Mario Golf on Switch Online is the N64 classic to play before Sports Resort

Nintendo is releasing Switch Sports Resort this October, and the lineup looks substantial—archery, boxing, table tennis, thumb wrestling, and a return to the golf course. If you're already thinking about the golf portion, there's no reason to wait. Mario Golf, the 1999 Nintendo 64 title developed by Camelot Software Planning, is available right now through Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack, and it remains a genuinely engaging way to spend dozens of hours.

The game arrived at a particular moment in golf gaming history. Nintendo had been making golf titles since the NES era, but it was Hot Shots Golf that showed the industry how much fun a sport could be when you stopped taking it so seriously. Camelot took that lesson and merged it with Nintendo's own golf pedigree, landing on something that worked well enough to keep the developer making Mario Golf and Mario Tennis games for Nintendo ever since—a remarkable run considering Camelot had previously built respected RPG franchises like Shining Force and Golden Sun.

When you start Mario Golf, you don't get much. A handful of characters, one course, and that's it. The game gates its content behind a progression system called Get Character mode, which means unlocking the roster you actually want to play—Mario himself, Yoshi, Bowser, Wario—requires time and play. By the end, you'll have access to 14 characters across six standard courses plus two mini-golf variations. This structure, which might feel restrictive by modern standards, actually works in the game's favor. Each character isn't just a cosmetic choice. Bowser and Wario hit the ball with genuine power that changes how you approach each hole. The early-game roster plays noticeably different from the later additions, which means progression feels meaningful rather than arbitrary.

Beyond the straightforward tournament mode, Mario Golf branches into several directions. Ring Shot forces you into shots you'd normally avoid. Speed Golf flips the priority from precision to speed and accuracy combined. There's a training mode for individual holes. And then there's the multiplayer, which supports up to four players taking turns. The game includes a feature that lets spectators press buttons to splash comic-style speech bubbles across the screen—a way to cheer or, if you're the type, to distract someone mid-swing with a well-timed "Nice Shot!" right as they're concentrating. It's the kind of small detail that makes party gaming memorable.

The interface for club selection and ball striking is deceptively simple, hiding layers of strategy underneath. The courses themselves grow more inventive as you progress, and the character roster's distinct playstyles mean you can't just master one approach and apply it everywhere. The visuals have aged—the textures are rough by current standards, the polygons show their era—but the core loop of hitting the ball, reading the green, and executing the shot remains satisfying. For players who spent significant time with Mario Golf near its 1999 release, revisiting it now carries a particular appeal. For newcomers coming off Mario Golf: Super Rush on the Switch, the original offers a different but equally solid experience. Either way, you're looking at a game that still delivers what it promised: a compelling golf experience built around Nintendo characters and sensibilities, waiting for you before October arrives.