Mean 18

Quality 0.50 · 2 views · Updated 2 months ago

1986 video game

title: "Mean 18" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1986-video-games", "accolade,-inc.-games", "amiga-games", "apple-iigs-games", "atari-7800-games", "atari-st-games", "cancelled-atari-8-bit-computer-games", "classic-mac-os-games", "dos-games", "golf-video-games", "microsmiths-games", "single-player-video-games", "video-games-developed-in-the-united-states"] description: "1986 video game" topic_path: "geography/united-states" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mean_18" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary 1986 video game ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox video game"]

Field	Value
title	Mean 18
image	Mean18GolfBoxShotAmiga.jpg
alt	Mean 18
caption	Amiga cover art
developer	Microsmiths
publisher	Accolade
Atari Corporation
designer	Rex Bradford
artist	George Karalias
released	1986: Amiga, ST, MS-DOS
1988: Apple IIGS
1989: 7800
genre	Sports
modes	Single-player
platforms	MS-DOS, Amiga, Apple IIGS, Atari 7800, Atari ST, Mac
::

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.

Gameplay

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e6/Mean_18_Atari_ST_screenshot.png" caption="Atari ST screenshot"] ::

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."

The game sold more than 200,000 copies.

References

Reichert, Matt. "Mean 18".
(January–February 1987). "Amiga Gallery".
(May 1988). "Our Favorite Games". Compute!.
(April 1988). "The Boys of Spring: A Computer Sports Survey".
Gutman, Dan. (September 3, 1991). "Computer golf way over par". [[Detroit Free Press]].
Wagner, Roy. (December 1986). "Amiga Preferences".
"The Giant List of Classic Game Programmers".

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::