Jack Nicklaus' Power Challenge Golf

From Sega Retro

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JackNicklausPowerChallengeGolf title.png

Jack Nicklaus' Power Challenge Golf
System(s): Sega Mega Drive
Publisher: Accolade
Developer:
Supporting companies:
Distributor: Ecofilmes (PT)
Licensor: Golden Bear International
Sound driver: Accolade sound driver
Genre: Sports (golf)

















Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Mega Drive
US
$59.9559.95[3] T-119016
Sega Mega Drive
EU
T-119016-50
Sega Mega Drive
PT
Sega Mega Drive
UK
£39.9939.99[6][7] T-119016-50
Sega Mega Drive
AU
FJAC02GMC

Jack Nicklaus' Power Challenge Golf is a golf game for the Sega Mega Drive. It is an entry in Accolade's Jack Nicklaus series of golf simulations, endorsed by the professional golfer of the same name.

Gameplay

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Hole overview
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Driving and putting

As a simulation with roots on home computers, Power Challenge Golf is a slow-paced, statistic-heavy interpretation of the sport, with no in-game music and limited sound effects. There are three courses (English Turn Country Club, Sherwood Country Club, and Baltusrol Golf Club), all based on real-life courses located in the United States and containing 18 holes. The English Turn and Sherwood Country courses were designed by Jack Nicklaus. The game contains a battery backup that can store custom golfers for the players, statistics for each golfer (saved after completing a round), records (prompting the player to enter a date to save with it), and a game in progress to be continued later.

Before each hole, the player is given advice by Jack Nicklaus, then shown an overhead view of the hole with the par and the tee distances. The player can move a pointer around the map using the D-Pad and view the hole from the location of the pointer by pressing B. Or the player can use the "auto caddy" feature to measure distances by pressing C. The start point is the location of the cursor when pressing C, and the end point is wherever the player moves the D-Pad; pressing C again cancels and lets the player draw another line. The player can start the hole when ready by pressing A.

Gameplay is shown from a 3D perspective behind the golfer. The bottom of the screen shows the wind direction and intensity, the current golfer, the distance to the pin, the golfer's overall score for the round, the current stroke, the par for the hole, the current hole, the direction that the golfer is facing, the type of shot, and the selected club. The player can aim the shot with Left or Right (though moving enough to rotate the view incurs a delay as the game redraws the view) or change the selected club with Up or Down. The game automatically picks an appropriate club for the current lie (from a selection of 14 clubs, which are the same for every golfer and not selected by the player) and shows the estimated drive distance for the current club.

The swing meter takes up the full horizontal length of the bottom section of the screen. The player can start a swing by pressing A, which causes the colored portion of the swing meter to empty to indicate the swing power. The lower the meter empties, the more power the swing will have. The player can press A again to stop the meter at the desired power level. A red marker indicates an optimal power level, but the player may wish to stop the meter somewhere else depending on the situation (for example, lower for a more powerful drive or higher for a lighter putt). Then the meter fills again, indicating the swing accuracy, and the player can press A again to stop the meter. The last marker shows the optimal point for a straight shot; stopping the meter before this point causes the shot to veer left and stopping the meter after this point causes the shot to veer right. Failing to stop the meter on either the power or the accuracy step selects the extreme in either case, generally leading to a wildly inaccurate shot.

Before starting the swing meter, the player can toggle the type of shot by pressing C. When driving, this switches between a Full Swing (a high-flying shot that maximizes the distance traveled) and a Punch Shot (a low-flying shot intended to avoid hazards such as trees or mitigate wind). When putting, this switches between a Full Swing (a normal putt) and a Tap In (a very light tap when next to the cup to avoid overshooting it). Tap In shots are done automatically with the same power level every time.

After a shot, the player has a choice to replay the shot (including a reverse replay for shots, besides putts).

The player can raise an options menu by pressing B. It contains items to open the overhead view of the hole (the same screen that appears before the hole), view an inset view of the green, view the score card or statistics for the current round, view the leaderboard in a tournament, change the club from a list of every club, view the Jack Nicklaus quote for the hole again, open the Control Panel, or quit the current game (with the option to save it so it can be resumed later) and return to the Clubhouse. The Control Panel contains additional options to adjust the wind speed, change the weather conditions (wet or dry), toggle the "break grid" (the grid shown over the green when putting), toggle "Fast Play" (which skips the detailed statistics after each hole and only shows the leaderboard and skips the Jack Nicklaus advice screen and the overhead view between each hole), and decide the number of controllers for multiplayer games (one or two, with both control pads able to control any player, so it is up to the players to decide how to split them).

Modes

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Mode select
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Golfer select
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Driving range
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Practice green

There are two game modes:

  • Skins: Two to four golfers compete for prize money. Each hole has a cash prize (called a "skin") that is awarded to the golfer with the lowest score on that hole. If two or more players tie, the money for that hole is carried over to the next hole. At the end of the round, the player with the most money is the winner. Players can change the prize money awarded for each hole before starting the round.
  • Stroke Play: One to four golfers take turns and try to complete each hole in the fewest number of strokes. The winner of the round is the player who has the lowest overall score for all 18 holes. If played by one player, the player has no competitor and simply tries to achieve the lowest possible score.

The golfers in either mode can be human-controlled or computer-controlled (so any mode can be played by a single player against computer opponents or by computer players alone as a watch mode). Human players create a golfer by specifying a name, a gender, a tee (Men's, Pro, Championship, or Ladies), a skill level (Beginner, Advanced, or Expert), and a sprite (from two male sprites and one female sprite). The tee affects the starting distance from the cup (with Championship being the furthest and Ladies being the closest), and the skill level affects how quickly the shot meter moves (and therefore how accurate the player must be to use it effectively). Computer players are chosen from a list of nine golfers (six male and three female), including Jack Nicklaus. For computer golfers (except Jack Nicklaus), players can edit their shot tendencies (straight, draw, or fade for hits and straight, left, or right for putts) and their accuracy distance with each type of club (drivers, woods, irons 2-5, irons 6-SW, long putts, and short putts).

After selecting a game mode and the golfers, players can choose from multiple options:

  • Play a round: Plays a single round on all 18 holes of the course. Weather conditions (rain and wind) are decided randomly.
  • Play tournament: Plays a tournament of 1 to 5 rounds with 1 to 15 players. Additional players are computer-controlled (and can be populated automatically or manually by the player), and their games are not shown but appear on the leaderboard after each hole.
  • Practice a hole: Practices a single hole on the currently selected course.
  • Driving range: Practices swinging on the driving range. Players can choose any club (besides the putter) and hit the ball on a long range with no obstacles. The game shows the distance that the ball traveled after each drive.
  • Practice green: Practices putting on the practice green.
  • Hole in One Club: Shows a list of players who have gotten a hole-in-one on the current course (with the hole, the skill tee of the golfer, and the date). Records are saved to the cartridge.
  • Best Rounds: Shows the players with the seven best scores on the current course (with their skill tee and the date). Records are saved to the cartridge.

History

Development

[The game was the] first industry motion captured 3D graphics for animation. Using a system initially commercialized by a company called BioWare to analyze golf swings we were able to adapt it to our own 3D models and characters for the purpose of rendering 2D sprite animations akin to the same approach as in Donkey Kong Country. The motion data was, in another industry first, adapted to fit multiple skeleton targets to save animation work. This development was done with Wavefront Kinemation (one of the precursors of Maya).

Programmer David Galloway[1]


Release

Jack Nicklaus' Power Challenge Golf was released right in the middle of a famous lawsuit between Sega and Accolade, and as such, initial US copies of the game were distributed without a license from Sega. After the lawsuit was dropped, US packaging would include a Sega Seal of Quality, but in the form of an added sticker. EU versions, released slightly later, would be distributed in redesigned packaging, complete with official Sega branding.

Versions

Each entry in Accolade's Jack Nicklaus series between 1988 and 1993 offered often minor iterations on the previous game, and they are all descendants of Jack Nicklaus' Greatest 18 Holes of Major Championship Golf for home computers. Power Challenge Golf is the last in the lineage (with 1997's Jack Nicklaus 4 running on an entirely different and more powerful game engine) and stems primarily from the 1992 IBM PC release of Jack Nicklaus Golf & Course Design: Signature Edition. The Mega Drive version is scaled down and lacks the course editor but includes an additional course (Baltusrol).

Production credits

  • Software Design by: C. Heath
  • Producer: Pam Levins
  • Design Consultants: Terry Jastrow, Michael Pithey of Jack Nicklaus Productions
  • Artists: George Karalias, Joanne Murphy, C. Heath
Source:
In-game credits
Jack Nicklaus' Power Challenge Golf MD credits.png
[8]


Magazine articles

Main article: Jack Nicklaus' Power Challenge Golf/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

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Print advert in Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) #44: "March 1993" (1993-xx-xx)
also published in:
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Print advert in Mega Force (FR) #19: "Ete 1993" (1993-0x-xx)
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Print advert in AS Magazin-Video Igrice (YU) #13: "Jul-Avgust 1995" (1995-xx-xx)
also published in:
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Artwork

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
68 [13]
Sega Mega Drive
68
Based on
1 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)
50
[14]
1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)
60
[15]
Electronic Games (1992-1995) (US) NTSC-U
87
[16]
Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide (UK)
42
[17]
Game Power (IT) PAL
67
[18]
GamePro (US) NTSC-U
75
[19]
Hobby Consolas (ES)
76
[20]
Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK) PAL
50
[21]
Mega (UK) PAL
79
[4]
Mega Action (UK) PAL
75
[22]
Mega Force (FR)
60
[23]
Mean Machines Sega (UK) PAL
53
[24]
Sega Magazin (DE)
82
[25]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
74
[7]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
72
[26]
Sega Force Mega (UK) PAL
53
[27]
Tricks 16 bit (RU)
67
[28]
Video Games (DE) PAL
84
[29]
Sega Mega Drive
67
Based on
18 reviews

Jack Nicklaus' Power Challenge Golf

Mega Drive, US
JNPCG MD US Box Back.jpgJNPCG MD US Box.jpg
Cover
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Cart
Mega Drive, EU (UK/FR/DE Manual)
Jack Nicklaus MD EU Alt Cover.jpg
Cover
JNPCG MD EU Cart.jpg
Cart
Jack Nicklaus MD EU Manual in EN FR DE.jpg
Manual
Mega Drive, EU (UK/ES/IT Manual)
JNPCG MD EU Box.jpg
Cover
JNPCG MD EU Cart.jpg
Cart
Jack Nicklaus MD EU Manual in EN ES IT.jpg
Manual
Mega Drive, PT

Mega Drive, AU

Technical information

Main article: Jack Nicklaus' Power Challenge Golf/Technical information.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-galloway-59abb4/details/experience/
  2. GamePro, "April 1993" (US; 1993-xx-xx), page 111
  3. GamePro, "August 1993" (US; 1993-xx-xx), page 125
  4. 4.0 4.1 Mega, "July 1993" (UK; 1993-06-17), page 60
  5. Sega Pro, "July 1993" (UK; 1993-06-10), page 19
  6. Sega Force Mega, "October 1993" (UK; 1993-08-19), page 59
  7. 7.0 7.1 Sega Power, "August 1993" (UK; 1993-07-01), page 66
  8. File:Jack Nicklaus' Power Challenge Golf MD credits.png
  9. GamePro, "July 1993" (US; 1993-xx-xx), page 131
  10. Sega Visions, "August/September 1993" (US; 1993-xx-xx), page 93
  11. Svet Kompjutera, "Jul/Avgust 1995" (YU; 1995-xx-xx), page 2
  12. Svet Kompjutera, "Septembar 1995" (YU; 1995-xx-xx), page 32
  13. GamesMaster, "October 1993" (UK; 1993-09-10), page 88
  14. 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 143
  15. 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 238
  16. Electronic Games (1992-1995), "June 1993" (US; 1993-05-11), page 54
  17. Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide, "" (UK; 1993-11-18), page 59
  18. Game Power, "Novembre 1993" (IT; 1993-1x-xx), page 127
  19. GamePro, "August 1993" (US; 1993-xx-xx), page 124
  20. Hobby Consolas, "Agosto 1993" (ES; 1993-xx-xx), page 94
  21. Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "August 1993" (UK; 1993-06-24), page 26
  22. Mega Action, "September 1993" (UK; 1993-08-12), page 19
  23. Mega Force, "Octobre 1993" (FR; 1993-10-08), page 120
  24. Mean Machines Sega, "August 1993" (UK; 1993-06-30), page 74
  25. Sega Magazin, "November/Dezember 1993" (DE; 1993-11-03), page 38
  26. Sega Pro, "September 1993" (UK; 1993-08-12), page 82
  27. Sega Force Mega, "October 1993" (UK; 1993-08-19), page 58
  28. Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 199
  29. Video Games, "8/93" (DE; 1993-07-28), page 88


Jack Nicklaus' Power Challenge Golf

JackNicklausPowerChallengeGolf title.png

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