LEFT - [ Excellent! ]
| RIGHT - [ Wonderful! ]
|
| _TAUNTS_
|
| C-UP - [ Hey, while we're young! ]
| C-DOWN - [ Four! ]
| C-LEFT - [ Ohhh, nooo! ]
| C-RIGHT - [ Well! ]
+---------------------------------------------------
* DONKEY KONG *
+---------------------------------------------------
| _CHEERS_
|
| UP - [ (monkey sound) ]
| DOWN - [ (monkey sound) ]
| LEFT - [ (monkey sound) ]
| RIGHT - [ (monkey sound) ]
|
| _TAUNTS_
|
| C-UP - [ (monkey sound) ]
| C-DOWN - [ (monkey sound) ]
| C-LEFT - [ (monkey sound) ]
| C-RIGHT - [ (monkey sound) ]
+----------------------------------------------------
* HARRY *
+----------------------------------------------------
| _CHEERS_
|
| UP - [ Nice shot! ]
| DOWN - [ Alright! ]
| LEFT - [ Excellent! ]
| RIGHT - [ Wonderful! ]
|
| _TAUNTS_
|
| C-UP - [ Hurry up! ]
| C-DOWN - [ Four! ]
| C-LEFT - [ Oh, no! ]
| C-RIGHT - [ Hmmm... ]
+----------------------------------------------------
* LUIGI *
+----------------------------------------------------
| _CHEERS_
|
| UP - [ Nice Shot! ]
| DOWN - [ Fine! ]
| LEFT - [ Yeah, alright! ]
| RIGHT - [ That's-a-wonderful! ]
|
| _TAUNTS_
|
| C-UP - [ Hurry up already, huh? ]
| C-DOWN - [ Okay Dokey--Look Out-a! Four! ]
| C-LEFT - [ Mama-mia! ]
| C-RIGHT - [ Hmmm... ]
+----------------------------------------------------
* MAPLE *
+----------------------------------------------------
| _CHEERS_
|
| UP - [ Good Shot! ]
| DOWN - [ OK! ]
| LEFT - [ Excellent! ]
| RIGHT - [ Wonderful! ]
|
| _TAUNTS_
|
| C-UP - [ Hurry up! ]
| C-DOWN - [ Oh! ]
| C-LEFT - [ Four! ]
| C-RIGHT - [ Ohhh! ]
+----------------------------------------------------
* METAL MARIO *
+----------------------------------------------------
| _CHEERS_
|
| UP - [ Nice Shot! ]
| DOWN - [ Great! ]
| LEFT - [ Al-right-y! ]
| RIGHT - [ Wonderful! ]
|
| _TAUNTS_
|
| C-UP - [ Hurry up, already! ]
| C-DOWN - [ Four! ]
| C-LEFT - [ Mama-mia! ]
| C-RIGHT - [ Hmmm... ]
+----------------------------------------------------
* MARIO *
+----------------------------------------------------
| _CHEERS_
|
| UP - [ Nice Shot! ]
| DOWN - [ Great! ]
| LEFT - [ Al-right-y! ]
| RIGHT - [ Wonderful! ]
|
| _TAUNTS_
|
| C-UP - [ Hurry up, already! ]
| C-DOWN - [ Four! ]
| C-LEFT - [ Mama-mia! ]
| C-RIGHT - [ Hmmm... ]
+----------------------------------------------------
* PEACH *
+----------------------------------------------------
| _CHEERS_
|
| UP - [ Nice shot! ]
| DOWN - [ Fine! ]
| LEFT - [ Excellent! ]
| RIGHT - [ O-K! ]
|
| _TAUNTS_
|
| C-UP - [ Hurry up! ]
| C-DOWN - [ Four! ]
| C-LEFT - [ Mama-mia! ]
| C-RIGHT - [ (sighs) ]
+----------------------------------------------------
* PLUM *
+----------------------------------------------------
| _CHEERS_
|
| UP - [ Nice shot! ]
| DOWN - [ OK! ]
| LEFT - [ Excellent! ]
| RIGHT - [ Wonderful! ]
|
| _TAUNTS_
|
| C-UP - [ Hurry up! ]
| C-DOWN - [ Four! ]
| C-LEFT - [ Oh, no! ]
| C-RIGHT - [ Wow! ]
+----------------------------------------------------
* SONNY *
+----------------------------------------------------
| _CHEERS_
|
| UP - [ Oooh, nice shot! ]
| DOWN - [ Alright! ]
| LEFT - [ Excellent! ]
| RIGHT - [ Wonderful! ]
|
| _TAUNTS_
|
| C-UP - [ Hurry up! ]
| C-DOWN - [ Fo-ur! ]
| C-LEFT - [ Oh, no! ]
| C-RIGHT - [ Awww! ]
+----------------------------------------------------
* WARIO *
+----------------------------------------------------
| _CHEERS_
|
| UP - [ Good shot! ]
| DOWN - [ Fine! ]
| LEFT - [ Heh, heh, heh! Excellent! ]
| RIGHT - [ Heh, heh, heh, heh! Wonderful!]
|
| _TAUNTS_
|
| C-UP - [ Hurry up, will you? ]
| C-DOWN - [ One, two, three, FOUR! ]
| C-LEFT - [ Mama-mia! ]
| C-RIGHT - [ Wow! ]
+----------------------------------------------------
* YOSHI *
+----------------------------------------------------
| _CHEERS_
|
| UP - [ (Yoshi sound) ]
| DOWN - [ (2 Yoshi sounds) ]
| LEFT - [ (Yoshi sound) ]
| RIGHT - [ (slower Yoshi sound) ]
|
| _TAUNTS_
|
| C-UP - [ (hurried Yoshi sound) ]
| C-DOWN - [ (shortened Yoshi sound) ]
| C-LEFT - [ (Yoshi whistling sound) ]
| C-RIGHT - [ (extended Yoshi sound) ]
+----------------------------------------------------
=========================================================================
(7) COOL STUFF
=========================================================================
PLAY WITH A LEFTY
-----------------
If you'd prefer your player to be left-handed, hold down either the L or
Z button when you're selecting your character.
COLOR CHANGE
------------
You can change a character's colors by holding down either the LEFT-C,
DOWN-C, or RIGHT-C buttons. This can make for some interesting colors
(i.e. you can make Metal Mario look like a gold trophy or even a big blue
popsicle).
CATCH A PEEK OF THE MARIO GOLF GAME BOY COLOR CHARACTERS
--------------------------------------------------------
When you unlock all of the courses, the Mario Golf end credits will roll.
Here you can catch a few glimpses of the 4 characters from the upcoming
Game Boy Color version of Mario Golf.
TOURNAMENT CAMEOS
-----------------
When you play in the Tournament, take a look at the names of some of your
competitors. If you're familiar with other Nintendo games, you'll find
the names of characters from other Nintendo games such as Star Fox and
and the Legend of Zelda.
=========================================================================
(8) GAME BOY COLOR VERSION
=========================================================================
INFO
----
At the bottom of the character select screen of the N64 version of Mario
Golf are 4 empty slots. These players can be imported from the Color
Game Boy version of Mario Golf, which is due to be released sometime in
October.
When you unlock all the courses in the N64 version of Mario Golf, the
end credits roll and you can a few glimpses of these additional players.
=========================================================================
(9) FURTHER INFORMATION
=========================================================================
+-----------+
| Web Sites |
+-----------+
GameFan's review of Mario Golf
--------------------------------
http://www.gamefan.com/repre.asp?g=1249&t=r
IGN64's review of Mario Golf
------------------------------
http://ign64.ign.com/reviews/10628.html
IGN-Pocket's preview of Mario Golf for the Game Boy Color
-----------------------------------------------------------
http://pocket.ign.com/previews/12206.html
Nintendo's official Mario Golf site
-------------------------------------
http://www.mariogolf.net
=========================================================================
(10) HISTORY
=========================================================================
Version 1.0 - (8/11/99) First edition (and hopefully not the last)
=========================================================================
(11) CREDITS
=========================================================================
The following was obtained from the Mario Golf instruction manual:
- characters' shot heights
- play mode list
- some descriptions of the various play modes
- player count for each of the play modes
- player shot types
- term definitions included in the BASICS section
- power shot info
- how to play as a Lefty
- information found in the play screen description
The following was obtained from Nintendo's official Mario Golf site (see
Section 9: Further Information):
- the "SAVE AND QUIT" and "CONTINUE" cheat listed in the TOURNAMENT and
GET CHARACTER play modes
- all of the club list in the BASICS section
- most of the club info in the BASICS section
- the Tournament tip about the contestants choking on the last 9 holes
Some information about the upcoming Game Boy Color version of Mario Golf
was taken from IGN-Pocket's preview of the game (see Section 9: Further
Information).
All other information I obtained by playing the game.
=========================================================================
(12) ABOUT
=========================================================================
(C) 1999 Side_FX
No part of this FAQ can not be copied, reproduced, etc. without the
author's prior consent.
For the most recent version of this FAQ, visit http://www.gamesages.com/
