Hardly has there been a year without a new Mario game or several. But the latest Mario Golf installment comes after a 6-year hiatus, as the previous Golf game was released in 2014. A lot of things have happened since, including Nintendo Switch, so this is the first Mario Golf for the latest Nintendo console.
Visuals
As it’s the freshest of Mario Golf installments, it’s visually the best. Its 3D take is recognizable, as the Mushroom Kingdom retains the style we love. From regular fields, you move to forests and snowy slopes. The camera follows the character and the ball in flight. If you think Switch games look poor, this is not the case.
Gameplay
You might expect a simplified arcade version of the golf with Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Bowser, and even Goombas. Its take on golf, though, is indeed serious. As you calculate your strike, you must realize that everything affects the ball trajectory. Not only is it the force you apply and the direction you choose. The terrain, the weather, the wind, the grass, and the trees – everything has its impact. And, yes, the club you have also does.
More than that: it stays true to the roots of golf with all seriousness. The game even has a dictionary you can consult each time you hear an unknown term (though you better do it on another device). Yet, it’s not perfect. Some players may be deterred by this very seriousness. Others will note that the game has too little content (locations, challenges, items), and this may be the case as well.
Game Modes
It all starts with the generic Golf mode. You can play it alone against bots, but remember that Switch and Mario are actually made for parties. And here we have nearly all the options possible for multiplayer. Two players can play Mario Golf: Super Rush on one console, taking each one Joy-Con. Four players can gather in one room, each with their own Switch, and play local multiplayer. Finally, you can play online if you are a NS Online member.
Speed Golf is where you have to be the fastest. Time matters but not the number of strikes. And that justifies the title: it’s a Super Rush indeed. Battle Golf has it simplified: you have to hit three holes out of nine faster than the opponent to win. Finally, Golf Adventure is the best option if you somehow play it alone and offline: it has a storyline to follow and various modes to play through. Instead of a Mario character, you play with a 3D version of your Mii avatar.
Controls
With two Joy-Cons, there are two ways to control your character in the game. The first way, the most obvious, is to use buttons on a single Joy-Con. The game is intendedly optimized for single Joy-Cons. First, it makes it simpler. Second, it allows two players to share one Switch, with one Joy-Con for each.
The other way utilizes Motion Control, and it may sound more interesting and engaging. With it, you hold your Joy-Con as if it were a club and hit the ball with it. While this has some potential, indeed, it does not deliver the feeling you might expect. Partially because clubs should feel different, and a Joy-Con is always a Joy-Con.
The Final Hole
Mario Golf: Super Rush is rather Golf than Mario, yet rather Rush than anything else. Some even say it’s a serious hardcore golf simulator rather than a conventional Mario-themed sports game which is usually an arcade. It takes some time to learn, and the curve is steeper than that of other Mario sports games. If you like it, then enjoy!
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