Joystiq [Nintendo]

Golf (NES, 1985*)

Oh, how we cherish the memory of games with such straightforward titles as this one. Golf, plain and simple. No tricks, no gimmicks--just an ordinary outing to the 8-bit country club with a nameless young gentleman in red, whom one could rightfully refer to as Mario. This era of electronic entertainment also represents the days before billion-dollar franchises dominated the marketplace, selling copies by title recognition alone. How terrific it would be if Mario could still star in a game without pimping his name and trademark attire!

Perhaps this early rendering highlights the influence of Mario Segali (a.k.a. the real Mario), Nintendo's former warehouse landlord whose characteristics supposedly informed the refined cartoon we now recognize. In any case, we're sort of in love with his red shoes shown on the box art, which must have been stashed away in a closet circa 1986 because we cannot remember having seen them since.

* release dates are for North America

10/10/08