Golf (1984 video game)

Short description: 1984 video game

Golf

North American NES box art

Developer(s)| Nintendo R&D2
HAL Laboratory
Publisher(s)| Nintendo
Director(s)| Kenji Miki
Producer(s)| Masayuki Uemura
Designer(s)| Kenji Miki
Shigeru Miyamoto[1]
Programmer(s)| Satoru Iwata[2]
Composer(s)| Koji Kondo
Series| Mario Golf
Platform(s)|

* Famicom/NES
* Arcade (VS. System)
* Other platforms

* PC-88
* Arcade (PlayChoice-10)
* Sharp X1
* Famicom Disk System
* Game Boy

Release| Famicom/NES

* JP: May 1, 1984
* NA: October 18, 1985
* EU: November 15, 1986

Arcade (VS. System)

* JP: July 26, 1984[4]
* NA: October 1984[3]
* EU: 1985[5]

Other versions

* Arcade (Ladies Golf)

* NA: December 14, 1984[6]

* Famicom Disk System

* JP: February 21, 1986

* Game Boy

* JP: November 28, 1989
* NA: February 1990
* EU: 1990

Genre(s)| Sports
Mode(s)| Single-player, multiplayer
Arcade system| Nintendo VS. System

Script error: The function "nihongo_foot" does not exist. is a golf-based sports simulation video game developed and released by Nintendo in 1984 for the Famicom in Japan. Later the same year, it was ported to the Nintendo VS. System as VS. Golf or Stroke and Match Golf, released in arcades internationally,[5] followed by another arcade version called VS. Ladies Golf.[7] The original was re-released for the NES in North America in 1985, and for the Famicom Disk System in 1986 in Japan.

Golf was the best-selling sports game on the NES/Famicom, and was re-released across many years for different Nintendo consoles. It was hidden in the Nintendo Switch firmware as an Easter egg as a tribute to the game's programmer, the late Satoru Iwata.

## Contents

* 1 Gameplay
* 2 Development and release
* 3 Reception
* 4 Legacy
* 5 Notes
* 6 References
* 7 External links
* 8 Features
* 9 History
* 10 See also
* 11 References
* 12 External links

## Gameplay

The main player wears a white shirt and shoes with blue pants and uses a white ball, while the second player wears a red shirt and shoes with black pants and uses a red ball. The player selects either single stroke play or the two-player selections of doubles stroke play or match play. The player is then placed at the tee of the first of 18 holes.

In 1991, Nintendo identified the golfer as Mario in a gameplay guide book.[8] Nintendo's Wii game Captain Rainbow identifies the golfer as Ossan,[9] which happens to be one of the generic hero names during the development of Donkey Kong.[10] The Game Boy conversion would feature Mario on the Western cover art, but not the Japanese version.[citation needed]

## Development and release

In 1983, the Famicom had only three launch games, and its library would soon total seven, including Golf. Shigeru Miyamoto said he was "directly in charge of the character design and the game design",[1] and Satoru Iwata said he was the only programmer.[2]

Golf has been re-released on many other consoles after its release. Hudson Soft released a conversion of the game for the Japan-only PC-88 and Sharp X1 in 1985.[citation needed] Golf was converted to the Japan-only Family Computer Disk System on February 21, 1986.[citation needed] It was re-released for the Nintendo e-Reader for the Game Boy Advance in 2002. Both the NES and Game Boy versions were released on the Virtual Console.[11][12] It was re-released on the Nintendo Switch via Nintendo eShop on October 25, 2019, by Hamster Corporation as part of its Arcade Archives series.[13]

Golf can be unlocked in the 2001 video games Dōbutsu no Mori for Nintendo 64 and Animal Crossing for GameCube. The latter supports Advance Play using a GameCube – Game Boy Advance link cable, allowing Golf to be played on a Game Boy Advance.

The game is a hidden Easter egg in the pre-4.0 firmware of the Nintendo Switch, in tribute to Satoru Iwata. Iwata was the sole programmer of Golf (as one of his first projects for Nintendo) and later became Nintendo's CEO. It can be accessed on the Switch home menu if the system clock is set to the July 11 memorial of Iwata's death, and then the user moves Joy-Con controllers to imitate the "Direct" hand gesture that Iwata popularized during his tenure as main host of Nintendo Direct presentations.[14][15][16] This version exclusively has the option for motion controls.

## Reception

Reception

| Review scores

Publication| Score
AllGame| GB: [17]
Computer Gamer| ARC: Positive[5]

Golf was very successful during its initial release, with positive reviews from critics and was the tenth best-selling game released on the system. Sales were numbered at over 4 million copies in total, with the Famicom version alone yielding 2.46 million copies sold in Japan.[18]

Golf’s 1989 port on the Game Boy received a positive review from AllGame, who rated the Game Boy version with 4 out of 5 stars.[17]

## Legacy

Golf is the first golf video game to feature a power and accuracy bar for swinging the club, which has been used in most golf games since.[19]

Three-dimensional versions of Golf's courses appear in the nine holes of Wii Sports,[2] the "Classic" courses in Wii Sports Resort, and in Clubhouse Games.[20]

The player-controlled character Ossan appeared in the 2008 Wii game Captain Rainbow where he's portrayed as a smelly middle-aged man who's terrible at golf. Players must find his lost golf club as well as help him play good again.[9]

## Notes

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Kohler, Chris. "Miyamoto Spills Donkey Kong's Darkest Secrets, 35 Years Later". Wired. https://www.wired.com/2016/10/miyamoto-donkey-kong-secrets/. Retrieved October 17, 2016.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Iwata Asks: Wii Sports: Games That Even the People Watching Can Enjoy". http://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/#/wii/wii_sports/0/3.
3. ↑ "The Vs. Challenge". RePlay 11 (3): 5. December 1985. https://archive.org/details/re-play-volume-11-issue-no.-3-december-1985-600dpi/RePlay - Volume 11, Issue No. 3 - December 1985 (Compressed)/page/5.
4. ↑ "Flyer Fever - Golf / Pinball (Japan)". http://www.flyerfever.com/post/132703728293/golf-pinball.
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Roberts, Mike; Doyle, Eric (November 1985). "Coin-Op Connection". Computer Gamer (8): 26–7. https://archive.org/details/Computer_Gamer_Issue_08_1985-11_Argus_Press_GB/page/n25/mode/2up.
6. ↑ "VS. golf (ladies version) (Registration Number PA0000250301)". https://cocatalog.loc.gov.
7. ↑ "With the VS. System from Nintendo, making money is no sweat". February 20, 2021. https://www.flyerfever.com/vs-system-making-money-is-no-sweat/#&gid=1&pid=4.
8. ↑ Mario Mania: Nintendo Player's Guide. Redmond, WA: Nintendo of America. 1991. p. 9. OCLC 299240250.
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Eisenbeis, Richard (2012-06-08). "The Old-School Nintendo Stars of Captain Rainbow". Kotaku. Archived from the original on 2023-03-05. https://web.archive.org/web/20230305120712/https://kotaku.com/the-old-school-nintendo-stars-of-captain-rainbow-5916776. Retrieved 2023-03-04.
10. ↑ Uemura, Masayuki. "The Grand Culmination of Famicom Cartridges". Iwata Asks (Interview). Interviewed by Satoru Iwata. Nintendo of America. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
11. ↑ "Nintendo - Official Site - Video Game Consoles, Games". https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/JNbv4KdYNyfo0Y8MJY2l3kZ29Gs8YA-N.
12. ↑ "Nintendo - Official Site - Video Game Consoles, Games". https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/dHNML9ykklsNrxLqaTp1Y2Xc711OAOf4.
13. ↑ Lane, Gavin (March 13, 2020). "Guide: Every Arcade Archives Game On Nintendo Switch, Plus Our Top Picks" (in en-GB). http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2020/03/guide_every_arcade_archives_game_on_nintendo_switch_plus_our_top_picks.
14. ↑ Orland, Kyle (September 20, 2017). "Hidden Switch game is actually a tribute to former Nintendo president [Updated"]. https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2017/09/searching-for-the-hidden-motion-to-unlock-the-switchs-nes-emulator/.
15. ↑ McFerran, Damien (September 20, 2017). "Rumour: Switch's Hidden NES Golf Game Is a Tribute to the Late Satoru Iwata". http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2017/09/rumour_switchs_hidden_nes_golf_game_is_a_tribute_to_the_late_satoru_iwata.
16. ↑ Good, Owen S. (July 12, 2015). "Nintendo President Satoru Iwata Dies at 55". https://www.polygon.com/2015/7/12/8940053/nintendo-president-satoru-iwata-dies-at-55.
17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Sutyak, Jonathan. "Golf - Review". Allgame. Archived from the original. Error: If you specify `|archiveurl=`, you must also specify `|archivedate=`. https://web.archive.org/web/20100215172307/http://allgame.com/game.php?id=1059&tab=review.
18. ↑ "【ゲームの企画書】『パワプロ』×『みんなのGOLF』開発者が初対談。初代『パワプロ』企画書も公開！ コントローラで我々はスポーツの何を楽しんでいるのか？" (in ja). June 8, 2017. https://news.denfaminicogamer.jp/projectbook/pawapuro_mingol.
19. ↑ Rosenberg, Adam (October 18, 2015). "Can You Remember All 18 games That Launched with the NES in 1985?". https://mashable.com/2015/10/18/nes-launch-titles-30th-anniversary/.
20. ↑ Lane, Gavin (May 25, 2020). "Nintendo Shares a Handy Infographic Featuring All 51 Worldwide Classic Clubhouse Games". https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2020/05/nintendo_shares_a_handy_infographic_featuring_all_51_worldwide_classic_clubhouse_games.

## External links

* MobyGames is a commercial database website that catalogs information on video games and the people and companies behind them via crowdsourcing. This includes over 300,000 games for hundreds of platforms.[1] Founded in 1999, ownership of the site has changed hands several times. It has been owned by Atari SA since 2022.

## Features

Edits and submissions to the site (including screenshots, box art, developer information, game summaries, and more) go through a verification process of fact-checking by volunteer "approvers".[2] This approval process after submission can range from minutes to days or months.[3] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copy-editing.[4] A ranking system allows users to earn points for contributing accurate information.[5]

Registered users can rate and review games. Users can create private or public "have" and "want" lists, which can generate a list of games available for trade with other registered users. The site contains an integrated forum. Each listed game can have its own sub-forum.

## History

Logo used until March 2014

MobyGames was founded on March 1, 1999, by Jim Leonard and Brian Hirt, and joined by David Berk 18 months later, the three of which had been friends since high school.[6][7] Leonard had the idea of sharing information about computer games with a larger audience. The database began with information about games for IBM PC compatibles, relying on the founders' personal collections. Eventually, the site was opened up to allow general users to contribute information.[5] In a 2003 interview, Berk emphasized MobyGames' dedication to taking video games more seriously than broader society and to preserving games for their important cultural influence.[5]

In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[8] This was announced to the community post factum , and the site's interface was given an unpopular redesign.[7] A few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025} On December 18, 2013, MobyGames was acquired by Jeremiah Freyholtz, owner of Blue Flame Labs (a San Francisco-based game and web development company) and VGBoxArt (a site for fan-made video game box art).[9] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel,[10] and for the next eight years, the site was run by Freyholtz and Independent Games Festival organizer Simon Carless.[7]

On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[11] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[12][13][14] Over the next year, the financial boost given by Atari led to a rework of the site being built from scratch with a new backend codebase, as well as updates improving the mobile and desktop user interface.[1] This was accomplished by investing in full-time development of the site instead of its previously part-time development.[15]

In 2024, MobyGames began offering a paid "Pro" membership option for the site to generate additional revenue.[16] Previously, the site had generated income exclusively through banner ads and (from March 2014 onward) a small number of patrons via the Patreon website.[17]

On February 13, 2025, Freyholtz stepped down as the site lead to move onto new projects, leaving operations to Tracy Poff, a veteran coder on the site, and Atari staff.[18]

## See also

* IGDB - game database used by Twitch for its search and discovery functions

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sheehan, Gavin (2023-02-22). "Atari Relaunches The Fully Rebuilt & Optimized MobyGames Website". https://bleedingcool.com/games/atari-relaunches-the-fully-rebuilt-optimized-mobygames-website/.
2. ↑ Litchfield, Ted (2021-11-26). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". https://www.pcgamer.com/zombie-company-atari-to-devour-mobygames/.
3. ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1.
4. ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards.
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Miller, Stanley A. (2003-04-22). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
6. ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/.
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Plunkett, Luke (2022-03-10). "Atari Buys MobyGames For $1.5 Million". https://kotaku.com/mobygames-retro-credits-database-imdb-atari-freyholtz-b-1848638521.
8. ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/report-mobygames-acquired-by-gamefly-media.
9. ↑ Corriea, Alexa Ray (December 31, 2013). "MobyGames purchased from GameFly, improvements planned". http://www.polygon.com/2013/12/31/5261414/mobygames-purchased-from-gamefly-improvements-planned.
10. ↑ Wawro, Alex (31 December 2013). "Game dev database MobyGames getting some TLC under new owner". Gamasutra. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/game-dev-database-mobygames-getting-some-tlc-under-new-owner.
11. ↑ "Atari invests in Anstream, may buy MobyGames". November 24, 2021. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-24-atari-invests-in-anstream-may-buy-mobygames.
12. ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (2022-03-09). "Atari purchases Moby Games". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-purchases-moby-games.
13. ↑ "Atari Completes MobyGames Acquisition, Details Plans for the Site's Continued Support". March 8, 2022. https://www.atari.com/atari-completes-mobygames-acquisition-details-plans-for-the-sites-continued-support/.
14. ↑ "Atari has acquired game database MobyGames for $1.5 million" (in en-GB). 2022-03-09. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/atari-has-acquired-game-database-mobygames-for-1-5-million/.
15. ↑ Stanton, Rich (2022-03-10). "Atari buys videogame database MobyGames for $1.5 million". https://www.pcgamer.com/atari-buys-videogame-database-mobygames-for-dollar15-million/.
16. ↑ Harris, John (2024-03-09). "MobyGames Offering “Pro” Membership". https://setsideb.com/mobygames-offering-pro-membership/.
17. ↑ "MobyGames on Patreon". http://www.patreon.com/mobygames.
18. ↑ "An update on MobyGames leadership". 2025-02-13. https://www.mobygames.com/forum/3/thread/269628/an-update-on-mobygames-leadership/#post-269628.

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Atari

Corporations|

| Primary|

* Atari, Inc. (1972–1992)
* Atari Corporation (1984–1996)
* Atari SA, Atari, Inc. (2003–present)

|

Subsidiaries and
spin-offs|

* Atari Games
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* MobyGames
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File:AtariFuji.svg

Arcades games
and amusements|

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* Golf at NinDB

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Games designed and directed by Shigeru Miyamoto

Designer|

* Radar Scope (1980)
* Donkey Kong (1981)
* Sky Skipper (1981)
* Donkey Kong Jr. (1982)
* Popeye (1983)
* Mario Bros. (1983)
* Donkey Kong 3 (1983)
* Baseball (1983)
* Tennis (1984)
* Golf (1984)
* Devil World (1984)
* Excitebike (1984)
* Super Mario Bros. (1985)
* The Legend of Zelda (1986)
* Software:Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic (1987)
* Super Mario Bros. 2 (1988)
* Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988)
* Star Fox (1993)
* BS Zelda no Densetsu (1995)
* Star Fox 64 (1997)

Director|

* Donkey Kong (1981)
* Donkey Kong Jr. (1982)
* Mario Bros. (1983)
* Super Mario Bros. (1985)
* The Legend of Zelda (1986)
* Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988)
* Super Mario 64 (1996)
* The Legend of Zelda (1998)
* Mario Artist: Paint Studio (1999)

See also|

Shigeru Miyamoto gameography

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