Miniature Golf

Name:	Miniature Golf
Company:	Atari
Model #:	CX-2626
Programmer:	Tom Reuterdahl
Year:	1978
Released?	Yes
Notes:	Atari stopped distributing this title in 1979

Ahh... Miniature Golf, the bastard spawn of golf and pool.  While it may not exactly have been America's favorite pastime, mini golf was wildly popular back in the 70's.  Unfortunately, 2600 programming was still in its infancy when Miniature Golf was coded so everything has a blocky square look to it (right down to the square ball).  It would be a few more years before players would start seeing round objects in 2600 games.

For those of you not in the know when it comes to miniature golf, the game is simple.  The player must bounce his ball off the walls of the course, past the obstacles, and into the hole.  This version of mini golf is viewed from the top, so it ends up playing remarkably similar to pool.  Simply rotate your square (the club) around the smaller square (the ball) until your happy with the angle, pull back until you think you've got the proper distance, and fire.  As you putt your way to the hole, be careful of the large purple squares (obstacles) which will knock your ball around if hit.  The number of shots you've taken is recorded as the "score" at the top of screen.

Unfortunately Miniature Golf never quite lives up to its full potential.  The game is hampered by blocky graphics, limited sound, and some control problems.  One of the biggest problems comes when you try to back up your club when you're near a wall.  Since you can't move the club off screen you're forced to either take small putts or choose a less desirable angle.  It's amazing how such a tiny problem can really ruin a game, and how often you run into it.  Atari decided to stop selling Miniature Golf in 1979 for unknown reasons.  Atari also stopped selling another early game, Star Ship, around this time as well.  

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