Links: The Challenge of Golf gameplay (PC Game, 1990)

[migolfer]

Happened to see this video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5TPAxMfpbQ
Shows someone playing 9 holes on the original, Access Software Links version.
Trying to remember if I've played that version. I'm thinking not, the version which was the first
one I ever tried was more likely the next version: Links 386 Pro
History: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Links_(series)

There was a golf sim on my old Commodore 128, that was the first
computer golf game I ever played, even before Links: Leaderboard

Think I'll stick with my Links 2003 sim.

Is there something better now? I've seen this (and may have played it 10+ years ago): https://www.wgt.com/
Is that any better? I'm a little surprised nothing has replaced Links, leave it to Microsoft to ruin a
perfectly good piece of software after they acquire it.

[Still Linksing]

I still intend to play every Links version in the future. Everything from Challenge of Golf right through to the Xbox version of Links 2004. The DOS Links versions and Links 2001/2003 can still be played on a modern Win 10 system. Links 98 to Links 2000 a second Win XP system does the trick.

I have no interest in the new golf games, they are all bad imo. If I play anything other than Links it is any of the other old golf games. (PGA 2000, Tiger Woods, GBC and I'm finding even golf on Gameboy is surprisingly good!)

There are masses of good golf games but they are all old. The new games, other people can have them.

Here is Links 386 running on Win 10. It's still a fun game to play!
And just remembered, have Links Extreme as well but it ain't all that great.

Untitled-1.jpg (350.19 KiB) Viewed 7077 times

[SimiaDei]

Just saw a Steam listing for a brand-new Links game developed by TruGolf, where a bunch of the original Links developers went after the studio was closed. It's called Links E6 and the big twist is that it's in first-person.



It certainly looks very nice, although I imagine not seeing my guy will feel strange at first.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1620750/Links_E6/

As for good non-Links games, I have to say the best one I've played recently is Mario Golf: World Tour on the Nintendo 3DS. Wait, hear me out. It's cartoonish and some courses are full of zany Mario power-ups and hazards, but it also has a selection of normal courses, and the golf engine is fundamentally very solid. Precisely executing a complex shot is very intuitive and feels great.

My introduction to Links was the Microsoft-published Windows port of 386 Pro, Microsoft Golf 3.0. It only included Banff Springs and Harbour Town, and we didn't have home internet access at the time, so that was all I had, but I played them to death. I was happy to revisit it when the DOS version was released on GOG.com and find that it's just as classy and relaxing as ever.

[Slattery]

"And just remembered, have Links Extreme as well but it ain't all that great."

Hi neighbour,

How did you manage to get Links Extreme running smoothly on W10. I was an Aussie BETA tester back in the day for it before mainstream internet when they used to send the discs in the snail mail haha

I can get the game to run but as soon as I get past the main menu or onto the first tee it crashes.

[Still Linksing]

"And just remembered, have Links Extreme as well but it ain't all that great."

Hi neighbour,

How did you manage to get Links Extreme running smoothly on W10. I was an Aussie BETA tester back in the day for it before mainstream internet when they used to send the discs in the snail mail haha

I can get the game to run but as soon as I get past the main menu or onto the first tee it crashes.

Heya, doesn't work on Win 10. I run it on a Win XP system.

[pmgolf]

"And just remembered, have Links Extreme as well but it ain't all that great."

Hi neighbour,

How did you manage to get Links Extreme running smoothly on W10. I was an Aussie BETA tester back in the day for it before mainstream internet when they used to send the discs in the snail mail haha

I can get the game to run but as soon as I get past the main menu or onto the first tee it crashes.

I was a Beta tester on that one, too!

Pete

[ChuckH]

Pete, I have Links LS Extreme running on Windows 10. I did nothing special to get it running but....for me anyway, it will only run in 80x600x16bit. I must also keep the iso image on a virtual drive. I do not have the cd anymore. I can't find a no-cd crack for the exe which would eliminate the cd check. An iso can be found on archive.org.

[Still Linksing]

Pete, I have Links LS Extreme running on Windows 10.

You are POSITIVE on this? One important question, are you running integrated graphics? (eg a laptop) It's the only way I can see it being run.
If so I'll check it out but it should really be no different to the other LS games which won't work. I haven't tried Links Extreme on Win 10 because I have not read of anyone suggesting it works, I put it straight to Win XP. With integrated graphics, yes, it may be possible. I already found this to be a possibility for the success of other Links LS games.

Max res I think is 1024x768 on Extreme so you are not missing much there.

[ChuckH]

...., yeah I'm sure Extreme is working in Windows 10 for me. I just have simple Intel integrated graphics. I have Links 2000 discs still but I've never been able to get it to work on Windows 10. I have Links 2001/2003 working fine. In fact, here are golf games that I have working in Windows 10. In no particular order: Links LS Extreme, Links 2001/2003, TW99, TW04, Tw08, PGA Championship Golf 2000, JN6, WGT, Golden Tee Golf, World Golf Challenge 2011. I've tried Jack Nicklaus Perfect Golf and the new Links E6 but I don't care for them. Some required some fiddling, Links included, but Extreme seemed to work right off the bat. Don't much like it though.

[Still Linksing]

...., yeah I'm sure Extreme is working in Windows 10 for me. I just have simple Intel integrated graphics. I have Links 2000 discs still but I've never been able to get it to work on Windows 10. I have Links 2001/2003 working fine. In fact, here are golf games that I have working in Windows 10. In no particular order: Links LS Extreme, Links 2001/2003, TW99, TW04, Tw08, PGA Championship Golf 2000, JN6, WGT, Golden Tee Golf, World Golf Challenge 2011. I've tried Jack Nicklaus Perfect Golf and the new Links E6 but I don't care for them. Some required some fiddling, Links included, but Extreme seemed to work right off the bat. Don't much like it though.

Awesome info Chuck! Thanks!

May I ask you two more questions which would help with a bunch of things:
1. Are you using the Win 10 graphic fix for PGA 2000?
2. Can you run TW99 in hardware mode at 1280x1024?

I'm finding integrated graphics tends to appear to work far better with the old Links games than PC's with modern graphics cards.
Unfortunately I have no way to test anything with Windows 10 and integrated graphics so any feedback I can get from others certainly helps a great deal.

Btw, it may be worth trying Extreme in software mode at 1024x768 to see if this may be a better way to run the game if it's possible. I haven't even got it installed to check but I imagine you should be able to select the software renderer in the graphics/video menu.