Mini Golf (set 1)

Step onto the virtual green in Bally/Sente’s Mini Golf (set 1), a single-player sports game released in 1985 that puts you in control of navigating challenging miniature golf courses. Using a trackball for precise aiming and a single button for execution, players must strategically putt their ball across each course, avoiding obstacles and sinking the ball into the hole with as few strokes as possible. The game presents a series of distinct courses, each demanding careful planning and skillful maneuvering to achieve a low score. The visuals utilize a palette of over one thousand colors on a 256x240 pixel display, creating detailed representations of miniature golf landscapes. A Zilog Z80 processor manages the sound, employing CEM3394 chips for audio output that accompanies the gameplay. While seemingly straightforward, Mini Golf rewards precision and offers a surprisingly engaging challenge – as evidenced by the high score held by Stan Szczepanski at 60,500 points. Notably, some versions of the game feature an unusual screen displaying images of missing children after the initial demonstration sequence concludes. The technical backbone of Mini Golf is based on Bally/Sente’s SAC-I hardware, powered by a Motorola M6809 processor and employing both Zilog and CEM chips for processing.