Welcome to the FAQ for
MARIO GOLF
For your Nintendo 64!
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Version 1.2, By Dane Lagasse
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UPDATES
** Version 1.2
Again corrected some errors. A mini Course guide has been
added. A whole new section called "Spinning the ball."
** Version 1.1
Corrected some spelling errors. A few other minor updates
to certain parts.
** Version 1.0
The first version. Eventually all sections will be updated.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. How to contact me
2. Game controls
3. Starting a new game
4. Working on your golf swing
5. On the greens
6. Miscellaneous
7. Courses
8. Spinning the ball
9. Tricks and Cheats
10. Credits
Copyright Info
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Note from the author:
Hey all, Dane here. You should really try this great game, whether
or not you're a golf fanatic. It has the arcade elements essential
in any game featuring Mario and the gang, and the sim elements
essential in any golf game. Now, let's learn how to play!
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1. HOW TO CONTACT ME
Name: Dane Lagasse
E-mail:
[email protected]
ICQ: Visit
http://wwp.icq.com/33842490 and send me a message
via my web pager.
Note: I do not usually just add people to my ICQ contact list, so
your best bet in getting in contact with me is using my
web pager.
As always, I welcome any e-mails I get. Feel free to request an FAQ
for any game, or send me questions about any game. I'm also open to
suggestions about my FAQs.
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2. GAME CONTROLS
** Hitting the ball
Control Stick: Aim your shot
A Button: Press once to start the cursor moving, press again
when it reaches the leftmost point, and a third time
when it comes back to the start
B Button: Toggle power shot on or off
Z Button: Hold and move control stick to determine point of
contact with the ball.
Start Button: Pause the game
C Left and C Right: Change club selection
R Button: Switch to grid view
** Putting
Control Stick: Aim your putt
A Button: Press once to start the cursor moving, press again
to determine the power of the putt
B Button: Toggle power shot on or off
Start Button: Pause the game
C Left and C Right: Change putter selection
** While not hitting
C Buttons: Make noises to supposedly psyche the other player out
Control Pad: More noises
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3. STARTING A NEW GAME
** Training Mode
Play in any of the courses you've opened.
** Ring Shot
In a test of accuracy, you must shoot your ball through
a number of rings and still manage to make par.
** Speed Golf
Rip up the course as fast as you can. If you make 18 holes
in under an hour, you can earn course points and you can view
your time in the clubhouse.
** Get Character
This mode is HARD. You have to challenge a character in 18
grueling holes, and if you emerge victorious, you can play as
that character in other modes.
** Match Game
In this mode, you compete a full round of golf and whenever you
win a hole, you get a point. The round will be stopped if the leader
is so far ahead, a catch-up is impossible.
** Club Slots
This mode is for 2 players and up only. A slot machine determines
which clubs each player will use before each hole.
** Stroke Play
This is just plain golf. Complete 18 holes with as few strokes as
possible to win.
** Skins Match
This is another multiplayer game. The winner of each hole wins a
skin, an amount of money. The person who has the most skins at the
end of 18 holes is declared the winner.
** Tournament
This one-player mode pits you against other golfers. Get a birdie or
better, and you win a Birdie Badge. This is the best way to win course
points that go toward new courses.
As you can see, there are MANY modes to choose from, which makes the replay
value for this game almost unbelievable. I guarantee you'll never get bored.
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4. WORKING ON YOUR GOLF SWING
** Hitting the ball
See section 2, "Game controls", to learn how to hit.
** Correct Timing
You'll have to practice with the swinging mechanism in Mario Golf
because it's not as simple as the first golf game for the N64.
After you press A for the first time, the next time you'll be
determining the distance your ball will travel. If you can get
it all the way to the left, your ball will go as far as possible.
The third time you press it, you're determining accuracy. If you
get this off even a little bit, your chances of duffing (basically
screwing up) are much higher. Get both of these on perfect when
using a power shot is truly a sight to see, and you will not use
up one of your power shots when you do.
All I can instruct you to do is to practice as much as possible
before entering the major tournament modes and before trying to
win a secret character.
** Power shots
When you first step up to your ball, by default, the power shot
option will be set to OFF. Press B to turn it on. Your shot will go
much further than normal, but you only get 6 power shots for 18
holes. However, if you get the shot perfect distance and accuracy,
the number of power shots won't be decremented.
** Club selection
Selecting your club will depend on what type of ground your ball
is currently lying on. The computer will select a usually OK club
for you to use. Generally, it's not a good idea to use a wood (W) in
deep rough, or just plain rough for that matter. Definitely not in
the sand. The general rule is: the closer to the hole, the higher the
number of the club. I know in real life, some people like to chip
with their 5 irons (I). My suggestion? Don't. Use the basic clubs
such as the pitching wedge (PW) or 9 iron. And DON'T use your
driver on the fairway. It won't go anywhere.
** Player selection
I suggest using Mario. He's everyone's favorite player and mine.
Usually, when you win characters, they're better than the ones
that are selectable from the start.
** Special situations
When in the sand, use your sand wedge (SW) to chip the ball
out from the sand. It's pointless trying to make a shot toward
green from a fairway bunker. Your main goal here should be
to simply get out of the sand.
When your ball lands in the water, 1 stroke will be added to
score and you'll have a shot near the water you went in to.
There is NO way you can hit out of the water, so stay
clear of it at all costs.
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5. ON THE GREENS
(Putting)
** How to putt correctly
Look up on the left side of your screen. It will say how far
it is to the cup. Now look on the bottom left corner. It will
tell you what putter you have. (30 ft putter, 200 ft putter,
etc) This will involve some math skills. If you are using
your 30 ft putter (the ball will go 30 feet if hit perfectly),
and you are 15 feet away from the hole, you should wait til
the cursor is in the middle of the power bar before pressing
the A button again.
Let this concept soak in and you'll get it. This goes for all
clubs, not just your putter.
** Looking at slopes
On the first greens you encounter, they will be more or less
straight. Later on, however, the greens will become more
wavy. There is no accuracy A button press when putting, so
you must aim with the control stick before your putt.
** Wet greens
When it's raining, the water will make the greens slower.
Aim for about 3 feet after the hole. Note that the fast your
ball is moving, the less it will be affected by slopes on the
greens.
** Mind game
When you're not putting and one of your friends is, press the
the C buttons or the control pad to "distract" them. While this
usually won't mess up their putt, it really does annoy them and
therefore I recommend it. Try out Mario's "Fooooooore!!!!"... That
seems to really work.
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6. MISCELLANEOUS
** Wind - friend or foe?
Another factor in how far your ball goes is wind. It can be your
worst enemy or your best friend. For example, if you're against
the wind, your ball won't go nearly as far, so use a club that
would normally go flying past the point your aiming to. If
the wind is blowing in the same direction as your ball, it
will go much further than normal. (Try using a power shot
with the wind in your favor and get it perfect, sweet!) And
sometimes, when the fairway curves to the left and the wind
is blowing to the left, it can be truly rewarding.
If you're aiming straight and the wind is blowing to the side,
aim to the opposite side. Simply thinking logically when wind
is a factor can save your score.
** Getting new characters
When trying to get a new character, golf intelligently. Don't try
anything different than what works for you. Don't take too many
risks, like trying to use a power shot that would JUST make it
over a water hazard. Trust me, you don't have to be superman
to get these characters.
I recommend practicing a LOT before entering this mode. It is
HARD.
** Mini-golf
This is a very original multiplayer concept. You putt inside letters
and numbers against 1 to 3 of your friends. Sounds easy, huh? Not
quite. The walls can easily bank the ball further away from the hole
than you were when you started. I suggest getting the August issue
of Nintendo Power to help you out. It provides graphical help that is
impossible to show in a text file.
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7. COURSES
** Toad Highlands
The first Tournament course open. Very forgiving and is only a
warm-up for what's ahead. Few bunkers and water hazards make
it a good course to practice new things.
** Koopa Park
After getting 50 course points you unlock Koopa Park. You'll notice
a difference between Koopa Park and Toad Highlands. Stay out of the
water and on the fairway and you should be OK.
** Shy Guy Desert
Here you'll have to get 300 course points to access Shy Guy Desert.
Keep your sand wedge handy because you'll be needing it often.
Thoughtless shots will often end up in the bunkers, so plan your shot
by pressing R when it's your turn.
** Yoshi's Island
You'll have to be good to get Yoshi's Island. REALLY good. I'm talking
1000 course points good. But if you manage to get this course, trees
and water hazards will try to hold you back from finishing.
These four courses alone should give you hours of play. Have fun!
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8. SPINNING THE BALL
** Topspin
Move the cursor to the top of the ball. Your ball won't get up in the
air, so wind won't affect it as much. Still, I wouldn't recommend
using it as often as you would hit the middle.
** Backspin
Move the cursor to the bottom of the ball. If you need to clear a
tree, use the backspin to send it up into the air. If the tree is really
close, however, you may want to use sidespin, which is described
next. Also useful in deep rough.
** Left Sidespin
If you want your ball to curve to the left, move the cursor to the
RIGHT side of the ball. Useful for going around corners and twisting
around trees.
** Right Sidespin
If you want your ball to curve to the right, move the cursor to the
LEFT side of the ball. Does the same thing as left sidespin, only
opposite.
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9. TRICKS AND CHEATS
** Password Screen
On the main menu, hold Z and R and then select Clubhouse by
pressing A. The cheat menu will be in the Clubhouse menu.
** Nintendo Power Tournament
Once you have the password screen activated, enter
KPXWN9N3 as your password to access the Nintendo Power
Tournament. When you finish it you will get a password.
** Koopa Park
To play in Koopa Park, enter your password as QTM5V4H.
Please note that this code has NOT been tested and may not
work. If it does or doesn't, please e-mail me at the address
shown in section 1, "How to contact me."
** Replay hole
If you're not doing any good on a hole, wait until it's your turn
and Save and Quit. Now select "Continue" from the main menu
to start at the tee box for that hole.
** Change costumes
To change the costumes of your character, simply hold down
one of the C buttons while choosing your character.
** Golfing Lefties
To golf left-handed, hold down the L button while choosing
your character. Personally, I think they look better right handed.
Note: There are some other "cheats", but none that really are worth
putting down here. Visit www.n64cc.com or www.den64cheats.com
if you'd like to see them. Most of them are just what you need to
do to earn new characters, which aren't will cheats at all.
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10. CREDITS
** Special thanks
Thanks to N64 Code Center and Digital Edge N64 Cheats for the
cheats. Thanks to GameFAQs for hosting this FAQ. Visit those
sites:
http://www.n64cc.com/
http://www.den64cheats.com/
http://www.gamefaqs.com/
Also, thanks to the official Mario Golf site for a lot of the
information. Visit that site:
http://www.mariogolf.net/
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Dane Lagasse
[email protected]
Remember, feel free to e-mail me about anything that you think is wrong
with the FAQ, or just anything about this or any game in general.
Thanks for reading, and have fun with Mario Golf!
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Copyright 1999, Dane Lagasse
Not affiliated with Nintendo or Camelot in any way. This guide is completely
*unofficial*.
