Golf Grand Slam Review (Nintendo Entertainment System)
As realistic as golf can get on the NES?
~by tankMage (July 2024)
Score 80/100 (Good)
I hated this game the first few times I played it, then it started to grow on me as I became familiar with its controls. Now I think Golf Grand Slam is pretty damn good. It’s easily the most mechanically complex golf title on the NES and has some really interesting holes. While the graphics and music aren’t terribly good, they create a unique atmosphere, so you’re in for a memorable experience (for better or worse) if you pick this one up.
Complex gameplay and mechanics.
Most of the golf games I played limit the player to choosing a club, pointing at where they want to launch the ball, and hitting certain spots on a meter. Golf Grand Slam eschews this tried and true approach to golf in favor of a more intricate system. Players can adjust their stance, choose a grip, hit the ball in different ways, and even pick from several different sets of clubs. If that’s not enough nuance for you, the terrain of every hole is contoured with hills and the game even tracks the angle of these slopes. Of course, there’s also wind; what golf game is complete without wind?
The product Golf Grand Slam’s detailed approach to the sport is a game that has a learning curve. You’ll have to think about shots, especially putts, and judge all of the factors that affect where the ball will end its journey if you want to get good scores. Some of the machanics are kind of mysterious to me even after playing for several days. For example, there’s a graphic of a golf ball with a dot that moves over it that is displayed when you are ready to swing. While getting the dot to stop in the center of the ball results in a good shot, I’m not sure how much hitting to the left, right, top, or bottom changes the ball’s flight path and velocity. However, hitting too far to the left or right usually results in a missed stroke, which I’ve learned from painful experience. I’m also not sure exactly what grip does, though it’s safe to assume it lines up with how the various grips work in real golf.
One you get the hang of the mechanics, Golf Grand Slam is a lot of fun. Being able to control so many variables takes away the element of luck that haunts a lot of other games in this genre. Whenever I missed or made a bad drive, I felt like it was because I misjudged something. As a result, it’s really satisfying to get an eagle, birdie, or even par on a hole since you know it was due to skill more than blind luck.
As much as I like this game, I have to bring up a complaint that I find myself making too much when it comes to this genre: There’s only one course. This is the third NES golf sim I’ve played and so far only one of them (Lee Trevino’s Fighting Golf) has had more than a single course. In not sure why this is the case, but all of them could have used more and I would have really loved to see Golf Grand Slam’s engine applied to another 18 holes at the very least. To make up for this, the location of the cup on the putting green changes from session to session, so there’s some variety between playthroughs.
Ugly graphics?
Another aspect I Initially didn’t like were the graphics, but my opinion slowly changed as I noticed the details. There’s a very nice rustic theme to the visuals that fits well with golf. A few basic animations also display when you start a game. While the animation is fairly decent, it’s plays every time you start a new game and starts to wear thin quickly.
Tips no one asked for.
Golf Grand Slam will sometimes give you golfing hints. These hints apply to real life golf and not the video game; they’re also usually shown after you sink the ball in the cup. While the idea is nice, the tips are intrusive, which hurts the pace of the action.
On a side note, the score is displayed between holes and you can see the leader board or should I say “Readers”. Yeah, I’m fairly certain they botched the translation and made a big banner that says “Readers” instead of “Leaders” unless Readers is a golf term I’m not familiar with.
Music that will make your ears bleed.
Imagine classical music being played in one of the most shrill sound fonts available on the NES and you have Golf Grand Slam’s sound track. The music also starts and stops depending on what you are doing. If you’re lining up a drive, the music plays only to abruptly cut off when you take a swing then starts blasting again when you are back in drive mode. It’s jarring. The sad part is the songs are fairly good and would have worked with softer settings.
They may have messed up the music, but the sound effects aren’t half bad. In fact I’d say they are the best I’ve heard out of the three NES golf titles I’ve played so far.
Keep your eye on the UI!
For a game that has so many options for driving and mid range shots, the UI is remarkably streamline. All the commands are laid out in one menu that can be navigated with the D-Pad or skipped with the A Button if you just want to swing. In fact, the game will often set the appropriate club for you. If they had the menu on by default (you have to hit B to bring it up) the system would have been perfect.
Slopes and wind speed are also displayed on screen. It’s very easy to tell how how you have to hit the ball on the putting green, because the angle and direction of the slope is clearly displayed. They also included arrows to indicate hills on the field, which is a nice touch.
A password system allows you to continue your game later on, which is a rarity for this kind of video game. I didn’t feel like it was worth the effort to copy down my password between holes to be frank, but it’s a nice touch. In theory, one could use the system to practice a hole they are having a hard time with or even try for a perfect score.
Not the best golf title on the NES, but not bad either.
Golf Grand Slam has some aesthetic pitfalls, but it’s one of the best golf games on the NES. It also distinguishes itself as the most realistic golf title on the console. The fact that it won me over after a really bad first impression says a lot for the careful thought put into the design of this game. It’s well worth a try, but you may want to watch some demo videos of Golf Grand Slam before buying it.
Thank you for reading this review!
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