Hot Shots Golf 3

This page details one or more prototype versions of Hot Shots Golf 3.

This prototype is documented on Hidden Palace.

This page or section needs more images. There's a whole lotta words here, but not enough pictures. Please fix this.

To do: There are more differences such as translation differences.

The January 25th, 2002 build of Hot Shots Golf 3 is a North American localization prototype of the game, built just under 2 weeks before the final US release version was built (but over 6 months after the Japanese version). It was released on March 20th, 2021 as part of Project Deluge, a big prototype release hosted by the folks over at Hidden Palace.

Save files#

• When starting the game, the prototype tells the player that they need 1500KB of free space (like in the Japanese version), rather than 800KB.
• When creating a save file in the prototype, it creates a 798KB save file which is only compatible with the prototype.
• The prototype is compatible with save files from the Japanese version.
  • If a Japanese save file is present on the memory card, the game will simply load the Japanese save file with no issues. Saving data in the prototype will keep the save as a Japanese save file.
  • If a new Japanese save file is created with a prototype save file already on the memory card, the prototype save file will be replaced with a Japanese save file. Interestingly, the created Japanese save file is 1570KB, rather than 1499KB as it still has some data relating to the Hot Shots Golf 3 save file (such as the icon being stored in the save file).

Cutscenes#

The prototype uses the intro and credits from the Japanese version.

The three additional intros from the Japanese version can still be played by waiting long enough on the title screen. These intros still exist in the final US version's files although they cannot be played in-game.

Menus#

• Ayaka, the menu character/bonus character from the Japanese version still exists as a menu character. She can be selected by either loading a save file from the Japanese version with Ayaka set as the menu character or by changing the menu character ID to "1".
  • Ayaka does not play her course select animation when a course is selected although her course select animation/dialogue are still in the files.
  • Ayaka's profile is still empty and she still does not have a profile image in the highlights menu.
• The "Profiles" option has a different design on the main menu.

Gameplay#

• The debug menu is enabled by default. The debug menu still exists in the final game although it is naturally disabled by default.
  • The debug menu allows the player to select Ayaka which is not possible in the final US version.
• Ayaka is still fully playable in the prototype. In the final game, her gameplay files were removed, making her unplayable.
• Mel uses Cougar's voice.