Golf Story

 Switch
User Score
8.2

Generally favorable reviews- based on 346 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 274 out of 346
  2. Mixed: 48 out of 346
  3. Negative: 24 out of 346
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  1. a_big_favor
    Oct 1, 2017
    7
    Fun simple golf game. There is a nice variety of gameplay with a lot great unlocks. The story is fantastic so far.
    What the game lacks right now is polish. There is no way to quit a challenge you can't win. Several times after ending a conversation, beating a challenge, or something the game would freeze. Currently, my save file is corrupted. Its a good game that is a little too    Fun simple golf game. There is a nice variety of gameplay with a lot great unlocks. The story is fantastic so far.
    What the game lacks right now is polish. There is no way to quit a challenge you can't win. Several times after ending a conversation, beating a challenge, or something the game would freeze. Currently, my save file is corrupted. Its a good game that is a little too buggy at the moment.    … Expand
  2. MrTusks
    Dec 3, 2020
    5
    I'm finding Golf Story difficult to love. The golf itself is great, once you figure out for yourself how to play because the game WILL NOT tell you. But everything else seems to get in the way of just playing more golf. The pixel art graphics also clash terribly with the HD text and music. Plus where the save points are is a guessing game--you can select "save and quit" from the menu, butI'm finding Golf Story difficult to love. The golf itself is great, once you figure out for yourself how to play because the game WILL NOT tell you. But everything else seems to get in the way of just playing more golf. The pixel art graphics also clash terribly with the HD text and music. Plus where the save points are is a guessing game--you can select "save and quit" from the menu, but where you load in next time will be long before you left off, making you repeat content a lot.

    Supposedly one of the greats on Switch. I don't really see it.    … Expand
  3. kamhagh
    Jul 11, 2018
    7
    It okay honestly! It's cute and charming
    but it has a few bugs so make sure you save a lot.
    The golf mechanics can get frustrating if you're not into that :c
    And there's no clear tutorial or good explanations of what each skill does and no objective pointers
  4. AllySky
    Oct 13, 2018
    5
    Good golfing moments, awkward rpg moments. The game has decent charm, and a story, but it feels lackluster for the most part.
  5. KingFisher74
    Mar 31, 2019
    6
    Unexpectedly really fun game, but there's some ridiculous difficulty spikes here and there. After many attempts at the first round of the final course I decided to put down the game, whereas I breezed through all the other courses. Still want to give it an overal positive review though, but my score would be at least a 9 if it was balanced properly.
  6. Meeleepit
    Feb 6, 2020
    6
    I so dislike the sport Golf but...

    Golf story manages to make it super fun.
    Lots of laughing and quirky funny and weird characters.
    Seriously enjoyed playing this.

    Only issue i had after 14 hours off playing Golf i was done for,i was seriously sick and tired of swinging a Golf stick. Did not manage to finish the game as it became super repetitive .
  7. KowieT
    Aug 15, 2020
    6
    Since I haven't gotten a new entry in the Mario Golf series since 2014, I was dying for a golf game.
    I first heard of this game from YouTuber Caddicarus and figured I'd give it a shot.
    Golf Story has a unique charm about it. It's very self aware, and even though characters take themselves seriously. You as a player see how ridiculous their motives are. The protagonist of the game has    Since I haven't gotten a new entry in the Mario Golf series since 2014, I was dying for a golf game.
    I first heard of this game from YouTuber Caddicarus and figured I'd give it a shot.

    Golf Story has a unique charm about it. It's very self aware, and even though characters take themselves seriously. You as a player see how ridiculous their motives are. The protagonist of the game has his own motivation...but the NPCs make it clear pretty early that they don't care. I'd kind of say that the devs didn't really want to you care either. After the initial course, the protagonist unenthusiastically wins the remaining tournaments because "why not?"

    Gameplay was really fun in the beginning and I really wanted to get good enough to read the greens like I can in other golf games, but once you get to the mid to later holes the physics feel really broken. The game gave a vague description to how steep the green is, then it was randomly up to the game whether or not it would make the shot close to the hole or WAY past it. The devs also got a little lazy making the game read "yards" when my ball was only inches away from the hole.
    Oh my gosh and the wind. The wind mechanic is incredibly broken. Many times the 3MPH winds pushed my ball as much as the 12MPH wind.
    I became frustrated almost to the point of quitting, but was determined to finish the game. I even played to 100% completion because I wanted to get the most out of this game. There are many who like this game and I don't hate it, I just wish there was more polish.

    Overall, Golf Story is a fun time. Maybe I will play it again in the future, but for now it just made me want a more polished golf game.    … Expand
  8. TheVirtualDude
    Feb 24, 2020
    7
    I really enjoyed this game for the first 10 hours or so and eventually I fizzled out. I completed it because I was so close, but I would’ve liked an even better system to keep progressing. Didn’t feel rewarded by the end
  9. Ramoten
    Oct 14, 2020
    5
    Maybe I just don't get the humour, or find it very fun to play with the arbitrary trial and error physics of the game. The impressive reviews got me into buying this one, but 2-3 hours in a gave up, on trying to enjoy it, and started playing other games.
  10. jandleslapper
    Mar 22, 2021
    7
    Good base mechanics but I have found that (on the switch) some of my inputs seem to be ignored for a given hit, resulting in inconsistent results (sometimes). At the beginning of the story there seems to be characters, and gameplay elements that would be developed later in the game, and whil each level does bring something new to the table there is a distinct feeling that the developer bitGood base mechanics but I have found that (on the switch) some of my inputs seem to be ignored for a given hit, resulting in inconsistent results (sometimes). At the beginning of the story there seems to be characters, and gameplay elements that would be developed later in the game, and whil each level does bring something new to the table there is a distinct feeling that the developer bit off more than they could handle and that the final product is alot less than what could have been. This is also apparent in the narrative, which although funny, seems to have been cut back due to a lack of time or resources. The result is a game that, while fun, feels a little short, and occasionally repetitive.… Expand
  11. Creawen
    Dec 21, 2017
    5
    Game starts pretty good but it only gets worse from there. The more mechanics they introduce to you the less fun it gets. Why is it even called a RPG ? What they offer is pathetic since stats barely change anything and changing your club also wont result in a noticeable difference. Overall the only good thing about the game is the way the story is presented since it is pretty funny but theGame starts pretty good but it only gets worse from there. The more mechanics they introduce to you the less fun it gets. Why is it even called a RPG ? What they offer is pathetic since stats barely change anything and changing your club also wont result in a noticeable difference. Overall the only good thing about the game is the way the story is presented since it is pretty funny but the rest is just bad.… Expand
  12. Michael_Forman
    Sep 30, 2017
    7
    A simple, enjoyable golf RPG akin to something one would play on iOS. Gameplay is straight forward and easy to master. Characters are varied and humorous. It's a nice casual break from the more complex and difficult games like Zelda BotW and Sonic Mania.
  13. KcWright
    Sep 30, 2017
    5
    I don't get all the hype its a mediocre golf game with an average rpg mixed in but its only fifteen dollars. If ur looking for an rpg to play on the switch this will suffice if ur looking for a golf game i suggest going elsewhere Everybody's Golf recently came out its so much better
  14. drlowdon
    Mar 8, 2018
    7
    Following the death of his father a former golfer, having not played for 20 years, tries to recapture his love of the game and make it on to the pro tour.

    Golf Story is, as far as I know, a unique title in that it is effectively a golf RPG. The gameplay itself, which largely involves playing 9 hole courses and other challenges using the old “3 click swing” method found in many a golf    Following the death of his father a former golfer, having not played for 20 years, tries to recapture his love of the game and make it on to the pro tour.

    Golf Story is, as far as I know, a unique title in that it is effectively a golf RPG. The gameplay itself, which largely involves playing 9 hole courses and other challenges using the old “3 click swing” method found in many a golf game over the years, is a little simplistic to be honest and by itself likely wouldn’t have been enough to carry the title. Fortunately however the games script and sense of humour did more than enough to keep me playing and, as a golfer myself, I found it genuinely funny throughout.

    I hope we see a sequel, or spin-off, that develops the gameplay a little more as we could have an excellent game on our hands.    … Expand
  15. UsernameIThink
    Mar 3, 2018
    7
    Even though my review is mixed, Golf Story is the most fun sports game (besides Rocket League) I've played. There is a lot of side content and just the right level of challenge and variety to be enjoyable. The story is goofy and doesn't try to be serious or a masterpiece, which makes it special. All the worlds have side quests sprinkled around them which all put a unique spin on a gameEven though my review is mixed, Golf Story is the most fun sports game (besides Rocket League) I've played. There is a lot of side content and just the right level of challenge and variety to be enjoyable. The story is goofy and doesn't try to be serious or a masterpiece, which makes it special. All the worlds have side quests sprinkled around them which all put a unique spin on a game that would otherwise be full of rigid golf courses. Even though the different courses each had unique mechanics, I never felt like they were ever very important. Luckily, the basic mechanics have enough depth that it is still engaging. There are a few places where it's easy to not know what to do and get stuck, but a quick search online will make what to do clear. One personal gripe I have that probably arose from my own stupidity is that for almost the whole duration of the game, I thought that hitting a ball into water did not force you to waste a turn. Do not make the same mistake I did.… Expand
  16. Techbane
    Nov 7, 2017
    7
    A long overdue revisitation of the old handheld Mario Golf RPG formula, with an irreverent sense of humor and minigame diversions that eventually start to drag on an unwelcome length of time between the actual golf tournaments, which will subsequently only last 9 holes because the game is too afraid to force you to engage in actual golf.

    Where Mario Golf's story was a shallow excuse to    A long overdue revisitation of the old handheld Mario Golf RPG formula, with an irreverent sense of humor and minigame diversions that eventually start to drag on an unwelcome length of time between the actual golf tournaments, which will subsequently only last 9 holes because the game is too afraid to force you to engage in actual golf.

    Where Mario Golf's story was a shallow excuse to string you along to the next step in the difficulty progression, Golf Story's golf feels like a shallow excuse to string you along to the next timewaster segment. There's also a sore lack of VS matches (with ONE exception I've found insofar), and a distressing plethora of opportunities to inadvertently softlock the game.

    That being said, neither the golf nor the humor is actively terrible, and it may yet be worth its low price of admission; the pacing is just the biggest drawback in what was close to being a much better-realized game.    … Expand
  17. Stone4D
    Oct 22, 2017
    7
    Golf Story seems like such a strange idea: How could you possibly combine the spot of golf with RPG mechanics? But it turns out you can, and beautifully at that. This game hits all the right spots for me, great (and very Australian) humor, satisfying gameplay, and a feeling of progression. To mention wonderful usage of its platform, this feels exactly like something Nintendo would've madeGolf Story seems like such a strange idea: How could you possibly combine the spot of golf with RPG mechanics? But it turns out you can, and beautifully at that. This game hits all the right spots for me, great (and very Australian) humor, satisfying gameplay, and a feeling of progression. To mention wonderful usage of its platform, this feels exactly like something Nintendo would've made for the Switch.

    The golf mechanics are simple enough, you get a power meter, all the typical clubs, and you need to factor in wind speed for your drives and sloping for your putts. It's pretty similar to Mario Golf. Where things get fun though, is when that RPG genre kicks in. You'll be solving quests with golf (getting you experience to level up your golf stats), buying new clubs as you would equipment, and you'll solve puzzles to advance the (rather hilarious and ridiculous) story, generally also involving golf. There's one of these puzzles in particular that was an absolute joy to complete for me, perfectly combining humor, puzzle solving, and of course, golf. HD Rumble is very apparent too, almost everything you do will make the controller do something. Perhaps the best example is when you knock a ball off a cliff and your controllers will make a cartoon-ish sound. It can be a little too much though (EVERY text bubble, really?), so thankfully you can turn this off if you choose.

    The seven main courses you'll play on are just as weird as everything else in this game, you'll go from what feels like redneck golf, to a "haunted" course, to a country club, and many more. All of them stand out visually, and all have unique traits to them. For example, the first course you'll go to has moles that can move your ball. There's more than just standard golf to play as well. You'll experience disc golf, mini-golf, and several other modes that I won't ruin. It's a game packed with content, well worth the price tag.

    However, I can't give it a higher score than a 7 for one simple reason: It's a really buggy game. Crashes are common, weird quirks can both break things or make them a breeze, there are occasional problems with saving, and there's a several quality of life issues (Not being able to restart a clearly failed mission is the biggest offender for me). Some of this happens at random, and can really ruin things for you, possibly even forcing a restart of your entire file, although I haven't suffered this myself. If these are fixed I will gladly give this game the 8 or 9 it deserves.

    Overall though, if you're willing to deal with some frustrations and love either golf or RPGs, I couldn't possibly recommend this game enough.    … Expand
  18. auditbadger
    Dec 29, 2019
    7
    I think that this is truly a unique game and I would recommend that if you are a fan of this type of genre then I think you should give this game a try.
  19. AaronF
    May 5, 2020
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It's a fun game but there is a massive difficulty spike at the end which can be frustrating as the game doesn't really prepare you for it… Expand
  20. Flammie
    Oct 7, 2020
    7
    Golf story is a nice combination of traditional golf game we remember and love from and RPG, but the emphasis is really on the golf, I would say. You talk with characters, solve puzzles and fetch quests and get experience points, but mostly golf. The game is good implementation of classical golf, i.e. not too realistic but mostly. It plays some 20 hours which is just appropriate, itGolf story is a nice combination of traditional golf game we remember and love from and RPG, but the emphasis is really on the golf, I would say. You talk with characters, solve puzzles and fetch quests and get experience points, but mostly golf. The game is good implementation of classical golf, i.e. not too realistic but mostly. It plays some 20 hours which is just appropriate, it starts to wear out its novelty towards the end. There are few signs that the game comes from indie studio and is a bit unpolished, sometimes losing throws you back to title screen and sometimes not, and difficulty level while mostly ok does have few bumps and jumps. Perfect fetch for discount sales.… Expand
  21. TheWhalez
    Dec 14, 2020
    7
    This is a pretty decent classic golf game mixed with elements of witty writing and RPG-like progression. The story is straightforward. You are an amateur golfer who dreams to be amongst the pros one day. The writing, while never makes me belly-laugh out loud, gives me chuckles here and there. The main character is likable but a bit too silly at times. The ending also leaves a lot to beThis is a pretty decent classic golf game mixed with elements of witty writing and RPG-like progression. The story is straightforward. You are an amateur golfer who dreams to be amongst the pros one day. The writing, while never makes me belly-laugh out loud, gives me chuckles here and there. The main character is likable but a bit too silly at times. The ending also leaves a lot to be desired but maybe the sequel will pick up from there.
    However, the gameplay is very satisfying. It's the simple three-click mechanics that you have seen in other gold games (e.g. Everybody's Golf or Pangya) but what keep the gameplay from being stale are the course gimmicks. Some course features molerats which move your golfball from one place to another. Others have this particular area in the water that if you land your golfball there, instead of sinking, a turtle rises to the surface to bounce the golfball off its shell, increasing the distance even further. Sadly, only a few courses make full use of their mechanics together but overall, I find golfing in this game pretty fun.
    You can also challenge your friends to play against each other in a multiplayer mode which is easy to pick-up and play.

    I recommend this game to anyone who wants to have a chill time playing golf.    … Expand
  22. Daisuk
    Sep 18, 2020
    7
    It's entertaining for quite some time, but ultimately the repetitive and sometimes pointless side quests lets it down somewhat. The golfing and the rivalry surrounding the golfing is arguably the best part of the game, and the game probably would've been more fun if a lot of the side quests were optional. An original game, and it's fun for a good while.
  23. lduaarte
    Nov 23, 2022
    6
    It is a good game. The golf mechanics itself are perfect for a 2D game.

    However the game is longe. Repetitive. And the story takes a lot of time to keep going. It was good for the first 5hours.

Awards & Rankings

55
#55 Best Switch Game of 2017
15
#15 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2017
22
#22 Most Shared Switch Game of 2017

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
78

Generally favorable reviews - based on 39 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 32 out of 39
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 39
  3. Negative: 0 out of 39
  1. CD-Action
    Jan 10, 2018
    85
    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]
  2. Hardcore Gamer
    Jan 4, 2018
    80
    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.
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  3. games(TM)
    Dec 3, 2017
    80
    Classic golfing with a fun story, and few flaws. [Issue#194, p.83]
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