Mario Golf: Advance Tour is one of those GBA sports games that actually gets it right. You start by creating your own golfer—picking their stats, which actually matters way more than I thought at first. The RPG elements sneak up on you; you'll be grinding XP to improve your drive just like leveling up in a JRPG.

The courses are classic Mario-style with just enough weirdness (watch out for Chain Chomps in the rough) but still feel like real golf. What surprised me was how deep the mechanics are—you've got wind, lie adjustments, even different shot types to unlock. It's way more than just tapping A at the right moment.

Best part? You can play quick rounds with Mario and friends too when you want something more arcadey. The career mode's got enough meat to keep you busy for ages though. Still holds up as one of the best golf games on handheld.