Jack Nicklaus Greatest 18 Holes of Major Championship Golf

Jack Nicklaus Greatest 18 Holes of Major Championship Golf has the distinction of being the game with the longest title on the IIGS.

Apart from that, the only other distinction it has is that it bears many resemblances to Mean 18 and why not, it is basically a sequel to that other golfing game previously released by Accolade. Accolade added a few features to Mean 18, including new graphics, new sound, new golf courses, new terrain considerations, etc, stuck Jack Nicklaus' name on it and released it as the aforementioned title above, in 1989.

Luckily, Mean 18 set many of the standards found in golfing simulations even today, so Jack Nicholas etc. had grown from a solid foundation. The newer graphics provided for both male and female golfers, sharper scenery and slightly more animation. The major addition to gameplay was the inclusion of a wind factor, a gauge showing its direction and speed.

Stroke execution is the same as Mean 18, the gauge to the left of the screen when clicked will first determine how hard the ball will be hit and the second click, at which angle the ball will be directioned. As with Mean 18, you can have a hit at the driving range to perfect stroke play. Unlike Mean 18, putting is taken from the same perspective as teeing off. This seems to be more realistic, but it's a harder way to putt than the overhead view in Mean 18, as putting is certainly not as easy as the pros make it out to be.

The IIGS version is fair, not outstanding, but the worst thing about the game is the agonisingly slow redraws to recreate the course for each shot. Play this game with no holds barred on speed. There were several other course disks available from Accolade, but the game itself didn't include a course editor.