What The Critics Are Saying About Mario Golf: Super Rush

"Mario Golf: Super Rush" promises to amaze fans by throwing Mario and pals into a chaotic golf battle set right in the Mushroom Kingdom.  As Nintendo has revealed new information about "Mario Golf: Super Rush," hype for the game has steadily built. A new official render of Waluigi from "Super Rush" delighted fans who felt rather thirsty for the gangly villain. The marketing has clearly had an effect on people: Following E3 2021, GameStop reported that fans preordered the new Mario-themed sports title in droves.

Of course, gamers didn't know exactly what they'd be getting from "Mario Golf: Super Rush," especially considering the fact that Mario sports titles haven't always been what players expected. Luckily, video game critics around the world have weighed in on the new golf-themed title. 

While some of the reviews are mixed, critics have mostly enjoyed "Mario Golf: Super Rush," complimenting its various modes of play and its clever level design. "Super Rush" may have some kinks to work out, but that apparently hasn't stopped it from being an all around enjoyable entry in the sub-genre of Mario sports games.

"Mario Golf: Super Rush" has a story mode, which sets it apart from many of the other Mario sports titles, but critics are divided on how interesting the tale actually is. Chris Plante, who reviewed "Super Rush" for Polygon, called it "unquestionably the best Mario sports title since the days of the GameCube and Game Boy Advance." He described the story mode as "quite compelling," specifically noting weird twists in the plot and the frequent inclusion of Wario and Waluigi, two of the most notorious (and silliest) Nintendo villains.

Plante argued that "Super Rush" diverges from the previous "Mario Golf" game, "Advance Tour," by putting time restrictions on almost everything. Players have to rush across ingenuously created greenways in order to reach their golf balls, racing against both other opponents and the clock to get to the finish line. Plante explained that the emphasis on time makes the game engaging, but also makes it stand out from real-life golf enough to be interesting. 

Brian Shea at Game Informer strongly disagreed, explaining that the story mode's "shine wears off fast." Shea praised the basic mechanics of "Mario Golf: Super Rush," but he explained that its timed challenges aren't "taken far enough; too often the running parts of this mode feel uneventful, and the action often feels like filler between your strokes."

Simon Cardy, who reviewed "Super Rush" for IGN, said that he "just can't place 'Super Rush' in the category of a top-tier 'Mario Golf' game," even though he enjoyed the game's Speed Golf mode. He wrote that Speed Golf felt more engaging than the main story mode, "because each shot you take adds 30 seconds to your time, so taking those extra few moments to line up a better shot will benefit you in the long run because the victor is determined by speed rather than who takes the fewest strokes." In other words, Speed Golf takes all the quiet waiting around out of golf in favor of the chaotic fun of characters running over each other.

Mike Fahey at Kotaku agreed, arguing that Speed Golf is "downright exciting," especially since golf is typically more slow-paced and methodical. Fahey enjoyed Speed Golf just fine, but actually felt that "Super Rush" really shines during its normal golf mode.

No matter which mode players prefer to experience, "Mario Golf: Super Rush" has you covered. Players can take a leisurely stroll around the greenway and hit a few balls, or they can barrel across the landscape to beat their rivals to the next hole.