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Mario Golf: Advance Tour gba Game Reviews
Mario Golf: Advance Tour
Critic Score
Metascore: 84 Metascore out of 100
User Score  
8.5 out of 10
based on 38 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
based on 6 votes
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This follow-up to the Game Boy Color game features multiple courses, a new swing-control mechanism, a myriad of diverse and colorful courses. 3D graphics are employed, and the game features a Quick game mode as well as multiplayer matches for up to four hackers.

PUBLISHER: Nintendo
DEVELOPER: Camelot
GENRE(S): Sports, Golf
PLAYERS: 4
ESRB RATING: E (Everyone)
RELEASE DATE: June 21, 2004

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100
GBA Central
It is this exploration of every nook and cranny of the world that provides a surprisingly lengthy gaming experience. You will want to discover every mini-game, talk to every person, and earn every prize you can throughout the land.
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100
Nintendophiles
A fantastic golfing title that competes with the big boys. It features five full courses and a host of mini-games that'll keep people busy for those long road-trips. My only complaint would be that it is far too easy.
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95
GameCube Advanced
Its mechanics work so well, even with the casual gamer, yet so incredibly deep even for the advanced golfing professional (there’s even a massive golfing term dictionary in the game).
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95
IGN
The GBA game is far more realized a golfing design than its console brother, offering an immense amount of challenge in its wonderfully constructed gameplay.
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94
Nintendojo
If you like video game golf, you should find this game to be a “diamond in the rough”. It truly is an amazing golf game as well as a great portable RPG. I actually prefer Advance Tour to the GameCube big brother.
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93
WHAM! Gaming
The music will put you in the mood to hit that hole-in-one, and a taunting system that’s customizable will be sure to annoy the heck out of your friends when you play multiplayer.
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91
Play Magazine
With its wonderfully satisfying mini-RPG elements that bring welcome depth and structure to its lovingly detailed Nintendo world, this is a game that just loves to be played. [Aug 2004, p.59]
90
GMR Magazine
Because of its masterful pacing, detail, and variety, Advance Tour ranks up there with the champions of GBA games. Recommended even if you have zero interest in golf. [July 2004, p.87]
90
GameZone
The courses are fun, challenging, and impossible to give up on. The story mode's mini-games present even more challenges and are a great way to gain experience points.
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90
Yahoo! Games
This deceptively simple little golf game is packed with so much variety and gameplay that it belongs on everyone's "If you were stranded on a desert island..." list. And you don't even have to like golf.
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90
PALGN
Simply amazing. From the enjoyable story mode to the multiplayer the game just sounds, looks and plays terrifically.
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90
GameSpy
It's so good and so easily accessible that it has replaced my beloved "Final Fantasy Tactics Advance" cartridge as my travel game of choice. And really, that says more than any score could.
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90
GamePro
The Story mode also has one of the best golf tutorials around as characters in the Practice Area give you challenges in exchange for experience points. [July 2004, p.86]
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90
1UP
Take the solid gameplay of Toadstool Tour, add in Camelot's talent for top-class GBA visuals and music, and throw in a story mode that beats the pants off many "real" RPGs, and you've got the best GBA game you'll see all this summer.
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89
Armchair Empire
Big kudos and thumbs-up to Camelot for an excellent save system. Even if you’re in the middle of a match you can pick-up later and start playing from there (in any mode).
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88
Nintendo Power
It's "Golden Sun" with golf! I know that sounds odd, but the games have similar text bubbles, character designs and senses of humor. It's also a ton of fun. [Aug 2004, p.121]
87
Electronic Gaming Monthly
In Advance Tour, all the extraneous questing, character building, and item collecting just works. [July 2004, p.106]
86
Inside Gamer Online
A great game, and it’s arguably the best multiplayer experience on the Game Boy Advance.
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86
GameBiz
If it weren’t for the dodgy doubles partner and the near-impossible putting system, Mario Golf: Advance Tour would deserve a score well into the 90’s.
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85
eToychest
The lack of content in Advance Tour is a lingering tragedy, because the game excels in most other areas. Advance Tour is fun, addictive, and very relaxing--the sort of game you could easily spend sixty hours on over the course of a year of casual playing. It could have been one of the great games of this generation.
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85
Gamers Europe
Whilst it doesn't exactly blow our minds in terms of innovation or sheer coolness, we can't help but applaud the sheer amount of fun you get for your money.
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83
Cinescape
If there’s a single problem with the gameplay, it revolves around the overly simplified putting mechanisms. It’s just too simple to make 30-40 ft. putts and I do it regularly.
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82
GameSpot
The addition of light role-playing elements to the otherwise standard golf gameplay doesn't always mesh particularly well, but the game is otherwise put together well enough that such minor design peculiarities are easy to overlook.
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80
EuroGamer
It's the quirky, totally un-golf-ish tasks that give the thing depth.
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80
GameSpot AU
It's thus highly recommended for golf game aficionados, especially if you liked the original Toadstool Tour.
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80
Gamenikki
Golf vets may be bored, but everyone else will have a ball.
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80
G4 TV
Not only is it the most advanced golf title yet seen on the system, it easily ranks as the best golf game on any handheld.
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80
Cheat Code Central
Even though it's full of flights of fanciful Mario elements, the physics reacts very realistically.
80
Weekly Famitsu
9 / 8 / 8 / 7 - 32 gold [Vol 802; 30 Apr 2004]
80
Game Informer
It's RPG aspects exceed the GameCube Mario Golf entirely. [June 2004, p.138]
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80
Gamer.tv
Visually, the pseudo 3-D effects are fairly convincing.
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79
netjak
Much like "Sword of Mana," Mario Golf: Advance Tour is a good game that is partially done in by really, really bad AI.
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75
NintendoWorldReport
Gamers who can put up with the clunky camera and jagged graphics will find Mario Golf: Advance Tour to be an enjoyable, arcade-style golf game that doesn’t stray from its roots.
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70
NTSC-uk
Advance Tour offers much more in terms of longevity and variety than "Toadstool Tour" did, but on the other hand, doesn't do it quite as slickly.
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70
games(TM)
As both a companion to the Cube version – with which the game links up – and a standalone game, Advance Tour has more than enough to keep you satisfied. [Sept 2004, p.121]
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70
GamerFeed
Did you get a chance to play "Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour" on the GameCube? If you liked that game, prepare to fall in love with this one.
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70
Gamestyle
Gamestyle found itself continually muttering "one more round" despite having completed our fifth one in a row. If it can make golf interesting, it must be doing something right.
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60
Edge Magazine
Stuffed with extra modes, supporting character upload to GC Toadstool Tour and bundled with a wireless adapter, Advance Tour is great value, but it's also rather clumsy and bland. Only in the minigames, when Mario and company show up both in person and in spirit … does it really find a life of its own. [July 2004, p.109]

What Our Users Said

Vote Now! The average user rating for this game is 8.5 (out of 10) based on 6 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

[Anonymous] gave it a10:
One of the best games that I have ever played.There are loads of game modes which makes the game last.

Greg H. gave it a 10:
GREAT game. Crazy fun, even moreso than the GC version, and that's saying a lot. I'd recommend this to anyone.

Mark C. gave it a 10:
This is a great way to pass the hours away. So many differnt modes will keep you busy for a long time to come.

Scott gave it a 9:
Great game! High replay value with lots of extras, hidden features, and hidden characters! Some courses are a bit easy, but loads of fun and the perfect game to whip out and play a quick 18 on!

Comic Book Guy gave it a 9:
This is one of the highest quality gba titles to date. The graphics are great, and the sound is borrowed from the gc version so it's more technical than most. There's plenty to do 1 player, and nice to know there's multiplayer with just 1 gba.

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