Links 386 Pro

Last updated
Links 386 Pro
Links 386 Pro cover art.jpg
Developer(s) Access Software
Publisher(s) Access Software [lower-alpha 1]
Designer(s) Vance Cook
Kevin Homer
Roger Carver
Artist(s) Bruce Carver
David F. Brown
Series Links
Platform(s) MS-DOS, Mac OS, FM Towns, PC-98
Release
July 1992
  • DOS
    • NA: July 1992
  • Mac OS
  • FM Towns
    • JP: February 1995
  • PC-98
    • JP: February 10, 1995
Genre(s) Sports
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

Links 386 Pro is a golf simulation sports game for MS-DOS released in 1992. It is part of the Links series, and was developed by Access Software as the follow-up to Links: The Challenge of Golf (1990). A Macintosh version, Links Pro, was released in 1994. [1] An enhanced version called Links 386 CD was released for PC in 1995 that included audio comments by comedian Bobcat Goldthwait acting as the player's caddie, and an aerial flyby of each hole streamed from the game's CD-ROM. Re-branded versions of the game were also released for Microsoft Windows under the titles Microsoft Golf 2.0 (1994) and Microsoft Golf 3.0 (1996), part of the Microsoft Golf series.

Contents

Gameplay

The player on the tee. (MS-DOS) Links 386 Pro screenshot.png
The player on the tee. (MS-DOS)

Players select a male or female character and their clothing. [2] They select the level of play (beginner, amateur, and pro) and tee position. [3] The player can control character direction and foot position, [4] and the shot is controlled by a swing meter, held to the top for power and released and clicked again as it swings back to the bottom for direction - early will hook and late will slice. [5] Players can select from multiple views, split the screen, and record shots. [2] [5] Shots can be repeated (a mulligan) and short putts taken (a gimme). [5]

In 1994, the Computer Sports Network ran the Links Tour, an online tournament of 250 players accessible via modem. [6]

Technical features

The game ran relatively quickly because it was written in assembly code, [7] though courses could take several seconds to be drawn on less powerful systems. [3] The courses were drawn piece by piece, beginning with the backdrop, then the buildings, then the plants. [5] It was considered to use a large amount of memory for the time, running best on 8 MB. [2] On the Mac, it ran best on a Power Mac [2] and on the PC at least a 386 was required. [3] Some features could be turned off to increase the running speed. [5] The game featured Super VGA graphics, one of the first games to do so. [3] It features sounds such as birds, frogs, comments from the golfers, and applause. [2] [8] [4] On the Mac, voice control of the game was available. [2]

Different versions of Links 386 Pro, Links 386 CD, and the Microsoft Golf derivatives included either one or two courses presented through digitized images, and additional courses could be purchased separately. Lower resolution courses for the earlier game, Links: The Challenge of Golf , can be converted for play in Links 386 Pro. [3] [9] A subsequent version, titled Links 386 CD, [10] includes the voice of Bobcat Goldthwait as the player's caddie. [11]

Through a deal with Access Software, Microsoft published its own Links games for Microsoft Windows under the Microsoft Golf name. Microsoft Golf 2.0 (1994; Windows 3.0) is a version of Links 386 Pro that includes Firestone South Course and Torrey Pines South Course, [12] [13] [14] while Microsoft Golf 3.0 (1996; Windows 95) features the same courses as Links 386 Pro. [15] [16] Microsoft Golf 3.0 was included with many personal computers as a pre-loaded game. [17] Both Microsoft Golf 2.0 and Golf 3.0 have 16-bit Windows components [18] but also make use of Win32s. [19]

Courses

Links 386 Pro had one included course, Harbour Town, and additional courses could be purchased separately under the "Links Championship Courses" branding. [20] Microsoft Golf 2.0 instead included Torrey Pines and Firestone. Links 386 CD and Microsoft Golf 3.0 also featured Harbour Town but added a second course that varied regionally, with North American copies including Banff Springs while Europe received The Belfry.

Additional courses could be purchased individually on floppy disc or CD, with some releases including a flyby video for use only with Links 386 CD, Microsoft Golf 2.0, and Microsoft Golf 3.0. Most of the add-on courses would later be offered in four 5-course bundles that were also compatible with later releases in the series.

In addition to buying courses, a tool was included with the game that could convert the eight courses that had been made available for the original Links: The Challenge of Golf: Torrey Pines, Firestone, Bountiful Municipal Golf Course, Bay Hill Club, Pinehurst Country Club, Dorado Beach East Course, Barton Creek-Fazio, and Troon North. The converted courses were at a lower resolution than the courses natively created for Links 386, and newer versions of these courses were later sold with better graphics. [20]

Development

Links 386 Pro was developed with a budget of $500,000, which was mostly allocated towards employee salaries, and took nearly three years to make, according to Chris Jones. The game was released in the second week of July 1992. [21]

Reception

Links 386 Pro was a commercial success, with sales of roughly 400,000 units by July 1994. At the time, Bruce Carver of Access Software estimated that its actual ownership number was "at least 1.6 million" thanks to software piracy. [29]

The graphics were much praised, described as "almost photo-realistic". [2] Some players complained that achieving a low scoring round was too easy. [4] Computer Gaming World in 1992 stated "the final word in golf—for now, at least—is Links 386 Pro, praising the game's "stunning" Super VGA graphics and "dream come true" gameplay. The magazine predicted that "it is quite likely that the only thing to ever beat this game will be yet another version of Links. [4]

In 1993 Links received a Codie award from the Software Publishers Association for Best Sports Program, [27] [28] and Computer Gaming World awarded it Overall Game of the Year, stating that doing so was "pretty obvious" given how long Links 386 Pro had been at the top of the magazine's Top 100 Games list. [26] In 1994, it was reported that "Links 386 Pro easily leads the market for golf games". [6] That year, PC Gamer US named Links 386 Pro the 6th best computer game ever. The editors called it "one of the most polished and professional games ever produced". [30] In 1996, Computer Gaming World declared Links 386 the 26th-best computer game ever released. [31]

In 2014, PC PowerPlay listed Links 386 Pro among the 100 most influential PC games, saying it was "the perfect way to demonstrate all 40MHz worth of computing power in one’s brand new PC." [32]

The Age reviewed the Macintosh version, Links Pro, and wrote that "great depth and realism makes it the golf game for serious indoor swingers." [1] Links Pro received a score of 4.5 out of 5 from MacUser . [23] Links Pro sold 19,699 during 1997 in the United States, and was among that year's best-selling Mac games in the country. [33]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Released in Japan by Japanese publisher Cybelle.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PC game</span> Electronic game played on a personal computer

A personal computer game, also known as a computer game or abbreviated PC game, is a video game played on a personal computer (PC). They are defined by the open platform nature of PC systems.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Access Software</span> American video game developer

Access Software, Inc. was an American video game developer based in Salt Lake City, Utah. Founded in November 1982 by Bruce Carver and Chris Jones, the company created the Beach Head, Links and Tex Murphy series, as well as Raid over Moscow. Access Software was acquired by Microsoft in April 1999, transitioning in name twice before being acquired by Take-Two Interactive in October 2004, receiving the name Indie Built. In January 2005, Access Software became part of Take-Two's 2K label. Following a poor financial performance at Take-Two, Indie Built was closed down in May 2006.

<i>Dragon Lore</i> 1994 video game

Dragon Lore: The Legend Begins is a point-and-click adventure game released in 1994 by Cryo Interactive for MS-DOS, and later ported to the 3DO video game console. The game was a commercial success, with sales of 300,000 units by 1997. An emulated version was released for Microsoft Windows and macOS in 2013.

<i>The Need for Speed</i> 1994 video game

The Need for Speed is a 1994 racing game developed by EA Canada, originally known as Pioneer Productions, and published by Electronic Arts for 3DO in 1994. It allows driving eight licensed sports cars in three point-to-point tracks either with or without a computer opponent. Checkpoints, traffic vehicles, and police pursuits appear in the races.

Links is a series of golf simulation video games, first developed by Access Software, and then later by Microsoft after it acquired Access Software in 1999. Microsoft also produced its own series of golf games based on Links, under the title Microsoft Golf. The Links series was a flagship brand for Access, and was continued from 1990 to 2003. The first game in the series, Links: The Challenge of Golf, won Computer Gaming World's 1991 Action Game of the Year award.

<i>Star Wars: TIE Fighter</i> 1994 video game

Star Wars: TIE Fighter is a 1994 Star Wars space flight simulator and space combat video game, a sequel in the Star Wars: X-Wing series. It places the player in the role of an Imperial starfighter pilot during events that occur between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.

<i>Links 2001</i> Golf video game by Microsoft

Links 2001 is a golf video game developed and published by Microsoft. It is part of the Links series and follows Links LS 2000. It is the first game in the series to include a golf course designer, allowing the player to create custom courses. It also features Arnold Palmer, Sergio García, and Annika Sörenstam as playable golfers.

<i>Links LS 1997</i> 1996 sports video game

Links LS 1997 is a golf video game developed and published by Access Software for DOS. It was released in 1996, and is part of the Links video game series, following Links 386 Pro (1992). It was followed by Links LS 1998.

<i>Links LS 1998</i> 1997 sports video game

Links LS 1998 is a golf video game developed and published by Access Software. It is part of the Links video game series, following Links LS (1996). It was released in 1997, and is the first game in the series to be published for Microsoft Windows. The game was well received, and was followed by Links LS 1999.

<i>Jack Nicklaus 6: Golden Bear Challenge</i> 1999 video game

Jack Nicklaus 6: Golden Bear Challenge is a golf video game developed by Hypnos Entertainment and published by Activision for Microsoft Windows. It is part of a series of golfing games named after golfer Jack Nicklaus, and is the first in the series to feature him as a playable golfer. Producer and designer Mike Franco, who produced previous games in the series, began working on the game in November 1997, when Jack Nicklaus 5 was released.

<i>Jack Nicklaus Golf & Course Design: Signature Edition</i> 1992 video game

Jack Nicklaus Golf & Course Design: Signature Edition is a 1992 golf video game developed by Sculptured Software and published by Accolade for MS-DOS. It is part of a series of games named after golfer Jack Nicklaus, and follows Jack Nicklaus' Unlimited Golf & Course Design (1990). Like its predecessor, the game includes a golf course designer that allows the player to create customized courses. Two add-on disks provide additional courses. In 1995, both disks were re-released along with Signature Edition as a compilation titled Jack Nicklaus: The Tour Collection.

Jack Nicklaus is a series of golf video games named after golfer Jack Nicklaus. The first game, Jack Nicklaus' Greatest 18 Holes of Major Championship Golf, was developed by Sculptured Software and published by Accolade. It was released for various platforms beginning in 1988. Accolade would publish subsequent games in the series for the next decade, before selling the rights to Activision in 1998. Activision published a sixth game in the series, Jack Nicklaus 6: Golden Bear Challenge, in 1999, but chose not to publish a sequel due to poor sales. The next game in the series, Jack Nicklaus Perfect Golf, was released by a new company in 2016.

<i>Links: The Challenge of Golf</i> 1990 video game

Links: The Challenge of Golf is a golf video game developed by Access Software. It was published for MS-DOS in 1990, followed by the Amiga in 1992. A Sega CD version, developed by Papyrus Design Group, was released in 1994. It is the first game in the Links series, and was followed by Links 386 Pro (1992). A Microsoft Windows version, titled Microsoft Golf, was released in 1992 as the first game in the Microsoft Golf series.

<i>Links LS 2000</i> 1999 video game

Links LS 2000 is a golf video game developed by Access Software and published by Microsoft. It is part of the Links series and was released in 1999 for Microsoft Windows, and in 2000 for Macintosh. It was followed by Links 2001.

<i>Microsoft Golf 1998 Edition</i> 1998 video game

Microsoft Golf 1998 Edition is a 1998 golf video game developed by American studio Friendly Software and published by Microsoft for Microsoft Windows. It is the fourth game in the Microsoft Golf series, following Microsoft Golf 3.0. The game uses a revamped design that is substantially different from its predecessors.

<i>Microsoft Golf 1999 Edition</i> Developed by American studio Friendly Software

Microsoft Golf 1999 Edition is a golf video game developed by American studio Friendly Software and published by Microsoft for Microsoft Windows. It was released in the United States in late 1998. It is the fifth game in the Microsoft Golf series, following Microsoft Golf 1998 Edition, which was also developed by Friendly Software.

<i>Links Extreme</i> 1999 video game

Links Extreme is a 1999 golf video game developed by Access Software and published by Microsoft for Microsoft Windows. It is the first game in the Links series to be published by Microsoft, which purchased Access Software a month prior to the game's release.

<i>MicroProse Golf</i> Golf video game

MicroProse Golf is a golf video game developed by The Thought Train and published by MicroProse. It was released in 1991 for Amiga and Atari ST. In 1992, an enhanced MS-DOS version, featuring golf instructor David Leadbetter, was released in the United States as David Leadbetter's Greens and in the United Kingdom as David Leadbetter's Golf. The game's variety was praised, and some critics considered it the best golf game available.

<i>PGA Championship Golf 1999 Edition</i> 1999 video game

PGA Championship Golf 1999 Edition is a 1999 golf video game developed by Headgate Studios and published by Sierra Sports for Microsoft Windows. The game includes eight golf courses and a golf swing method known as TrueSwing, which uses the movement of the computer mouse to simulate a golf swing in real-time as the player makes the shot. Also included is the ReadyPlay feature, allowing golfers in a multiplayer group to play at their own pace without waiting for others to finish their turn. The game was praised for its variety, including its TrueSwing and ReadyPlay features, although its golf commentary was criticized. The game was followed by a sequel, PGA Championship Golf 2000.

<i>The Golf Pro</i> 1998 video game

The Golf Pro is a 1998 golf video game developed and published by Empire Interactive for Microsoft Windows. The game features professional golfer Gary Player, as well as two golf courses and a mouse-controlled golf swing method known as Mouse Drive. The game was generally praised for its graphics, but criticized for its limited camera angles. By early 1999, The Golf Pro 2 had been released in the United Kingdom.

References

  1. 1 2 "There's no handicap with golf on the Mac" . The Age. August 30, 1994. Retrieved April 18, 2020– via Newspapers.com.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Kinne, Richard (August 22, 1994). "Links Pro Hits a Hole in One". TidBITS.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Trivette, Donald (September 28, 1993). "The Desktop Athlete". PC Mag.
  4. 1 2 3 4 McDonald, T. Liam (November 1992). "Links 386 Pro from Access". Computer Gaming World. No. 100. pp. 72–74. Retrieved 18 September 2016.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Mann, Richard (January 1993). "Links 386 Pro". Compute!.
  6. 1 2 Schwabach, Bob (November 1, 1994). "Golfers don't need to depend on the weather to hit the links". The Milwaukee Journal.
  7. ↑ Cawkell, Tony (2 September 2003). "Home and Consumer Applications". The Multimedia Handbook. p. 323. ISBN   9781134777112.
  8. ↑ Cohen, Julie (December 22, 1992). "Holiday software". PC Mag.
  9. ↑ "Links: Master List of Available Courses". Microsoft.com.
  10. 1 2 Scisco, Peter (May 3, 1996). "Links 386 CD". GameSpot. Archived from the original on February 9, 2005.
  11. ↑ Duncan, Corey (January 11, 2017). "Behind the Game: From Leader Board Golf to Links 2004". IndieBuilt.com. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
  12. ↑ "Golfers can now slice ball on computer screen" . Gannett News Service. November 10, 1994. Retrieved April 18, 2020– via Newspapers.com.
  13. 1 2 Scisco, Peter (January 1995). "A Spot of Tee: A Desktop Putter Takes A Threesome To The Greens". Computer Gaming World. pp. 182–183.
  14. ↑ Access Software (1994). Microsoft Golf 2.0. Microsoft.
  15. 1 2 May, Scott A. (April 1997). "Links Lite: Microsoft Golf 3.0 Levels the Field for Win 95 Golfers". Computer Gaming World. p. 112.
  16. ↑ "War games, sport and monster madness" . The Age . September 5, 1996. Retrieved June 20, 2019– via Newspapers.com.
  17. ↑ "Tee time? PC time" . Kokomo Tribune . November 14, 1998. Retrieved June 20, 2019– via Newspapers.com. If your PC came loaded with Microsoft Golf 3.0, as many do [...]
  18. ↑ Microsoft Golf 3.0
  19. ↑ Q138557: PRB: Golf 2.0 Overwrites WIN32s Files
  20. 1 2 Links 386 Pro Players Manual. Access Software Incorporated. 1992. pp. 6–7.
  21. ↑ "It's Not All Fun for Computer-Games Makers". The Salt Lake Tribune . July 12, 1992. p. 74. Retrieved April 25, 2024. "Links 386 Pro," an upgraded version of the original golf game due out this week, took nearly three years to create and cost more than $500,000. Most of the money goes to personnel salaries, [Jones] said.
  22. ↑ Mooney, Shane (March 25, 1997). "Microsoft Golf 3.0". Gamecenter. Archived from the original on November 19, 2000.
  23. 1 2 LeVitus, Bob (December 1995). "The Game Room". MacUser . Archived from the original on January 22, 2000. Retrieved February 28, 2020.
  24. ↑ "Click and Putt". PC Magazine. September 23, 1997. pp. 321–322. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
  25. ↑ "The Best of the Year: The Compute Choice Awards". Compute!. January 1993. pp. 65, 80.
  26. 1 2 "Computer Gaming World's Game of the Year Awards". Computer Gaming World. October 1993. pp. 70–74. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
  27. 1 2 "Awards - Thy Name Is Controversy". Computer Gaming World. May 1993. p. 146. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
  28. 1 2 "1993 Winners". Software and Information Industry Association . Retrieved June 20, 2019.
  29. ↑ Staff (July 1994). "Insider Interview: Bruce Carver, Access Software". Electronic Entertainment . 1 (7): 80, 81.
  30. ↑ Staff (August 1994). "PC Gamer Top 40: The Best Games of All Time". PC Gamer US (3): 32–42.
  31. ↑ Staff (November 1996). "150 Best (and 50 Worst) Games of All Time". Computer Gaming World . No. 148. pp. 63–65, 68, 72, 74, 76, 78, 80, 84, 88, 90, 94, 98.
  32. ↑ Gillooly, John (October 20, 2014). "The 100 most influential PC games OF ALL TIME". PC PowerPlay.
  33. ↑ "GAMECENTER.COM - Game News - Best-Selling Games of 1997". Archived from the original on 2000-08-16. Retrieved 2020-02-28.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.