From the masterclass that is Mario Golf on the Nintendo 64 to the groundbreaking golf RPG that is Mario Golf on the Game Boy, Nintendo knows how to make a great golf game. Unfortunately, incredible golf games don’t necessarily translate to mass appeal. Prior to the release of Mario Golf: Super Rush, the franchise has only sold about six million units across decades worth of games. That’s roughly half of what their tennis games sell and less than a quarter of what Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games has sold in far less time.
For many, a lack of interest in the sport is a hurdle not worth overcoming to try a video game adaptation. Even for the few that give golf games a shot, the seemingly glacial pace of video game golf may be too much for newcomers to bear.
Enter Mario Golf: Super Rush. As a means of picking up the pace, Super Rush goes all-in on the concept of speed golf. On top of that, the running parts of the game a few fantastical elements akin to Mario Kart. Does this foundational shift towards speed make for a better and more accessible game?
