Mario Golf: Super Rush was one of the many games announced at the most recent Nintendo Direct, and its bringing players back to the range in a whole new way. This will be Mario's second sports venture on the Switch since the release of Mario Tennis Aces, and it will be the first golf-centered Mario game since Mario Golf: World Tour on the 3DS. With Mario's 35th anniversary celebration still in full swing, this new entry in the Mario sports series of games is shaping up to be an exciting addition.
Considering there hasn't been a new Mario Golf game in seven years or a new one on home consoles in a whopping eighteen years, there's been a lot of time for Nintendo to innovate. Mario's sports games are some of the odder entries in the series, but they can also be some of the most popular. The reveal trailer for Mario Golf: Super Rush showed off a lot of gameplay and new features, giving fans a generous taste of what the game will be like when it launches this summer.
Speed Golf
Aside from the standard golf modes that the game is expected to offer, one of the game modes that the new trailer showed off was Speed Golf. It is a frenetic take on the usual golf formula that lets up to four players all make their shots at the same time. The objective of the mode is to race the other players to the hole, making quality shots and dashing to where the ball lands before the opponents can make it to their ball. The faster a player can sink their ball the better, although it's not quite clear if additional points are granted based on how little strokes a player makes. The mode looks like it can get rather hectic, and it seems to have great potential as a party game for friends and family. If the mode is anything like a round of Mario Party, it'll likely lead to a lot of laughs and some slightly strained relationships.
Special Moves
In addition to the new Speed Golf mode, the trailer for Mario Golf: Super Rush showed off how each character will have their own special moves to use on the golf course. The trailer showed off abilities for a select few characters, but the ones that players did get to see gave a good sense of how these moves will work. Luigi could be seen using an ice flower to skate along the golf course, Peach skipped around with a ribbon baton, and Yoshi was rolling around on one of his trademark giant eggs. There was also a moment in the trailer where Mario used a Power Star to enhance his swing, so it would appear that there will be both special mobility and swing moves.
It's unclear just how many characters will be available in the game as of right now, so there's the possibility that there will be even more variety for special moves across different characters. These moves were only shown off in the Speed Golf portion of the trailer, so it's unclear if they will be usable during regular games, but they add a layer of complexity to the matches nonetheless.
Story Mode
The other big feature that was revealed for Mario Golf: Super Rush was a full-fledged story mode. This game's story mode will feature the player's Mii character of choice, and it appears to include a surprising amount of RPG elements for a Mario Sports game. The trailer showed how gamers will be able to upgrade stats like their power, stamina, and even how much spin they can put on shots. The story elements seem to have players starting at the very bottom of the golf world, taking lessons from different, suddenly friendly, Mario enemies like Goombas and Hammer Bros. There's also going to be some kind of hub-world for players to walk around in, and it would be no surprise if it was filled with mini-games or shops for players to buy new gear.
Motion Controls
When it comes to the Switch, features likes motion controls aren't focused on as much as they were when the Nintendo Wii released. The console's JoyCons still function like a Wii remote, however, and Mario Golf: Super Rush looks to be taking advantage of that. The reveal for the game showed how players would have the option to control their swings using motion controls, which looked very reminiscent of the widely popular gameplay of Wii Sports. Perhaps Nintendo is purposefully trying to lure fans of Wii Sports into this new game by making the motion control gameplay look and feel just like it.
Considering how Nintendo has already tackled tennis with Mario Tennis Aces, another sport that was featured in Wii Sports, it wouldn't be a stretch to say that the company is looking to capitalize on the players that miss that kind of gameplay. Whatever the case may be, the motion controls should bring a welcome layer of immersion for players that really want to feel in control of their swings.
Nintendo's reveal for Mario Golf: Super Rush was a welcome surprise for a lot of fans, as there was little reason to believe that a new Mario golf game would be coming to the Switch. Sports games have long been a staple for the Mario series, and it'll be Mario's first time returning to the fairway in a very long time. The team behind the game seem to have made sure that there is a wealth of content to keep gamers coming back, and to make sure it can be enjoyed with the whole family. This game will likely set the stage for future Mario sports games that may come to the Switch, and it'll be interesting to see just how much Nintendo supports it after it has been released.
Mario Golf: Super Rush is set to release for the Nintendo Switch on June 25th.