Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games Review
As someone who grew up during the fierce Nintendo/Sega rivalry of the 1990s, I never thought that I would see a day where Mario and Sonic appeared on the same system. Yet, in 2002, after Sega abandoned hardware production, Sonic Adventure 2: Battle was released for the Nintendo Gamecube. The next natural barrier was to have the two rivals from the 1990s star in the same game. 2007’s Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games was the result and while critical reaction wasn’t extremely favorable, the game was a very enjoyable party game and over 10 million copies were sold. Sega clearly saw potential for more success in the crossover genre and the question of whether a winter version would be made was not “if” but rather “when”. Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games retains what made the summer version fun, but Sega could have made a spectacular party game. Instead, there are a few missed opportunities in the design of this game, which prevent it from being a classic.
These missed opportunities do not diminish the enjoyable elements of this game. First, the idea of the game itself is a very novel one. In essence, the player controls characters from the Super Mario and Sonic series as he plays through Olympic events. There’s a certain tongue-in-cheek humor involved with some of the events. Seeing Donkey Kong and Dr. Robotnik figure skate, for example, never ceases to be hilarious and is always a conversation starter. Second, many of the events are executed very well. The curling event simulates the sport very well and the motion controls correspond to the real-life curling actions of throwing the stone and sweeping the broom. The ice hockey controls are a throwback to the video games of yesteryear and have aged surprisingly well. Third, the inclusion of the balance board adds more realism to the experience. Already-solid events like snowboard cross and ski cross are made better with the inclusion of the balance board to simulate the footwork that these events require.
This is always hilarious.
However, there are certain issues that prevent the game from becoming a classic party game. First, the controls for some of the games are just impossible to master. Speed skating requires the player to swing the controller left and right on straightaways but swing it differently on turns. The only problem is that the transition from straightway to turn isn’t defined in a clear manner so the character’s rhythm is lost. Short-track speed skating requires the players to waggle the controller on straightaways and hold it at a 315° angle on turns. Yet, because it’s short-track speed skating, the player has all of three seconds between phases. Thus, the player will skate into a wall far too often. Second, the balance board integration, while innovative, can only be used in single-player mode. Nintendo has sold millions of copies of Wii Fit. It’s not inconceivable that a house might have two balance boards or a friend may bring his when he wants to play. Thus, there should have been a multiplayer balance board option. Third, the event selection leaves something to be desired. The skeet-shooting event was one of the more popular and fun events in Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games. The lack of biathlon, which incorporates skiing and shooting, represents a missed opportunity to create a fun and new experience.
In closing, Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games is an entertaining game that has a strong multiplayer experience. While there are some innovative elements, control issues and a lack of true innovation in the party game genre means that the game is not as strong as it could have been.
