Will Harvey's Zany Golf

Overview

Zany Golf is a crazy minigolf simulator designed by Will Harvey and published by Electronic Arts. This game was available in 1988 on all the popular types and brands of 16-bit computers and was also converted onto the Genesis in 1990. It is based on an Apple IIGS program, so all the art, music and code were originally done for the Apple IIGS.

The PC version only supports 16 colored EGA graphics, so owner of a more basic machine with a CGA graphic card couldn't play this game at that time. This version also includes an in-game copyright protection and the player has to enter a code before the "Hamburger" hole from an code wheel to continue the game.

The "Magic Carpet" hole is missing in the Genesis version of the game because the Genesis controller isn't suited to controlling the ball on the magic carpets. Instead the "Magic Carpet" hole has been replaced by the "Mystery" bonus hole from the computer game versions and has been renamed to "Knockout Nightmere". The beautiful intro screens found in the computer game versions to distract from disc-access and loading time have been removed too due to the instant cartridge loading.

Zany Golf was also part of the "AMIGA 500 DELUXE" software pack bundled with Amiga 500 machines that were sold worldwide in 1990.

Gameplay

Up to four players can tackle consecutively the mad nine-hole course, and eventually the mysterius tenth. Each player begins with five shots and each of the nine holes must be completed within par to play the mysterius tenth hole. Par is the maximum number of strokes it should take for one participant to get the ball into the hole. Unused shots are carried over from previous holes and extra strokes are awarded for putting within a time limit or by hitting a fairy. The game is over if a player runs out of strokes before getting the ball into the hole.

A shot is played by clicking on the ball and then dragging the cursor away to draw a white dotted line between the ball and the cursor. The direction of the line indicates the path of the ball, its length the strength of the shot. By releasing the mouse button, the ball will shoot off following the line of the cursor. The ball bounces off walls and obstacles, and follows natural forces like gravity.

Holes

		To get a bonus stroke the ball should be shot directly into the windmill.
		Clicking fast the mouse button makes the hamburger bounce, then the catsup should be used to rebound off the ball.
		Walls move continuously up and down. The third wall should be hit to get to the area with the hole.
		Using the flippers on the pinball table the two drop targets must be hit with the ball. To get a bonus stroke the left corner hole must be entered.
		After putt the fans can be activated by wiggling the mouse. The fans can be used to blow the ball in the direction of the arrows.
		This hole is not available in the Genesis version. When the ball is over the magic carpet(checkered pattern) it can be steered with mouse.
		The portcullis opens and closes periodically, to get a bonus stroke the castle gate must be entered.
		A dircetly putt into the hole on top of the hill is not possible because its moving(by ants?). The edge bumpers should be used instead to hole the ball.
		First the two buttons on the big computer must be hit with the golf ball. Then a shoot into the suction tube should get the ball to the top level. Alternatively the ball can be sent into the mouse hole when the eyes in the hole glow red for an instant.
		Replacement for the "Magic Carpet" hole in the Genesis version. On the home computer versions this hole is only accessible by completing the rest of the course under par or putting the ball into the mouse hole on the "Energy" level while the eyes in the hole glow red. After putt the game turns into a version of Arkanoid or Breakout. A paddle is controlled by the player with the mouse and all drop targets on the incline must be hit with the ball to activate the corner escape holes which lead to a checkerboard-like putting green. On checker green, squares that flash should be avoided.

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