A new patch has just been released, giving players a way to unlock Neo Turf Masters' toughest course in the Neo Geo MVS/AES versions of the game.
The 18-hole Scotland course was only available in the later Neo Geo CD release of the game, released in May 1996 (a few months after the MVS/AES release), and has previously been described by the patch's creator, Deric Miller, as "very challenging" and "very difficult" and elsewhere online by others as "a true hell I wouldn't wish upon anyone."
It was originally unlocked by finishing 1st on each of the four courses (US, Japan, Germany, Australia) in 'Grand Slam' mode, or by using a special code on the title screen, exclusively on the CD version of the game. However, now, thanks to a new "data import" patch, you can experience it on the earlier cartridge versions of the game, too; you'll just have to say goodbye to Australia in the process.
As Miller outlines, the patch works by replacing the Australian course and includes all "the Scotland-specific gameplay graphics and hole maps, the cinema and scoreboard backgrounds, and the sound clips played on course selection." As he explains, one of the major benefits of this is that the Neo Geo CD version of the game was "plagued by miserably long load times," not present in the Neo Geo MVS/AES cartridge versions, and "today the console and its games are extremely expensive and difficult to find," meaning you'll probably be hard pressed to find a copy of the original for yourself.
Released for the Neo Geo MVS and AES in 1996, Neo Turf Masters is often considered to be one of the greatest arcade-style golf games ever made. Back in August 2023, for instance, it made it onto our list of the best Neo Geo games of all time, with Damien writing the following about the Nazca-developed title:
"Arcade golf games have to tread a fine line between realism and quick-fire appeal, and Neo Turf Masters is arguably one of the best examples of the genre. Big, bold visuals combine with instantly accessible gameplay to create one of the most memorable representations of the sport ever to grace a gaming platform; it's utterly infectious and will hold your attention for a long time, even if you're not a fan of golf in general. A pint-sized Neo Geo Pocket Color version was released a few years later and is equally essential."
You can find instructions on how to install the patch on MAME, Analogue Pocket or MiSTer on GitHub.