Ludography
Mean 18 cover

1986 · Accolade · Golf · Simulation

Mean 18

Atari console exclusive

Mean 18 is a golf video game designed by Rex Bradford with graphics by George Karalias, both of Microsmiths, and released by Accolade for MS-DOS compatible operating systems in 1986. It was ported to the Amiga, Apple IIGS, Atari ST, and Macintosh. It includes an editor allowing players to create their own courses. In 1989, Atari Corporation published a port for the Atari 7800 console. A version for Atari 8-bit computers was in development in 1989 but was cancelled.

Released
1986
Platforms
AmigaApple IIGSAtari 7800Atari 8-bitAtari STAtari ST/STEMS-DOSmacOS
Genres
GolfSimulationSports
Developers
Accolade
Publishers
Accolade
Modes
Single-player
Perspective
Third personBird view / Isometric
Country
United States

About

Mean 18 is a golf video game designed by Rex Bradford with graphics by George Karalias, both of Microsmiths, and released by Accolade for MS-DOS compatible operating systems in 1986. It was ported to the Amiga, Apple IIGS, Atari ST, and Macintosh. It includes an editor allowing players to create their own courses. In 1989, Atari Corporation published a port for the Atari 7800 console. A version for Atari 8-bit computers was in development in 1989 but was cancelled.

›Story

This is it! A hush falls over the California countryside as you stand on the eighteenth hole of Pebble Beach. You’re five long feet from the hole and you have a one-stroke lead in the biggest tournament of your life. Your caddy hands you your lucky putter.

You line up your shot, and swing. The ball rolls slowly toward the hole. There’s a tense moment as it almost rings the cup. finally, the ball falls in.

You retain your title!

Keywords

  • golf

Media

The articlegameplay, story, development, reception

Gameplay

Mean 18 includes the Augusta National and Pebble Beach and St. Andrews courses. It uses a 3-click control system, where the first click starts the swing, the second sets the power, and the third sets draw or fade.

There are Beginner and Expert difficulty options. The Expert mode has more pronounced draw and fade effects, making the timing of the third click more crucial. The player can also choose between regular and professional tees. For the Beginner mode, the program automatically recommends the best club. Using the Expert mode, the program still recommends clubs, but not necessarily the best one for the shot or places the golfer in line with the pin.

Reception

Computer Gaming World cited the practice green, the computer caddy, and course editor as reasons for preferring the Amiga version of Mean 18 to the also-"outstanding" Leader Board. Info gave the Amiga version four stars out of five, stating "If you're a golfer, you'll like Mean 18" but criticizing the "blocky IBM-style graphics. Complete Amigatization would solve a lot of the problems". Compute! listed it in May 1988 as one of "Our Favorite Games", praising the graphics, sound, realism, and course editor.

David M. Wilson and Johnny L. Wilson reviewed the game for Computer Gaming World, and stated that "This may be the ultimate professional golf simulation. Outstanding graphics and sound are its hallmarks."

Releases by platformdates and regions as published

PlatformReleasedRegions
MS-DOS1 March 1986North America
Atari ST/STE1 July 1986North America
Amiga1 September 1986North America · Europe 31 December 1993
Apple IIGS1 January 1988North America
macOS1 December 1988North America
Atari 78001 December 1989North America · Europe 1 December 1989
Atari 8-bitCancelledUnreleased

Games like this

Collections4 collections

Platform libraries

Genres

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