If I had been told years ago that I’d eventually be really into a game called Golf Story, I’d probably laugh right in your face. But here we are – I decided to purchase Golf Story for my Nintendo Switch after I saw some prerelease hype for it, and I definitely don’t regret it.

Golf Story follows the player character, who has moved out near a place called Wellworn Groves – a golf course he and his dad used to play on when he was a kid. Besides wanting to prove himself as a golfer, the main character is also tasked with helping to improve the condition of Wellworn Groves, which has become, suffice to say, well-worn over the years.

Despite its name, Golf Story is really more of a roleplaying game than a sports one. My interest level in golf itself is pretty much non-existent, but the game ultimately frames the golfing as simply a means to advance the narrative (similar to how a fantasy RPG might use battles to do the same thing). It also does a good job at making golf interesting and appealing to me thanks to a good learning curve and an easy-to-use interface. The way that the game sneaks in what essentially are tutorials into the story itself is also pretty clever; you end up learning things about golf without realizing that you were being taught.

Graphically, Golf Story looks like a Super Nintendo-era roleplaying game. It’s colorful and has well-animated (if simple) spritework, and is never boring to look at. Between the quirky story, fun graphics and solid gameplay, I’m pleasantly surprised with Golf Story. At just $14.99 in the Nintendo Switch’s eShop, it’s a whole lot of bang for your buck, too. If you’ve got a Switch, there’s no reason not to pick it up.

-Carrie Wood