Neo Turf Masters / Big Tournament Golf

SNK Neo-Geo MVS cart. published 28 years ago:

Big Tournament Golf (c) 1996 Nazca Corporation.

Big Tournament Golf is an arcade golf game in which one or two players choose from a selection of six different golfers, each of which has different strengths and weaknesses to their game. This allows players to select a golfer that suits their preferred style of gameplay.

The six golfers and their attributes are:
* Young Hero (USA) Driving 3 - Accuracy 3 - Skill 3 - Recovery 3 - Putting 3
* Technician (United Kingdom) Driving 2 - Accuracy 4 - Skill 5 - Recovery 4 - Putting 3
* Veteran (Australia) Driving 1 - Accuracy 2 - Skill 4 - Recovery 5 - Putting 2
* Shot Maker (Germany) Driving 4 - Accuracy 5 - Skill 2 - Recovery 2 - Putting 4
* Power Golfer (Brazil) Driving 5 - Accuracy 1 - Skill 1 - Recovery 1 - Putting 1
* Putt Master (Japan) Driving 3 - Accuracy 2 - Skill 4 - Recovery 2 - Putting 5

Players can choose to play on one of four eighteen-hole courses: Germany, Japan, Australia and U.S.A. Two game modes are available: one-player stroke play against the CPU, or stroke or match-play against a second player.

Unlike many golf games of the era that used a two-click swing system to determine the hook or slice of the ball, "Neo Turf Masters" uses a single click for the power of the shot and a second for the height of the shot. Hook and slice are determined before making the shot.

Big Tournament Golf follows the standard golf scoring system. The order from the best to the worst performance is:
Albatros (3 hits under Par)
Eagle (2 hits under Par)
Birdie (1 hit under Par)
Par (reach the par for the hole)
Bogey (1 hit over Par)
Double Bogey (2 hits over Par)
Triple Bogey (3 hits over Par)

If players miss the attempt to make a Triple Bogey, they will have to give up the hole and will suffer an additional penalty. If the ball lands out of bounds or in the water, the player will be penalized one stroke.

* Contests are sometimes announced at the start of a hole:

1) The closest to the pin contest: players must hit the ball as close as possible to the pin when driving off. If their ball gets closer to the pin than the previous record, they will earn a bonus hole.

2) The longest driving contest: players must drive the ball as far as possible. If they exceed the previous record, they will earn a bonus hole.

- TECHNICAL -

Runs on the SNK "Neo-Geo MVS" hardware.
Game ID : NGM-200

Players : 2
Control : 8-way joystick
Buttons : 3
=> [A] Power then Height and shot, [B] Hook, [C] Slice

- TRIVIA -

Big Tournament Golf was released in January 1996 in Japan.

This game is known outside Japan as Neo Turf Masters.

This is the first Nazca game written for the Neo-Geo MVS. Nazca was formed over Irem's death by Irem ex-members with the financal help of SNK. Nasca was originally financed by SNK to adapt their arcade games for home consoles like Playstation and Saturn.

- TIPS AND TRICKS -

* Random Selection: Press A+B+C+D at the player selection and/or the course selection screen.

* Sometimes contests appear during a hole:

1) The closest to the pin contest: you have to hit the ball as close as possible to the hole in one hit. If the ball gets closer to the pin than the previous record, you will earn a bonus hole.

2) The longest driving contest: you have to drive the ball as far as possible. If you exceed the previous record, you will earn a bonus hole.

- SERIES -

1. Neo Turf Masters (1996)
2. Neo Turf Masters (1999, SNK Neo-Geo Pocket Color)

- STAFF -

Big boss : Y. Kohdoh
Boss : Takashi Nishiyama
System engineer : Middle
Chief designer : Kinte
Designer : Kon. Kitakichine, Kozo, Ken Kui, Jyun Y., Ozi
Music director : Hiya
S.E. coordinator : Jin jin
Voice : Yoshimi & Steve
Chief programmer : Mr N.
Programmer : H. Yamada, Zen, Hirokun, Kohkishi

- PORTS -

* CONSOLES:
SNK Neo-Geo CD (1996)
[US] Sony PS2 (may.05, 2008) "SNK Arcade Classics Vol.1 [Model SLUS-21724]"
[US] Sony PSP (may.05, 2008) "SNK Arcade Classics Vol.1 [Model ULUS-10338]"
[KO] Sony PS2 (may.29, 2008) "SNK Arcade Classics Vol.1 [Model SLKA-25424]"
[US] Nintendo Wii (jul.29, 2008) "SNK Arcade Classics Vol.1 [Model RVL-P-RNCE]"
[EU] Sony PSP (Oct. 17, 2008) "SNK Arcade Classics Vol.1 [Model ULES-01105]"
[EU] Nintendo Wii (Oct. 31, 2008) "SNK Arcade Classics Vol.1 [Model RVL-P-RJZP]"