Mario Golf: Super Rush Gameplay Trailer Breakdown
The recent trailer for Mario Golf: Super Rush revealed a lot about the gameplay and what we can expect within the 8th installment of the Mario Golf games. The gameplay trailer included features like mechanics, characters maps, power-ups, game modes, an adventure mode, and more. As always there are also network features that allow players to play online, though as most have experienced with Nintendo servers, it’s recommended that players go to a place with excellent Wi-Fi if they want to hit the fairway with their friends. What really makes this game, however, is the family-friendly control system along with the interactive interface that makes any player feel like a professional. All shown in just five minutes of exciting gameplay.
First off, the hole number, along with the assigned par number, and wind speed, and direction are all displayed next to the character avatar in the top left corner. Next to this, players can see the character name, the stroke they’re on, and their score. Nintendo also utilizes their new and improved graphics by allowing players to look at the trees, which bend at the top and stay motionless near the trunk, as well as the leaves which are seen floating in the same direction as the wind. All of which makes for an aesthetically pleasing atmosphere with useful functionality that players will enjoy glancing at.
To the far right of the players’ screen — next to the shot gauge — players’ will see the list of clubs available to the player such as the Driver, Woods, Iron, or Putter for example. This means that players who are new to golf and are looking for fun can also learn about the different clubs along with their purpose. In addition to this, players who regularly play golf will find enjoyment out of the game’s detail and accuracy to include the many different golf clubs. The large shot meter to the right of the player — before the club list — on the screen will be the key to hitting a successful shot and will also be the main focal point for the player as it relays the shot’s trajectory. It displays the players’ shot power — based on the club they’re using — as well as the halfway distance between the player and the hole found in the middle of the meter. Occasionally, the cup and flagstick will be visible on the gauge, indicating the distance the player is from the hole whenever they are in range, which — once again — helps the player calculate how much power they should use on the shot, thus making the gauge that much more helpful.
Whenever the player is on a slope the shot meter will also appear curved to reflect the way it will affect the shot while it’s in the air. Similar to Wii Sports golf, there’s also a red gauge that frames the top of the shot meter that affects the ball’s accuracy while it’s in the air if the player uses too much power on the swing. This gauge usually increases along the shot meter depending on external factors such as the wind or a gutter shot.
Other ways to demoralize your opponent include different shot types shown off in the trailer. Once again Nintendo emphasizes simple button controls that allow players to feel like a pro golfer. There are shots like the curve or spin shot that both affect the ball after being hit respectively. Similar to throwing a curveball, the curve shot turns the ball while it’s up in the air while the spin shot turns the shot after hitting the ground.
Another feature, which players may find useful is that they can also switch between different views to survey the terrain. This is another feature that Wii Sportsman will remember using before putting their balls towards the flagstick. Toggling the top-down view allows players to see the radius that the ball can go so that they can estimate where the ball will land. Similarly, using the scan function allows players to zoom in on their target as if looking through a telescope and homing in on where they want the ball to land. Players can also toggle within the scan function to view a topographic grid of the slopes, which tells the player how steep the hills are on the fairway.
Outside of the user interface, players can see the lush, abundant world found inside the Mushroom Kingdom. Notable courses include Dry Dry Desert, Bowser’s Castle, and a variety of Grassland courses with different obstacles.
In these maps, there will be environmental hazards that attempt to affect the players shot in mid-air. These hazards will look familiar to anyone who isn’t new to the world of Mario as they are common enemies found inside the main games such as Pokeys, Piranha plants, Foo clouds, and even bosses who can’t seem to get away from Mario. This is sure to keep the game exciting and will require the player to showcase more skill than if enemies were nonexistent. Regular golf won’t be the only way to enjoy the game though, as it will also offer different game modes with different rules. If players get bored of the standard golf game they can opt for a more high-intensity form of gameplay.
The first alternate game mode shown, amps up the tempo that’s usually found in a golf match, and let’s just say that players will be leaving their golf carts at home during this mode. The speed golf mode allows players to race over to their ball after they tee off and see who can get their ball in the hole first as opposed to the turn-by-turn regulation used in regular golf. In this mode, not only will players be racing each other to the finish, but they will also have to watch out for the different ways their shot and their running momentum can be thrown off by other players. A couple of ways to do this include special shots and dashes that can also be used on a lesser scale in regular golf, evident by the special meter that players must fill up before they can use their special. What’s also cool is that these specials are unique to each character and will have a different animation to fit each one. Yoshi, for example, uses his amphibious tongue to swallow the ball and pop out a Yoshi egg which he then bats across the fairway and causes a large explosion once hitting the ground.
The special shots can soar high in the air yet stops the ball’s momentum immediately upon hitting the ground. When landing around other balls, the special causes them to be repositioned after a large blast sends them flying. Special dashes, on the other hand, give players using it a speed boost and invincibility that can knock other players in its vicinity. It’s also worth mentioning that coins will appear to have a role in all the chaotic mayhem that will happen around the player. What kind of role isn’t clear, however, they will be dropped upon taking damage from enemies or other players and can be collected throughout the game. Managing stamina will also be fundamental to competing in speed golf and will be indicated underneath the player when running or dashing. On another note, using special dashes will require a certain amount of stamina and will also deplete the player's stamina faster than running as well, so players should think twice about how they decide to use it.
Another game mode, which differs from both regular and speed golf while retaining the same excitement, is a game mode called “Battle golf.” This time players will be surrounded by fans in a large stadium where they are presented with a standard golf course with 9 different holes. The goal is to capture the flagstick by making as many holes as you can — in no specific order — until a selected number of holes are made before any of the other players.
To the left of the screen, players will see a minimap of the course, which will indicate which hole has been captured as well as who has captured each specific hole. Players will also know when a hole has been taken as a notification will appear at the top of the screen, letting players know how close a character is to reaching the target number of goals. Specials are included in this game mode, as well as environmental hazards and factors that can help the player such as, boost pads that increase the player’s speed or Chain Chomps that attempt to disrupt the player by charging at the player in its radius. Players will also find joy in being able to putt bob-ombs found in the arena at other players which stun as well as damage them. Luckily for players, there will be hearts spread out across the arena that players can collect to ensure they stay in the game. At the end of it all, there’s a satisfying podium ceremony where participants will stand in order from 1st to last place.
The last game mode that will be available to players is the “Golf Adventure” mode. This game mode is similar to the “Mario Tennis Aces adventure mode” game where the game walks you through the main mechanics as well as provides lasting tips and tricks for new players. In it, there will be different challenges for each level that test the player’s skill and also adds some novelty to the game of golf by including techniques like skipping the ball across the water to avoid water hazards or aiming the ball into an elevated cylinder. All of which translates to a player’s skill set outside of adventure mode. There will be different in-game NPC’s from the Mushroom Kingdom that helps the Mii player throughout their adventure by acting as a guide and advancing the story along with readable dialogue. The mode will also include boss fights in a way that allows the player to use their golf club and ball as their defensive weapon against the toughest enemy opponents such as a phoenix, which players who haven’t played the recent Paper Mario game will get a chance to meet. Throughout the adventure, players will level up and be able to use their experience points to boost their player attributes to continue ripping apart the competition.
Additional features include the option to play using button-controls or motion-control. This is exactly what it sounds like where players can use the switch controller to sit and play on the train or take the action home and make the game more interactive by playing with motion controls and manually swinging the club. There’s also guaranteed to be the perfect character for each individual as there will be 16 different characters to choose from, a few of which are new playable characters in the franchise. Chargin’ Chuck and the King Bob-omb are the most notable new playable characters being that they are both enemy obstacles that players are used to having to fight their way around in the platform games.
To sum things up, Mario sports games that release every so often leave nothing short of oneness for the player and the game they are playing. In the case of Mario Golf: Super Rush, Players will receive a gaming experience on the same scale as the one Mario Kart games offer with their chaotic sequences and fast-paced tempo. Combine this with the relaxed sport of traditional golf and players get a fun game that brings friends and family together for a time that they won’t soon forget. Not to mention that if network features get improved across Nintendo’s servers, golfers will be in for the ultimate competitive experience.
Works Cited
Nintendo. “Mario Golf: Super Rush — Overview Trailer — Nintendo Switch,” Youtube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5R-EuaUbPvc&t=95s, published on: 17 May 2021
