Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (Wii) Review

Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games is a mini-game collection for the Nintendo Wii which, like its predecessor, differentiates itself from the crowd of similar titles by featuring the casts of two of the most well-loved franchises in video gaming history. Developed by SEGA, the game does its best to replicate the fun of Wii Sports, but it never quite manages to provide the same level of pleasure that Nintendo’s genre-defining title does. There are too many mini-games that are just not fun or don’t control well, and some of the concepts are just not as fully explored as they should be and come across a bit shallow. The game is presented well, though, with functional graphics and sound, and a level of polish that is too often lacking from third-party Wii games. Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games is by no means a bad game, and compared to some of the sub-par mini-game efforts that have appeared over the last few years, it is actually quite decent. The problem is that like the contrast in the recent fortunes of the two title characters, the game has its high points, and its low points, and in this instance the game has far more ’Sonic’ moments than ’Mario’ ones.

Following on from its predecessor, which covered the summer Olympics, Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games lets players compete in a selection of Winter Olympic events as Sonic the Hedgehog, Mario, or one of a number of supporting characters from both franchises. This time around the game features 27 events divided across the standard Winter Olympics-style sports and the ’dream’ events. Events include variations on skiing, ski jumping, snowboarding, bobsleighing, figure skating, speed skating, hockey, and curling. Some events are more fun than others and individual players will find they enjoy different events based on their own preference. The standout mini-game is surprisingly curling, which plays like a more strategic version of bowling from Wii Sports.

Players can choose to play each mini-game individually or participate in the festival mode which features an entire Winter Olympics experience, including opening and closing ceremonies. Special dream events can be unlocked by winning coins in the normal events. These dream events are over-the-top fantasy events that add typical video game-style challenges and obstacles to the more traditional rules of the sports. Coins can also be used to purchase items and other unlockables in the shop. There is nothing mind-blowing to unlock, but it is a nice little extra, especially the library section, which provides some brief information about the history of each event.

There are a number of control options available to players, including balance board support in many of the mini-games. The implementation of the motion controls is generally good, but there are a few games which are hit and miss. While none of the mini-games are outright broken, there are definitely some that could have really benefited from a little more time in development. The balance board implementation also feels a little bit tacked on, too.

The game features workable graphics which suit the concept of the game quite well. The environments have a nice balance between the necessary realism and the visual design of both the Mario and Sonic franchises. The game is animated well, and the whole thing moves along at a nice frame rate, too. The audio is pretty standard fare for Mario and Sonic, and again, nicely straddles the reality/fantasy divide. Technically, the game is fine with no obvious faults or glitches getting in the way of the gameplay.

The game should last most players quite a long time, especially with the online leaderboards providing an extra challenge for those without a decent competitor to play against locally. There are plenty of options and modes to explore, and the events themselves offer loads of replay value.

Personal thoughts

If you are anything like me, you are probably sick and tired of mini-game collections on the Wii by now. There are only so many times I can play simplified versions of every sport imaginable before enough is enough. The one thing that saves Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games is the fact that only a few winter sports have so far made their way into similar titles. Yes, we have had plenty of skiing and snowboarding games, but figure skating, curling, and ice hockey have so far not been exploited.

That being said, it is not like Mario and Sonic’s second Olympic outing is a terrible game. It is, however, a terribly unimaginative game that does nothing to push the mini-game experience past what has already been done successfully by Nintendo with Wii Sport and Wii Sports Resort. The game felt stale from the first event that I played and it never really lifted itself out of that rut. Even the curling mini-game, which was actually really fun, still felt stagnant from the very first time I played it. Don’t get me wrong, the game is well made and entertaining, but its lack of originality and inability to push boundaries makes it a poor choice for anyone but those who are new to the Wii.

If SEGA are planning to continue the Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games franchise into the future, then it is going to become increasingly necessary for a bit of a rethink of how the game is played, and what they can do to update and improve on the Wii Sports formula.

If you haven’t played many mini-game collections and are looking for a new party-style game, then Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games is a decent choice. For anyone that has become a little jaded at the frequent entries into the mini-game genre or has still not got bored of Wii Sports Resort, then it is better if you stay away from this one.