Mario Golf: Advance Tour

Mario Golf: Advance Tour was developed by Camelot Software Planning and brought a unique combination of golf simulation and a light RPG story to the Game Boy Advance. The player takes on the role of a young hero who trains stroke by stroke at a golf academy, improves their character's stats, and gradually faces a series of tournaments against characters from the Mario universe — from Bowser to Wario. The golf system itself relies on precise timing of a three-click swing, which determines both the power and direction of the shot, and the game adds wind, terrain, and player attributes on top of that, so every hole demands real tactical decision-making. The player's character also gradually builds rivalries and friendships with a whole gallery of Nintendo personalities, so the story thread intertwines with training stats such as power, accuracy, or ball spin, which then translate directly into results on the course.

For its time, this was a technically very polished title on the GBA — the controls are precise, the courses are clear even on the small screen, and the music accompanying each round has a fresh, lightly jazzy atmosphere typical of Camelot's golf games. The game also supported cable-link multiplayer matches and included unlockable characters and courses, which extended its lifespan even after finishing the main story. The camera and the layout of on-screen information were thought out well enough that the player always had distance, wind, and terrain slope data at hand without having to navigate complicated menus.

At the time of release, Advance Tour was praised as one of the most polished sports titles on Nintendo's handheld, one that managed to combine accessibility for a wider audience with depth for players seeking a challenge. The RPG elements that Camelot had already brought to the series on the Nintendo 64 proved to be an ideal complement for handheld play in short sessions. Even today the game feels fresh thanks to its clear controls and well-balanced difficulty, and it ranks among the titles worth trying even for players who otherwise don't play golf.