The Neo Geo was home to many classic arcade sports games, and one of the most fondly remembered was Neo Turf Masters. One of the arcade sports games that represented the peak of the 2D Era, Neo Turf Masters is still one of the most beloved golf video games all these years later. Despite SNK’s penchant for over the top arcade style gameplay in its sports games, Neo Turf Masters went more for easy to understand mechanics that still felt authentic to the sport in real life, striking a bit of a middle ground.
Many golf video games have been released in the years since, and have gone on to form long running series, such as Everybody’s Golf and Mario Golf, while other arcade Golf games like the Golden Tee games also appeared. Yet Neo Turf Masters is regarded as one of the best golf games ever made, and has a fanbase as large or even larger than many later golf games. It is certainly the case that charm and nostalgia ply a role, but it is more than just that, as even people who are not fans of golf have found the game to be a fun experience that you just want to keep playing.
For some background information, Neo Turf Masters, was developed by Metal Slug developer Nazca and the studios’ art style is very evident from the first few minutes of playing. Nazca used ideas they would later bring to the Metal Slug series, by keeping the core gameplay simple with controls that are easy to figure out almost right away, by tapping a button to select your swing power and then tapping again to set the height of your swing . Of course, you can also alter the direction of your shot, but additional you are able to use the buttons to add a bit of spin to your ball to get around obstacles.
As said, it sounds simple but there is a surprising amount of depth here, such with six different golfers who each have strengths and weaknesses that set them apart. You can also pick a different club if you want and then pick one of four international courses for the game’s Stroke Play mode. The goal is to play through each hole and sink the ball in as few shots as possible, as taking too many shots will penalize you and force you to use a continue, while sending you down the rankings.
The courses get surprisingly realistic, as things like terrain and even wind speed must be factored in before you swing, while also determining how much power to use on your swing. It works surprisingly well, especially when you have things like fading and chipped shots that force you to really consider each move. Despite this sounding more complex than simple, Neo Turf Masters is indeed very easy to get the hang on, and it is this combination of simple and easy to understand, and actual depth to the gameplay that has helped give Neo Turf Masters such a large fanbase among gamers.
As stated before, Neo Turf Masters is visually stunning and animated very well. Nazca went all out here, showing what they would later due with their more famous series, and it is almost upsetting they did not make more games like this. This is especially the case as members of Nazca has been part of the team at Irem that made the arcade game Major Title 2: Tournament Leader. Sure, Nazca scored a major hit with the Metal Slug series, but it would have been amazing to see the original team make a second Neo Turf Masters back in the day.
Now, almost 30 years later, Neo Turf Masters still looks great and plays great and feels like a game almost anyone can just sit down and enjoy. There is a great two player mode as well, so friends can play this classic together, and that is something that keeps Neo Turf Masters alive. This is a Golf game that is all about having fun and being with friends, dating back to its roots in the arcade, and that has helped Neo Turf Masters keep its title of the best retro golf video game, with few coming ever close to challenging it.
