Mario Golf - Strategy Guide (Page 01)
Below are the cheat codes, hints and help for Mario Golf - Strategy Guide (Page 01).
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MARIO GOLF (N64 version) FAQ / GUIDE
ver 3.0
by
Side_FX (sideFX@asu.edu)
Last Update: 10/18/99
==============================================================
/---------\
---------------------------- NOTES ---------------------------
| \---------/ |
| |
| You can find the newest version of this FAQ at: |
| - |
| - |
| |
| NEW STUFF |
| - added more info about the Game Boy Color version of Mario |
| Golf and how to import characters into the N64 version |
| - added cheers/taunts for the Game Boy Color characters that |
| can be imported into the N64 version of Mario Golf |
| - added more info about the Transfer Pak and how to use it |
| |
| THE FUTURE... |
| - Soon (hopefully) I'll be posting an HTML version of this |
| FAQ for easier navigation. |
| |
------------------------------------------------------------------
===================
Table of Contents
===================
(1) INTRODUCTION
- About Mario Golf
- Starting Out
(2) BASIC INFORMATION
- Terms
- Clubs
- Shot Overview
- Play Screen
- Ball Control
- Course Points
- Power Shots
(3) PLAYING OUT A HOLE
- Viewing the Terrain
- Par Tips
(4) CHARACTER STATS
- Key
- Cast
- Charts and Graphs
(5) PLAY MODES
- Club Slots
- Get Character
- Match Game
- Mini-Golf
- Ring Shot
- Skins Match
- Speed Golf
- Stroke
- Tournament
- Training
(6) COURSES
- Toad Highlands
- Koopa Park
- Shy Guy Desert
- Yoshi's Island
- Boo Valley
- Mario's Star
(7) CHEERS / TAUNTS
(8) COOL STUFF
(9) GAME BOY COLOR VERSION
- N64 Compatibility
- Description
(10) TRANFER PAK
- Description
- Usage
(11) FURTHER INFORMATION
- Web Sites
(12) HISTORY
(13) CREDITS
(14) COPYRIGHT
==============================================================================
(1) INTRODUCTION
==============================================================================
+------------------+
| ABOUT MARIO GOLF |
+------------------+
Mario Golf is a fun golf game for the N64 that takes place in various and
familiar Mario-themed landscapes. The cartoony characters should grab the
attention of a young audience while the excellent physics of the game will
hold the attention of older gamers. Whether you're a die-hard golf fan or a
golf newbie who doesn't know the difference between a bogey and a birdie,
you'll be hooked on Mario Golf faster than Mario can yell "Mama-mia!"
+--------------+
| STARTING OUT |
+--------------+
When you first start out, only 4 characters (Plum, Peach, Charlie, and Baby
Mario) are immediately playable in all of the play modes. Other characters
have to be earned by achieving certain goals (see Section 4: Character Stats).
Also, the only course you can immediately play is Toad Highlands. You gain
access to the other courses by earning Course Points in the various play
modes.
==============================================================================
(2) BASIC INFORMATION
==============================================================================
+-------+
| TERMS |
+-------+
ALBATROSS - term for scoring three strokes under par on a hole (also called a
double eagle)
BIRDIE - term for scoring one stroke under par on a hole
BUNKER - a sand trap
CUP - the hole on the putting green that you must sink the ball into
DRAW - a shot in which the ball flies to the right after being struck and
curves to the left before landing
EAGLE - term for scoring two strokes under par on a hole
FADE - a shot in which the ball flies to the left after being struck and
curves to the right before landing
FAIRWAY - the groomed lawn that makes up a large portion of a hole
GREEN - the area of short, cut grass that surrounds the cup
HOLE-IN-ONE - to get the ball into the cup in one stroke
IMPACT POINT - the point on the golf ball (marked by a red dot) where the club
will strike the ball
PAR - the standard number of strokes for a hole
PIN - the flagstick that marks a hole
ROUGH - the area of long grass surrounding the fairway
WIREFRAME - this is the grid that you will see when you lining up a shot that
shows *approximately* where the ball will land
+-------+
| CLUBS |
+-------+
NOTE: The higher the club value, the higher the ball will be launched into
the air (i.e. a 9-iron hits the ball higher than an 8-iron, 7-iron,
etc.).
WOODS (for going the distance when in good terrain)
-----
1 WOOD (1W) - The most powerful club you have. Unfortunately, it loses its
effectiveness if the ball isn't perched on a tee.
3 WOOD (3W) - Not as powerful as the 1 WOOD, but it comes in handy on par 5
holes when you're on the fairway.
4 WOOD (4W) - Slightly less powerful than the 3 WOOD, but it's useful when you
want to hit the ball far and you're not on the fairway.
IRONS (more accurate than Woods in foul conditions)
-----
2 IRON (2I) - The strongest iron at your disposal. It's helpful when you want
to hit the ball a far distance when you're in the rough.
Unfortunately, it loses its effectiveness when you're in deep
rough.
3 IRON (3I) - Hits the ball higher than the 2 IRON, but not as far. It's
helpful on the fairway or when the ball is in moderately heavy
rough.
4 IRON (4I) - For use when you're getting close to the green or when the ball
has landed off the fairway.
5 IRON (5I) - A well-rounded club that can get you out of the rough, but still
packs enough power to send the ball a considerable distance.
6 IRON (6I) - Good for moderate to short shots. This club can get underneath
the ball and lift it out of grassy or rocky areas.
7 IRON (7I) - Good for fairly short shots or if the ball is in heavy rough.
8 IRON (8I) - Good for a solid approach to the green. This club's power sends
the ball high into the air, but not very far along the ground.
9 IRON (9I) - Provides a fair amount of distance while still having enough
power to pull the ball out of the rough.
PITCHING WEDGE (PW)
-------------------
Use this when you are very close to the green or when the ball is in deep
rough.
SAND WEDGE (SW)
---------------
Like its name implies, this club is best suited for getting the ball out of a
bunker. Unfortunately, the ball won't travel very far.
PUTTER (PT)
-----------
This club is best if used on the green to tap the ball into the cup.
NOTE: Using this club will probably be the most *frustrating* part of game,
so start learning all the nuances about putting AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
+---------------+
| SHOT OVERVIEW |
+---------------+
A shot has two parts: height and trajectory.
All the characters' shot heights are broken up into three categories: LOW,
STANDARD, and HIGH. Keep in mind that the higher the shot, the more the shot
will be affected by the wind.
All the characters' shot trajectories are broken up into three categories:
FADE, STRAIGHT, and DRAW. Straight shots tend to be MUCH more forgiving and
are a lot easier to get used to; but if you want to use the upper tier of
elite golfers, you better get used to either the FADE or DRAW shots.
+-------------+
| PLAY SCREEN |
+-------------+
INFO - this section describes some of the more important parts that make up
the play screen that you should check during a game
CLUB / DRIVE DISTANCE
---------------------
Found in the bottom-left corner of the screen. This displays the club you are
using along with its corresponding drive distance.
ELEVATION
---------
Above the WIREFRAME, you'll see a value that displays the difference of
elevation between your current location and the target in question. For
instance, if the elevation is listed as 20 Y DW, that means that the target is
20 yards below the elevation of your current position. An elevation listing
of 20 Y UP means that the target is 20 yards above the elevation of your
current position.
HOLE INDICATOR
--------------
The waving flag in the top-left of the screen that shows what hole you are on.
IMPACT POINT / BALL LIE
-----------------------
Found near the bottom-right corner of the screen. This shows where the club
will strike the ball and the kind of the terrain the ball is currently located
in.
PAR INDICATOR
-------------
Located near the top-left corner of the screen under the HOLE INDICATOR. This
shows the number of strokes allowed on the current hole.
PIN DIRECTION
-------------
This is the little flag located at the top of the screen. It shows the
direction from your current position to the pin.
POWER RATE
----------
Found in the bottom-right corner of the screen. This shows how much power the
ball will receive. For instance, if you aim for a 200 yard drive when the
power rate says 50, the ball will only travel about 100 yards if hit at full
power.
REST
----
Located near the top-left of the screen under the HOLE INDICATOR. This lists
how far the pin is from your current location.
TRAJECTORY INDICATOR
--------------------
The somewhat-transparent white line that flows from the ball. This line shows
the path that the ball will take when it is hit. This helps to determine if
the ball can clear an obstacle or if your character isn't on level ground.
WIND METER
----------
The wind is shown by the BOO in the upper-right hand corner of the screen.
The BOO looks in the direction of the wind and indicates its velocity in miles
per hour.
WIREFRAME
---------
The grid you see that approximates where the ball will land when it is hit.
+--------------+
| BALL CONTROL |
+--------------+
ELEVATION
---------
If you hit a ball from a low to a high elevation, the ball will tend to roll
more than if it was hit on a flat elevation.
Hitting a ball from a high elevation to a low elevation will cause the ball to
roll less than if the ball was hit on a flat elevation. In an extreme case
where the elevation difference is great enough, the ball may bounce a few
times and roll just a yard or two.
When hitting from a low elevation to an extremely high elevation (15+ yards
difference), your shot distance will be considerably reduced since the ball
will hit the ground before it has completed its entire trajectory (it's a
physics thing). Remember to aim past your target in these situations. A good
example of this situation is Hole 6 on the Yoshi's Island course.
Extreme elevation differences can seriously alter the path of the ball if your
character has a FADE or DRAW shot. Since elevation differences either shorten
or lengthen the path of the ball, a DRAW or FADE shot will land to the right
or left of the target because of the nature of these shots (another physics
thing). See the following chart to see how elevation affects these shots.
Hitting from HIGH to LOW Hitting from LOW to HIGH
------------------------------------------------------------------------
FADE Shot | Ball will fall to the right Ball will fall to the left
| of the target of the target.
|
DRAW Shot | Ball will fall to the left Ball will fall to the right
| of the target. of the target.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
SPIN
----
By pressing the Z button and using the control stick, you can move the impact
point on the golf ball. This puts a spin on the ball.
By moving the impact point to the top of the ball, you put a topspin on it. A
ball with a topspin tends to cut through the wind better since it spends less
time in the air and rolls more when it hits the ground.
By moving the impact point to the bottom of the ball, you put a tailspin on
it. A ball with a tailspin flies higher through the air and is affected more
by the wind than a normal shot. When the ball hits the ground, it also tends
to roll less.
By moving the impact point to the right, the ball hooks to the left. Vice
versa, moving the impact point to the left will cause the ball to hook to the
right.
TERRAIN
-------
Although you'll want to try and keep the ball on either the fairway or the
green, a lot of times you'll find yourself in some *nasty* terrain--especially
on the harder courses. Each form of terrain has a Power Rate (located in the
right-hand corner of the screen). This value indicates the percentage of
power that the ball will receive from your club. For instance, if the Power
Rate says 50 and you're aiming for a 200 yard drive, the ball will travel only
about 100 yards if hit all full power.
WEATHER (Rain and Wind)
-----------------------
When you're playing a hole, there are two things relating to the weather that
can affect your shot: rain and wind.
When it rains, the power of your shots will be slightly diminished, so you'll
need to apply more force. Also, the ball won't roll as well since the ground
is wet. Keep this in mind when it comes time to putt.
If there is wind on the hole you are playing, you'll see a picture of BOO in
the upper-right corner of the screen along with the wind's velocity. BOO will
look in the direction of the wind. For example, if BOO is looking directly at
you, the wind is blowing against the ball and will reduce its driving
distance. On the other hand, if BOO is looking directly away from you, the
wind is blowing with the ball and will carry it farther.
If the wind is blowing to the right, you'll need to compensate and aim a
little bit to the lift. Vice versa, if the wind is blowing to the left,
you'll need to compensate and aim a little bit to the right. Another option
to compensate for wind is to curve the ball against the wind by putting a spin
on the ball.
Compensating for the wind may take a little getting used to. Keep in mind
that the longer the ball is in the air, the more the wind will affect it. The
best way to get used to the wind is in the TRAINING play mode where you can
practice on any opened course and set both the wind's direction and velocity.
For added difficulty, you can also make it rain.
+---------------+
| COURSE POINTS |
+---------------+
DESCRIPTION
-----------
On all the play modes (except for Ring Shot and Training), you earn Course
Points just for playing. The better you play, the more points you'll receive.
Course Points let you unlock the rest of the courses found in Mario Golf (see
Section 6: Courses). However, when a new course is unlocked, your Course
Points reset to zero. The best way to earn Course Points is to repeatably
play the Tournament play mode.
+-------------+
| POWER SHOTS |
+-------------+
DESCRIPTION
-----------
A Power Shot gives your character an extra burst of power. This comes in
really handy during the tee-off and on holes with a par of 5. Each character
is given 6 Power Shots. But, if you time your swing perfectly so that the
announcer yells "Nice Shot!", your remaining Power Shots won't decrease!
==============================================================================
(3) PLAYING OUT A HOLE
==============================================================================
+---------------------+
| VIEWING THE TERRAIN |
+---------------------+
INFO
----
Viewing the terrain from a few different angles will help to guide your shot
decisions.
CONTROLS
--------
C-UP - moves the view forward
C-DOWN - moves the view backward
C-RIGHT - moves the view to a more overhead position
C-LEFT - moves the view to a more level position
R - moves your view to where your shot will approximately land (the
wireframe grid)
Z+R - zooms out to the course view screen (a high overhead view of the
course)
A - returns you to the normal view from behind your character
UP - changes to a club with more power
DOWN - changes to a club with less power
RIGHT - moves your target to the right (marked by a wireframe grid)
LEFT - moves your target to the left (marked by a wireframe grid)
NOTE: You can use either the D-Pad or the Control Stick when viewing the
terrain. They both have the same functionality.
+----------+
| PAR TIPS |
+----------+
PAR 3 HOLES
-----------
One shot is all you should need to reach to green. Aim carefully and try to
set up an easy birdie putt.
PAR 4 HOLES
-----------
Most of time, it'll take two shots to reach the green so tee-off with your
second shot in mind. However, if your character is one of the better drivers
in the game and/or if the wind is blowing in your favor, you may be able to
reach the green in one shot. Be careful, though. Getting to the green in one
shot may require you to clear a few obstacles and/or nasty terrain. A slight
miscalculation could send the ball into deep rough or into a water hazard.
PAR 5 HOLES
-----------
You'll need at least two shots to reach the green so tee-off with your second
shot in mind. If the part of the fairway you are aiming for is narrow and a
strong wind is blowing, you may want to sacrifice some yards and aim for a
part of the fairway that is wider. That way, you have a better chance of
landing on good terrain. If the ball lands in nasty terrain on your tee-off
shot, you'll have a hard time trying to score an eagle on the course.
On the early courses, most of the characters can reach the green in two shots
to set up an eagle putt so keep this in mind.
==============================================================================
(4) CHARACTER STATS
==============================================================================
+-----+
| KEY |
+-----+
DRIVE
-----
This refers to the length of a character's driving distance. The first value
is the length of the player's normal drive. The second value is the Power
Drive length (the maximum drive length when a Power Shot is used).
SHOT TYPE
---------
There are three shot types: DRAW, FADE, and STRAIGHT.
A DRAW shot is where the ball flies to the right after being struck and curves
to the left before landing. A DRAW shot value of +3 means that the curve of
the ball is much greater than the curve of the ball of a DRAW shot value of
+1.
A FADE shot is where the ball flies to the left after being struck and curves
to the right before landing. A FADE shot value of -3 means that the curve of
the ball is much greater than the curve of the ball of a FADE shot value of
-1.
A STRAIGHT shot is just like it sounds--the ball flies straight after it is
hit. This shot type is the easiest to learn to control; and weather
conditions, terrain, and poor timing are a *LOT* more forgiving on STRAIGHT
shots.
To see how various things (such as elevation) can affect a particular shot,
see the Ball Control subsection found in Section 2: Basic Information. I
*highly* recommend reading this subsection first if you plan on using a
character with a FADE or DRAW shot.
SHOT HEIGHT
-----------
This refers to the height of the ball's arc (trajectory) when it is hit.
There are three shot heights (Low, Standard, and High). The higher the arc,
the more obstacles a ball can clear and the longer the ball will stay in the
air. However, the longer the ball stays in the air, the more the wind will
affect its path.
PLAYABLE
--------
Describes when a character becomes selectable in all play modes.
UPGRADE FROM
------------
Provides a list of characters who would be relatively easy to upgrade from.
For example, Yoshi's UPGRADE FROM list consists of Plum and Peach. This
means that if you're used to playing as Plum or Peach, learning to use Yoshi
should be pretty easy.
UPGRADE TO
----------
Provides a list of characters who would be relatively easy to upgrade to. For
example, Peach's UPGRADE TO list consists of Yoshi and Maple. This means that
if you're used to playing as Peach, learning to use either Yoshi or Maple
should be pretty easy.
NOTE: If you aren't familiar with how terrain, elevation, and wind conditions
can affect a ball's trajectory, you way want to take a look at Section
2: Basic Information before you choose a character to use.
+------+
| CAST |
+------+
NOTE: There are 4 more characters not listed here that can be imported from
the Game Boy Color version of Mario Golf using the Transfer Pak (see
Section 9: Game Boy Color Version and Section 10: Transfer Pak). Since
their statistics will vary, they are not listed here with the normal
cast.
BABY MARIO
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
| DRIVE : 215 yards ==> 236 yards
|
| SHOT TYPE : ----[]X--- +1 Draw
| SHOT HEIGHT : High
| PLAYABLE : At start
|
| UPGRADE FROM : none
| UPGRADE TO : Sonny
|
|
| Baby Mario is the first character you have access to that has a DRAW
| shot. If you plan to upgrade to the "Big 3" (Mario, Bowser, and Metal
| Mario), it wouldn't hurt to start training with Baby Mario. His DRAW
| shot may take a little while to get used to, but the time you invest
| in him will help you out should you decide to start using characters
| with stronger DRAW shots.
|
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------
BOWSER
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
| DRIVE : 280 yards ==> 308 yards
|
| SHOT TYPE : ----[]XXX- +3 Draw
| SHOT HEIGHT : High
| PLAYABLE : After he is defeated in the Get Character mode
|
| UPGRADE FROM : Mario
| UPGRADE TO : Metal Mario
|
|
| Bowser has the second best drive in the game. His normal drive beats
| Mario by 10 yards; but Metal Mario bests him by 5 yards. Bowser is
| huge, but he plays very similar to Mario and Metal Mario.
|
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHARLIE
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
| DRIVE : 210 yards ==> 231 yards
|
| SHOT TYPE : ---X[]---- -1 Fade
| SHOT HEIGHT : Low
| PLAYABLE : At start
|
| UPGRADE FROM : none
| UPGRADE TO : Luigi
|
|
| Charlie is the first character you have access to that has a FADE shot.
| If you plan to use Donkey Kong in the future, this is a good person to
| start with to get used to the FADE shot.
|
| Like all characters with a FADE shot type, Charlie has a LOW shot
| height that isn't affected by the wind as much as most of the other
| characters.
|
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------
DONKEY KONG
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
| DRIVE : 275 yards ==> 302 yards
|
| SHOT TYPE : -XXX[]---- -3 Fade
| SHOT HEIGHT : Low
| PLAYABLE : After 30 stars are earned in Ring mode
|
| UPGRADE FROM : Wario
| UPGRADE TO : none
|
|
| Donkey Kong has the third longest drive behind Metal Mario and Bowser.
| Since Donkey Kong has a LOW shot height, however, his shot isn't
| affected by the wind as much as Metal Mario and Bowser's HIGH shot.
|
| Basically, it's a trade off. Metal Mario and Bowser may have a longer
| drive than Donkey Kong, but their HIGH shots are affected more strongly
| by the wind than Donkey Kong's LOW shot.
|
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------
HARRY
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
| DRIVE : 260 yards ==> 286 yards
|
| SHOT TYPE : ----[]XX-- +2 Draw
| SHOT HEIGHT : High
| PLAYABLE : After he is defeated in the Get Character mode
|
| UPGRADE FROM : Sonny
| UPGRADE TO : Mario
|
|
| Harry is basically the same as Sonny. The only significant difference
| is that Harry's normal drive bests Sonny by 20 yards.
|
| If you haven't unlocked Mario, Bowser, or Metal Mario yet and you plan
| to use them in the future, Harry is a good character to train with.
| Also, Harry's drive is only around 10-25 yards less than the upper tier
| of DRAW shot golfers (Mario, Bowser, and Metal Mario), yet his DRAW
| shot isn't as sharp. If Mario, Bowser, and Metal Mario's DRAW shot is
| too sharp for you, Harry is a good character to use.
|
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------
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