The first portable Mario Golf, both punchy arcade golf and a surprisingly meaty training RPG. Characters with distinct styles, courses worth replaying and an N64 link for the truly hooked. A success that launched the Camelot series.
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Category
Sports2 players3+
Description
Mario and his friends compete on golf courses in this first Game Boy Color entry in the Mario Golf series. Published by Nintendo, released in Europe in November 1999. Arcade golf with Mario characters with distinct statistics, link with Mario Golf N64 to unlock content, tournaments and challenges. Multilingual version.
Original Japanese release of Camelot's GBC version, shipping three months ahead of the Western editions. It is set apart by its kanji and katakana interface and by RPG balancing values that diverge slightly from the localized cut. The Transfer Pak link with N64 Mario Golf works fully against the Japanese console release, making this cartridge the reference choice for anyone running an all-original Japanese setup.
Better with friends
Golf surprisingly deep beneath its cute looks, turning two-player rounds into a precision joust where the slightest gust changes everything. The competition is savored calmly, in reading the green and the smug joy of pipping your rival at the last hole. Linked by cable, it takes two units to face off, but the urge to replay the course for revenge returns at every tie.
Is Mario Golf GB still worth playing in 2026?
Camelot pulled off a marriage that feels obvious today but was not back in 1999, namely instantly readable arcade golf paired with a surprisingly deep training role playing mode. Building a character from scratch, earning stat points and unlocking courses still pulls the player back in with impressive grip, and the shot feedback has aged remarkably well. The N64 connectivity now plays as a footnote, yet the solo content alone easily justifies the return for any fan of portable sports games or curious newcomers.
