Mario Golf: Super Rush’s Multiplayer is Deceptively Addicting
By: Paul Lombardo
Tags: Features, Videogames, Gaming, Sports, Competition

Mario Golf: Super Rush’s Multiplayer is Deceptively Addicting

February 17th, 2021. Announcement day. My friends and I convene at our designated Discord call and pop open the newest Nintendo Direct stream. Coming together as gamers during these exciting live streams that reveal upcoming titles is a tradition for many (including myself).

Source: Nintendo

I wasn’t expecting much out of Nintendo for this Direct; society was currently wading through a catastrophic pandemic. Worldwide destabilization had an obvious effect on the strenuous process of game development.

Despite it all, Nintendo pulled through, offering amazing news on upcoming games. Splatoon 3, Pyra and Mythra in Smash Ultimate, Monster Hunter Rise — not bad, Nintendo! The gaming giant slashed away expectations one by one, granting the gifts of games during one of the most overwhelming pandemics in history.

Nintendo already satisfied me with their many announcements. It’s why the next announcement blew me away — Mario Golf: Super Rush!

Watching this trailer with friends was thrilling, as my buddies immediately jumped to the concept of betting on games. Making a profit off of my friends & driving down the back nine? This is it!

Speed Golf is one of Mario Golf: Super Rush’s newest modes. Source: Nintendo

With a collection of new game modes, characters, courses, and even an adventure mode, Nintendo seemed to really be shaping their shot with Super Rush. Mario’s spin-off titles can be a hit or miss. Mario Tennis Aces didn’t click for me, but Mario Kart 8 Deluxe did, so Mario Golf: Super Rush was fair game.

Unbeknownst to me, this excitement I felt would soon be the bane of my pride, sanity, free time, and wallet. Super Rush turned out to be more addicting than I could ever have expected.

June 25th, 2021. Release day. Birthday. “How fortunate I must be to have been born on the same day that Nintendo chose to release their golfing simulator,” I remember thinking to myself.

This short-sighted perception couldn’t have been more incorrect, as I didn’t account for the devastating losses that came bundled into Nintendo’s sinister title. Despite all preconceptions, here I am, addicted and yearning to hit the fairway. Mario Golf consumes my thoughts daily and all I can think about is scoring that birdie.

The gameplay of Mario Golf: Super Rush is monotonous at worst and entrancing at best. The range of excitement I feel as I aim for the green, hoping this might be my “hole in one” has been rare to replicate in other games. Perhaps it’s my winning itch, or maybe it’s the slight randomness to my shot’s curve, but something about Mario Golf: Super Rush is captivating.

Source: SteelSeries.

As Brandon Johnson points out in his article:

“Super Rush is a golf game at its core, and no amount of flashy videos or player maneuverability will change what is an otherwise single button experience.” Despite this truth, there is something inherently addicting about Super Rush — or golf in general.

It doesn’t help that in Super Rush you need to take risky shots to get ahead. Following the course naturally will net a par, but if you aim to score below-par on most holes, you need to get crafty with your shots. This includes hooking shots around trees, approaching the green with a driver, and spinning the ball to add an extra roll to your approach.

With the randomness the shot meter can entail, many of these moves risk an extra stroke or two but can lead to superb positioning for putting. It should be no surprise that this chance can grow more enticing. Nothing is more addicting than a gamble.

The drive to score below-par was already bad enough, but it only became more of an issue when I found out you could level up your characters. In Mario Golf: Super Rush, characters earn points when you use them, which eventually leads to upgrades. For example, my Rosalina now has a “star club set” which gives more yardage to her drive. These upgrades can put you a stroke or two above other golfers, so unlocking them has been advantageous to my wins.

I’ve taken my competitive edge to Twitter. Source: Author.

Has Mario Golf: Super Rush transformed me into a toxic person? Am I hyper-fixating victory? Will I tunnel vision success until I burn out? No. Not yet, anyway. However, I’d be lying if I said the banter level between my friends and me hasn’t increased. Competition leads to more heated matches, but I fall into the camp where a healthy dose of quips makes multiplayer gaming even more enjoyable. What is golfing if not a club-measuring contest?

My first betting match, which resulted in a mere $5 loss, has been living in my head rent-free. There is nothing I want more than to make that money back. Until then, I’ll dedicate my entire being to Mario Golf: Super Rush.