Jack Nicklaus' Unlimited Golf & Course Design
| Company type | Video game |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video games |
| Predecessor | Jack Nicklaus' Greatest 18 Holes of Major Championship Golf |
| Founded | 1990 |
| Founder | Sculptured Software |
| Successor | Jack Nicklaus Golf & Course Design: Signature Edition |
| Headquarters | United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Jack Nicklaus (contributor) |
| Products | Video games |
| Parent | Accolade (publisher) |
Jack Nicklaus' Unlimited Golf & Course Design is a golf video game released in 1990, developed by Sculptured Software and published by Accolade for the Amiga and MS-DOS platforms. A version for the Super NES, titled Jack Nicklaus Golf, featuring identical courses, was launched in May 1992. This installment represents the second entry in the Jack Nicklaus golf game series, following Jack Nicklaus' Greatest 18 Holes of Major Championship Golf from 1988.
A notable feature of the game is its golf course editor, which allows users to design their own custom courses. While the PC edition received commendations for its graphical presentation and the flexibility of its course creation tool, some critiques mentioned prolonged animation times. The title was followed by Jack Nicklaus Golf & Course Design: Signature Edition in 1992.
Gameplay
Players can enjoy both the authentic Muirfield Village course and the fictional "The Bear's Track," both designed by Jack Nicklaus.[1][2] This release differentiates itself from its predecessor by introducing a comprehensive golf course editor, enabling players to build and modify courses.[1] Users have access to three empty plots for creating new courses,[2] and existing courses are also editable.[3] The game provides three terrain themes: mountainside, parkside, and seaside.<ref> Players can customize features such as hills, valleys, trees, lakes, and backgrounds.[1][2][4] Additional course packs are available via expansion disks,<ref> which can be imported into subsequent titles like Jack Nicklaus Golf & Course Design: Signature Edition.<ref>
Available gameplay modes include skins and stroke play, with an option to rewind shots. The golfer is displayed from a third-person viewpoint,[4] beginning each hole with an overhead perspective indicating distance to the hole.[2] Players select their clubs and control shot strength through a power meter.[5] Before each hole, Jack Nicklaus offers guidance,[6] and players can view shot replays from various angles.[2]
The Super NES edition contains the same courses and course creation features,[7] along with a password save system[8] and multi-angle replay functionality.[7]
Release
Jack Nicklaus' Unlimited Golf & Course Design was released in June 1990 in the United States for Amiga and MS-DOS. Jack Nicklaus himself contributed to the game's development. The package included a 224-page manual titled The Official Guide to Jack Nicklaus Computer Golf, authored by Mark Harrison with a foreword by Nicklaus, which provided detailed advice on course design. This guide was published by Compute Publications.
The Super NES version, renamed Jack Nicklaus Golf, debuted in May 1992 in the U.S., published by Tradewest, alongside an unrelated Game Boy title sharing the same name. In 1994, Action Sixteen reissued the Amiga version as a budget release.
Reception
The computer version earned acclaim for its visual quality and extensive course design capabilities. Jeff Prosise of PC Magazine described it as "the best, most realistic golf simulation on the market," praising its audio fidelity and gameplay options. Jonathan Matzkin, also writing for PC Magazine, listed it among 1990's top games. Amazing Computing highlighted improvements in graphics and loading times compared to earlier versions but noted some criticism regarding slow animation sequences. Albert Kim from Sports Illustrated found the game enjoyable, commending the robust course editor despite its steep learning curve and comprehensive manual. The Boston Herald referred to it as "one of the best computer golf games available," emphasizing the value of additional course disks. Michael J. Himowitz of The Baltimore Evening Sun praised its gameplay mechanics, realistic courses, and camera perspectives. Tom Malcom of .info considered it the premier golf title at that period.
Conversely, the Super NES version drew negative feedback due to sluggish animation; Jonathan Davies of Super Play labeled it "virtually unplayable" because of extended reanimation times. Nonetheless, N-Force appreciated its digitized visuals and replay capabilities but wished for more holes. Electronic Gaming Monthly rated it as average.
Reception of the Amiga re-release was mixed. Amiga Action described graphics as average with inconsistent gameplay, noting that while the extensive manual focused on course design, lengthy load times hindered enjoyment. Jonathan Davies from Amiga Power acknowledged the quality of the course editor but felt it mainly appealed to dedicated golf enthusiasts, rating competing titles such as PGA Tour and Nick Faldo's Championship Golf more favorably. Tony Dillon of CU Amiga criticized blocky graphics and uneven difficulty levels. Meanwhile, The One Amiga praised graphical fidelity and options like course creation but mentioned sluggish controls and inconsistent shot accuracy as drawbacks.
External links
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- 1990 video games
- Accolade, Inc. games
- Amiga games
- DOS games
- Golf video games
- Jack Nicklaus video games
- Sculptured Software games
- Single-player video games
- Super Nintendo Entertainment System games
- Tradewest games
- Video game level editors
- Video games based on real people
- Video games developed in the United States