Ludography
Links 386 Pro cover

1992 · Golf · Simulation

Links 386 Pro

The follow up to Links - The Challenge of Golf, Links 386 Pro features Harbour Town Golf Links course. Numerous improvements included photo-realistic SVGA graphics, improved physics, split screens, male/female golfers with different shirt colors, and enhanced sound effects.

Released
1992
Platforms
FM TownsMS-DOSWindowsmacOS
Genres
GolfSimulationSports
Developers
—
Publishers
—
Series
Links
Perspective
Third person
Themes
Non-fiction
Country
United States
Languages
English

About

Links 386 Pro is a golf simulation sports game for MS-DOS released in 1992. It is part of the Links series, and was developed by Access Software as the follow-up to Links: The Challenge of Golf (1990). A Macintosh version, Links Pro, was released in 1994. An enhanced version called Links 386 CD was released for PC in 1995 that included audio comments by comedian Bobcat Goldthwait acting as the player's caddie, and an aerial flyby of each hole streamed from the game's CD-ROM.

0 (1996), part of the Microsoft Golf series. It was followed four years later by Links LS 1997.

Media

Links 386 Pro screenshot 1

The articlegameplay, story, development, reception

Gameplay

Players select a male or female character and their clothing. They select the level of play (beginner, amateur, and pro) and tee position. The player can control character direction and foot position, and the shot is controlled by a swing meter, held to the top for power and released and clicked again as it swings back to the bottom for direction - early will hook and late will slice. Players can select from multiple views, split the screen, and record shots. Shots can be repeated (a mulligan) and short putts taken (a gimme).

In 1994, the Computer Sports Network ran the Links Tour, an online tournament of 250 players accessible via modem.

Development

Links 386 Pro was developed with a budget of $500,000, which was mostly allocated towards employee salaries, and took nearly three years to make, according to Chris Jones. The game was released in the second week of July 1992. Links Pro, for the Macintosh, appeared in 1994.

Reception

Links 386 Pro was a commercial success, with sales of roughly 400,000 units by July 1994. At the time, Bruce Carver of Access Software estimated that its actual ownership number was "at least 1.6 million" thanks to software piracy.

The graphics were much praised, described as "almost photo-realistic". Some players complained that achieving a low scoring round was too easy. Computer Gaming World in 1992 stated "the final word in golf—for now, at least—is Links 386 Pro, praising the game's "stunning" Super VGA graphics and "dream come true" gameplay. The magazine predicted that "it is quite likely that the only thing to ever beat this game will be yet another version of Links."

Releases by platformdates and regions as published

PlatformReleasedRegions
MS-DOS1 December 1992Worldwide

Editions and related releases

Downloadable content
Links: Championship Course - Mauna KeaLinks: Fantasy Course - Devils IslandLinks: Championship Course: Innisbrook - CopperheadLinks: Championship Course - CastlepinesLinks: Championship Course - Pebble BeachLinks: Championship Course - Bighorn
Expanded editions
Links 386 CD
Built on it
Links 386 CD

In the same series

Games like this

Collections2 collections

Platform libraries

Genres

Description adapted from its source, CC BY-SA 4.0.