The last time Nintendo published a Mario Golf game, it was for the 3DS with 2014's Mario Golf: World Tour. When it released, it had been a decade since developer Camelot Software Planning made the previous Mario Golf. Now, seven years on, it's not unreasonable to expect a Mario Golf to come to the Switch. Camelot has already made a Mario Tennis for the portable-friendly Nintendo console, but Mario Golf has been noticeably absent from the line-up. Both the Wii and Wii U never got a proper Mario Golf game, with the last home console to receive one being the GameCube back in 2003. The Switch, which bridges the gap between home and portable gaming, is the perfect console for the return of Mario Golf.
The Mario Golf games bear a passing resemblance to the PGA Tour 2K series or the long-running Tiger Woods PGA Tour games. Mario Golf has the benefit of bringing iconic characters and fantastical courses to solid, virtual golf gameplay. Each game in the Mario Golf series has offered a vast array of game modes, both singe-player and multiplayer. The laid-back gameplay of the series would translate perfectly onto the Nintendo Switch. After all, PGA Tour 2K21 is already on the Switch.
The segmented and slow gameplay of Mario Golf makes it a game that is easy to take on the go, as well as something that doesn't suffer from played in short bursts. The perennially beautiful art direction of Nintendo's many Mario games would make a new Mario Golf game a treat to play on the big screen, and the Switch's dedication to including couch gaming make it a desirable title to those who want to play with friends. The simple mechanics of the game itself also allow it to be consumed in portable mode easily, and could even be playable with one Joy-Con. Mario Golf usually features a lot of unlockable content such as characters, and could follow the example of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate's large roster.
Mario Golf Offers Switch Owners The Best of Both Worlds
Golf video games already have a dedicated fanbase. EA found success with the Tiger Woods PGA Tour games for years, and more recently, 2K has been making yearly installments of PGA Tour 2K. Mario Golf's gameplay has a likeness to the modern PGA Tour 2K games. Both series might be classified as simulation golf games, which attempt to distill a real-life golfing experience into a video game, although Mario Golf is slightly more arcade-y. This makes the game very easy to pick up but challenging to master, lending itself to both a core single-player experience while still being a viable party game.
Mario Golf also allows for portability, an important aspect of the Switch, thanks to usually simple controls. Gameplay would not have to make any sacrifices if players were forced to use a single Joy-Con for multiplayer. The only thing potentially holding back a Mario Golf game from greatness on the Switch could be Nintendo's lackluster online infrastructure. The previous entry in the series, Mario Golf: World Tour gained favorable reviews from critics in part because of the implementation of online play. The Switch has unfortunately seen Nintendo taking steps in the wrong direction with online games, preferring to prioritize local multiplayer instead. Hopefully this doesn't dampen the experience of any Mario Golf game that may be on the horizon, because the Switch is a perfect console for the series' return.