Mario Golf on Game Boy Color is not a direct port of the N64 game - it's a unique game in its own right. It combines elements of a golf game with RPG-style character progression. You choose your character at the beginning, selecting from different strengths and weaknesses. As you progress through the game, your character earns experience points that can be spent on skills like putting, improving your performance. Each character has a distinct playstyle, making it difficult to replicate their success with another character.
The story mode is the main focus of the game, but there are several other modes to keep you engaged, including Tournament, Match Game, Stroke, Training, and a two-player mode via link cable. The game comes with a comprehensive dictionary of golf terms and detailed statistics on your player's performance.