Mario Golf: Super Rush

[Thursday]

Seen some mixed reviews for this, played for a bit, and really not sure what the "super rush" mechanic is supposed to add in terms of fun. Seems like a bit of a missed opportunity really.

Either way I'm absolutely fine with a 7/10 Mario Golf game right now.

[Chedney Honks]

I imagine it's stave off the existential terror but add nothing to one's existence tier, like the tennis game. B/C realm. Fair enough.

[Thursday]

I don't know what they were thinking with this, the basic fun video game golf mechanics are enough to carry it, but there's some really poor design in adventure mode, and it feels like Covid impacting development means stuff is just missing.

[ImmaculateClump]

I imagine it's stave off the existential terror but add nothing to one's existence tier

Someone in the shmup junkie discord posted this after the direct with the caption "rise of STG, fall of mario golf" :D - https://i.imgur.com/HtdmTy7.jpg

Cave ports got more views on the Japanese nintendo channel than that and the rabbids game combined!

STG never die, only sleep.

[Huxleys Babkins]

At this point, I'm resigned to Camelot never bettering their N64, GameCube, GBC and GBA Mario sports games. No point even bothering.

[Kelvin]

I don't know what they were thinking with this, the basic fun video game golf mechanics are enough to carry it, but there's some really poor design in adventure mode, and it feels like Covid impacting development means stuff is just missing.

Covid may have contributed, but tbh, the Nintendo sports titles have sadly fallen into the same rut as Mario Party and, to a lesser extent Paper Mario, where it feels like Nintendo are only putting them out to fill a gap in a schedule, and they don't actually care that much about the quality. The last few Mario Tennis games, the last few Mario Party Games, and now this.... they all seem to be games made on a tight schedule, for limited money, stripped back to the most basic gameplay, and with none of the care and ambition you expect from a major Nintendo title. There's also their half-assed attempt at making them Games as Service, with the games being content-lite at first, then adding a few dregs after everyone's lost interest in them.   

[DocDaneeka]

Paper Mario Origami King is genuinely great, don't know what some of the slightly reticent reviews were about.

A tier to Odyssey and Breath Of The Wild's S ranking.

[madhair60]

Paper Mario, where it feels like Nintendo are only putting them out to fill a gap in a schedule, and they don't actually care that much about the quality.

I will never, ever understand this very common view. The Paper Mario games are routinely wonderful, to me. I appreciate that they've changed their scope from what they were on Gamecube/N64, but I had more fun with Sticker Star, Colour Splash and Origami King than I've had with almost anything else Nintendo have put out in the meantime. I think they're bloody brilliant.

[Kelvin]

I haven't played the last couple so I can't really comment on the specifics. However, the critical consensus for the Paper Mario games seems to be that the gameplay has been greatly simplified, the characters - by the admission of the development team - made more generic, and the shallow gimmicks pushed to the forefront. Maybe that's completely wrong, but it tallies with everything I hear and all the footage I've seen.

Maybe I shouldn't have lumped it in with the Mario Sports and Mario Party games, though, as they clearly are putting more effort into the Paper Mario games, by comparison. It just doesn't seem that Nintendo are treating any of those series with the care they used to.   

[madhair60]

I'd argue that the gameplay hasn't been simplified, it's been changed - the tedious number-go-up turn based RPG pablum has been tossed out in favour of battles that require lateral thinking. A sticking point many seem to have is that battles are "pointless" because they don't grant XP, but from my perspective that just isn't true. In Sticker Star especially, the game is entirely built around making yer common or garden coins exceptionally important. In addition, while it's possible to grind through boss battles with enough stickers/cards etc in the modern games, that's a crutch for if you can't figure out the solution; major fights are puzzles and the minor fights are the way you gain resources you'll need to help you figure them out.

I say "RPG pablum" but admittedly the systems in Paper Mario and its sequel were a cut above. I do understand that people wanted that iterated on and it's possible Nintendo messed up by using what was essentially an established series to start experimenting. For me, though, the new focus on outside the box thinking, exploration and resource management really shines.

[Kelvin]

I probably shouldn't have used Paper Mario in my original post - even though I did make a point of setting it apart. From all the interviews with the developers, and just looking at the care put into the visuals and dialogue, it's clearly more about intentional design choices rather than budget / time constraints. I've also heard quite a few people praising the new Paper Mario, whereas no-one seems to have much good to say about the recent Mario Sports titles. I am looking forward to the upcoming Mario Party, though.

[petercussing]

This game is fun to play. I enjoy this and like running and enjoy the jazzed up Mario style courses. Also, a mushroom and a lizard monster who both play golf???!!!!!!!!!

Graphics- 100% looks like my life
Sounds- 100% theoretically as I refuse to hear it
Gameplay- 99% Nice and stuff but loses a % for no reason
Overall rating - 84%

Buy it if you like, or don't if you don't, or speculate wildly without playing it, the difference is so slight in the scheme of things that it doesn't matter what you do really.

[Sebastian Cobb]

Mario Golf 64 was so good. The game you stuck on when you'd all had a few beers/joints and wanted something a bit more leisurely, one where you can just pass a controller round and talk bollocks at the same time.

[petercussing]

Indeed, Mario 64 was joint best with the GBA one and was the best one for friends fun.

This new one is more like the GBA one or Golf story for the adventure bit which i have enjoyed lots. It's quite challenging (in a good way) at points. Here is an opinion: I think this is a good game. I hope you all enjoyed that opinion.