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Mezase Top Pro! AIM!!!

Mezase Top Pro is definitely the best golf game for either Famicom or the Nintendo Entertainment System. (Trust me I've tried all of them.) Mezase is even better than The Golf '92 for Famicom and it's about ten times better than any golf game for the NES.

In Mezase you get two 18 hole courses to practice and compete among amateurs and professional computer players - or even play 2 players with your friends. The gameplay is very solid and you will find difficulty dealing with the wind levels making your golf ball fly straight into the bunker (or the water.) The difficulty level is high. I consider myself quite good at this game - qualifying for pro with eight under in the amateur qualification only to go on to place eleventh place in the pro circuit.

The best thing about this game is the mode of gameplay because it is one of the only golf games that gauges the player's shot on the green from outside of it meaning it is actually conceivable and possible to make a hole in one on some holes.

In playing Top Pro you basically get two game modes - practice mode and career mode. Career mode is really fun - all you have to do is qualify among the top ten amateurs to get sponsored to play in the professional league. You can practice your shots in the clubhouse, you can buy different sets of clubs and even ask your caddy for advice during a hole - plus you can request a mulligan whatever that even is.

The music is also very good. In practice and amateur rounds the music is only slightly repetitive but in professional league it plays different - much better music. If nothing else you should download this just to listen to the pro league music - it is probably some of the best ever made for Famicom.

This English translation is definitely playable even though it has some major issues. The translation is obviously incomplete (85%) but there isn't much that detracts heavily from immersion. The problems are this:

• When entering your name for career mode there are some characters that are unavailable like the period character and there are other double characters which are all defined by blank spaces. It's a little weird but all the main letters are clearly visible.

• a few of the mid-hole options screen selections appear as gibberish

• when being sponsored by the president sometimes this story text appears as gibberish and sometimes it appears perfectly translated - not sure how this works or why it happens.

• when you shoot for an eagle your caddy comment always comes up blank and when you make an eagle I think only sometimes does your caddy comment come up properly

That's about it! The game is great. Definitely download this and go play it immediately.

The caddy comments can be pretty funny too. When you land in a bunker the caddy will say "You were doing fine - until now." and if you splash the water they will tell you "Water Hazard." as if you didn't already know.

• resq