Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games Review

Written by: Darren Cartledge Posted: 9th November 2009

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Sonic gets wrapped up!

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games Details:

Goto Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games Game Page

	Sports
	Nintendo Wii/Nintendo DS
	SEGA
	SEGA

Out Now

1-4

Following on from the success of Mario and Sonic's debut title together it comes as no real surprise that the once arch rivals have teamed up once again. This time though they are not heading for the summer games but are set to celebrate the Vancouver Winter Games that get underway next year. However, will the game prove to be a hit or leave a chill behind like the Vancouver weather?

The game is fairly similar to its predecessor, converting many of the winter games into the Wii virtual format. There are nine events in total which can be played by 1-4 players. They can be played as single events or in the games main festival mode. Of the nine events most have at least one variation, for instance Bobsled can also be played as the Skeleton event and speed skating can be contested over various distances. Playing through the festival mode also allows you to unlock Dream Events just like the summer games version. The Dream events take a standard event and give it a twist in order to make them more interactive and fun to play. A prime example of this is the Dream Downhill Skiing which comes with a Mario Kart twist, allowing players to collect power-ups you can use them against your rivals or to gain a boost as you head down the slope. Sadly though whilst having plenty of events, not all have made a good transition to this virtual environment. This is mainly down to the way you control your chosen character which for many events is overly simple and frankly quite boring to play, often only moving the Wii remote from side to side or up and down. The game really seems to lack the same interactivity of the first game which hinders the immersion and fun factors on offer from the title. Most mini game compilations are most fun played with friends and Mario & Sonic at the Winter Olympics is no exception to this, but it can quickly become a little tiresome to play even in this form due to the simplistic control system.

There is one saving grace with the level of interaction on offer in the game and that is that it supports the Wii balance board. It can only be used for certain events but it does really improve the way you control you character and helps to immerse you in the competition far better then just using the Wii remote. Curiously though the Wii balance board can only be played in a dedicated mode and not in the games main festival mode or single events which mean its improved control options are of little overall benefit to the title.

Despite not offering the most inspired playing experience Sonic & Mario at the Winter Olympics does look good. As you would expect from a game featuring two such stars from the world of video games the game is extremely colourful and vibrant. Characters from the World of Sonic and Mario are both present and accompanied by all the sounds you would expect from a title featuring such characters. The game is by far one of the best looking games on the Wii I’ve seen lately so its such a shame its let down in such other critical areas.

I can’t help feeling a little disappointed with Mario & Sonic at the Winter Olympic Games, despite some good events and the odd sparkle it never really manages to excite, ultimately feeling a little unimaginative with an uninspired control system that fails to deliver enjoyment or interaction that other titles have achieved.. The experience does improve when played with friends and fans of the last game may want to give it a try other than that it is hard to recommend.