Golf Story

Golf Story is a completely charming game and is packed with great humour, tons of content and simple but fun Golf mechanics. Even if you don't particularly like Golf there's still a ton of fun to be had. Golf Story offers one of the most compelling packages on the Switch eShop and is up there with the best the store has to offer.

Even though Golf Story isn't quite what I expected it would be, it is an absolute delight. It's more than just a golf game with RPG mechanics, but it's not quite a full RPG with golf mechanics either. It lies in a sweet spot in the middle, where people who care about one but not the other can still get into it.

Just like Stardew Valley filled a void in the hearts of those missing Harvest Moon, Golf Story does what Nintendon’t by delivering a highly competent take on the Mario Golf RPG formula – an offshoot of a franchise that has gone missing for well over a decade. Golf Story likely wouldn’t have existed without looking to gaming’s past for inspiration but that hardly makes it a knockoff. It excels in every way you’d hope a game in this niche but fascinating genre would.

Golf Story is charming, witty, funny, adorable, entertaining, and a must-have for your Switch collection.

Supported by a very high level of writing, extraordinary gameplay and a cast of extremely charismatic characters, Golf Story will not fail to satisfy both golfing lovers and role-playing enthusiasts thanks to a progression capable of optimally balancing the difficulty rate and a remarkable progression.

Yes, this is just a golf game at its core, but Golf Story makes you care about the characters and their world just as much as sinking a do-or-die putt. Part of its charm is keeping you off kilter, forcing you to hit a 300-yard drive with pinpoint precision one second, then solve a murder mystery the next. A continual delight to play, Golf Story is a breath of fresh air for sports, and another fun story to follow for role-playing fanatics.

Golf Story is a surprisingly gripping game, hooking you with fantastic gameplay, loads of content, and a well-written script. This is one that’ll have you coming back for many hours in the story mode alone, and the multiplayer does a good job of expanding on this with even more replayability. We would highly recommend Golf Story to anyone looking for something a little different. There’s a whole lot to love here, and if you’re a fan of RPGs or golf games, this is a must buy.

Golf Story is well worth the addition to every Switch owner's library. Its zany cast, easy-to-grasp gameplay, and wonderful art design make for an incredibly rewarding experience.

​Mixing the charm of Japanese RPGs and the mechanics of Super Mario Golf, Golf Story is another beautiful little gem in the Switch eShop catalogue.

Golf Story came out of nowhere and stole my heart with its original sense of humor, use of HD Rumble, cute visuals and multitude of ideas for using golf in most unconventional ways. Don’t get discouraged by the whole golf thing though, as Sidebar’s game is actually a really good RPG that happens to borrow it’s mechanics from golf titles. [13/2017, p.50]

Golf Story made me think of games I used to love and knows how to sell a world to the player. [Issue #30 – November/December 2017, p. 25]

Golf Story is another must play Switch exclusive for more than just golf or RPG fans.

Sidebar Games brings Nintendo Switch users a great RPG adventure camouflaged in a golf game.

Golf Story is like Stardew Valley and Caddyshack had a baby. And that baby is the best baby, you guys. It’s out now on the Switch eshop, and there’s no wonder it’s currently sitting atop the best sellers. One can only hope we get a Badminton Story, a Croquet Story, and perhaps a Water Polo Story next. Let’s keep this thing going.

Cheap, charming, long, fun... Golf Story is a very positive surprise, and if you're looking for something different on Switch, we think you should try this.

Sidebar Games have made a great take on the arcade golf game and added a story and RPG elements with great success! Golf Story is the best sports game on the Nintendo Switch, and arguably one of the best games available right now on the system. Whether you are a fan of golf or not, you need this game on your system!

While a story or intriguing use of narrative might have only gone so far, though, Golf Story’s easy-to-grasp; hard-to-master core gameplay — that still manages to pace its teaching players the smaller details — is what will keep players coming back for more. Having them hunt down even the additional side-quests on top, no matter how zany or surreal the premise might be. It’s this unorthodox approach ultimately that gives Golf Story its unique identity and undeniable appeal as both a sports title and an independent release. While the influences are clear to see and the source material might not be entirely original, this game is wonderfully, weirdly different, but engaging all the same.

Classic golfing with a fun story, and few flaws. [Issue#194, p.83]

I was already hooked by the idea of a golfing game with an overworld, side quests, stats, and leveling, but it wound up being so much more than that. The fact it's not trying to be a sim makes it so approachable, and I have no problem suggesting this to people who don't even like golf. Technical issues notwithstanding, Golf Story is an unexpected and excellent addition to the Switch's eShop lineup.

Golf Story is full of character and charm. There's heaps of humour as well as things to do - and the golf isn't half bad either.

It can take a little while for the narrative to ramp up in Golf Story and for you to feel like you've really cultivated the skills of a champion, but based on the sheer scope of what the game delivers, there's likely something for everyone to enjoy whether their shtick is mini-golfing or terrorising delinquents with frisbees. It has successfully captured the trappings of yesteryear's RPGs, and the witticisms and idiosyncrasies of the characters you encounter are a great palate cleanser between rounds.

The amazing 16 bit graphics and fun golf story make this game one of the best indiegames Switch has to offer.

Fun, diversified, generous and also technical, Golf Story synthesizes two great gameplay types to deliver a love story between golf and classic RPGs. With great dialogue and a hardy direction, the game offers a decent amount of courses, even though it may lack some real challenge in the end.

A very interesting Golf RPG. Crazy mechanics, crazy story and crazy NPCs. A fresh game.

The plot in Golf Story isn’t the most gripping or complex, but its world and characters simply ooze with so much charm it’s hard not to fall in love with it. Though the gameplay mechanics on show here might not be as deep as you’d want from a proper golf game, Golf Story is still a wonderful delight to play from start to finish, and it’s a gem of an RPG that Switch owners shouldn’t skip out on.

Golf Story is a colorful adventure with plenty of personality and packed with charm. Although I wish it did a little more to mix up its challenges, it’s a better golf game than it has any right to be, and a fun and engaging RPG to boot. The writing here is fantastic, and swinging the club at whatever catches your eye never gets old. An easy recommendation for fans of sports games or RPGs, and a must-have for even the most casual fans of both. Golf Story is my favorite out-of-nowhere release this year.

A golf game with an interesting story and some good variations that keep changing the classic formula.

Golf Story is an amazing addition to the huge range of Switch games. This is not a golf sim, but an accessible golf-RPG. It totally does not feel like a real golfing game, but that is not a bad thing as it is so much fun.

Golf Story is an excellent RPG, very fun and with an absorbing story. One of the best games of the year, no doubt.

Golf Story's clever writing and sound golf fundamentals keep it entertaining, even through some stale moments. Despite its light-hearted RPG structure, there’s a challenging and very real golf game here that’s worth coming back to even after the story is over. But it left me wishing that more of the campaign focused on the golf itself, and less on the often repetitive side tasks.

Golf Story doesn’t totally live up to the legacy of those Mario sports RPGs, but it does a very good job at touching on those classics and putting its own spin on the genre. A few nagging issues might draw down the experience, but the golfing is fun enough to work in tandem with a wacky story and world to make a genuinely enjoyable adventure on Switch.

Its plot could be more involving and it feels too long on several moments, while the characters certainly won't become the player's darlings but Golf Story's redeeming factors can cover part of its shortcomings and create an interesting mixture of an RPG and golf.

Golf Story is an easy recommendation for all early Switch adopters out there. Very solid gameplay is well backed up by plenty of humour and a lot of nicely varied entertainment. Though it can be argued that the game doesn't provide anything overly new in its implementation of the game, even those who aren't fans of the sport will find lots of fun throughout.

Fun, quaint and a bit buggy, Golf Story is a lovely but flawed distraction.

A fantastically charming mix of golf sim and role-playing game, that smooths over its rough edges with its irreverent humour and wild imagination.

Golf Story is held back by a number of mechanics, some of which are not very fleshed out or enjoyable, the occasional glitch, and lots of quests which require skill and control of the game's often shaky mechanics. The story is entertaining enough, but the real charm of this game is the hilarity of its characters characters and dialogue. This really is a must have for any fan of golf games, but as an RPG fan, I thought this indie title only came in at par.

Initially charming, but eventually very superficial mix of roleplaying and arcade golf.