Winter Wonderland
Following the success of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games on Wii comes the much-anticipated Winter edition. But before we take a critical look at Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games we should perhaps spend a moment to examine the historical relationship between Nintendo and Sega.
Seeing Mario and Sonic (and their chums) getting along so well is a difficult thing to come to terms with, especially for gamers of a certain age. Back in the early 90s the characters and their respective entourages were deadliest enemies. In fact the enmity between them got so bad that at one point a wall had to be erected to keep the factions apart. Any character stupid enough to try and scale it to extend an olive branch to the other side was brutally deleted. All right, we made that last bit up, but you get the point.
Old and New Faces
A lot of water has passed under the bridge in the intervening years and the former rivals' new found friendship is reaping great rewards for Wii gamers. First came Sega and Nintendo's take on the summer Olympics and now comes the rather cumbersomely titled Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games.
Console gamers will enjoy another opportunity to pit Nintendo and Sega characters against each other.
And it's a beauty, though not for the reasons you might expect. Seasoned console gamers will, admittedly, enjoy another opportunity to pit Nintendo and Sega characters against each other. And indeed, as well as the usual roster of playable characters, there are also some new faces putting in cameo appearances including Dry Bones, Dry Bowser, Eggman, Bullet Bill and Jet the Hawk. But the real fun comes from the events themselves... or at least some of them.
Something for Everyone
Not all the winter games presented here are as fun as they should be. Skiing events, for example, are little better than the simplistic fare found in Wii Fit. But with 27 winter Olympic events included in the line-up, there's something to appeal to gamers of all types. Ski jump, downhill snowboarding, half pipe, bobsleigh, skeleton, figure skating, hockey... whether you’re a casual gamer or have a more competitive streak you'll be well catered for.
With 27 winter Olympic events included in the line-up, there's something to appeal to gamers of all types.
This game also gives you the chance to put that balance board to some use other than its usual fat-burning duties. The balance board's implementation isn't particularly innovative (players sway around on it to control their skier, for example) but it adds another dimension to the fun.
Possibly the best feature is the option to play a full Olympic tournament in which you witness the opening ceremony, take part in all the events, revel in your victories and enjoy the closing ceremony. In this way, M&SOWG really does conjure up the complete Olympic experience.
Finally, Mii fans will be pleased to learn that not only can they take their little avatars into the game, by gaining rewards they can also unlock additional bits of kit, like outfits, which give their little people a new look.
The cold war between Mario and Sonic may be dead and buried, but it’s great to see them competing in this light-hearted – albeit frosty – competition.
GAME's Verdict
- All your fave characters
- 27 events
- Dream Events are great
- Balance Board compatibility
- Superb curling event
- Controls should be better
Review by: Simon 'Curler' Kirrane
Version Tested: Wii
Review Published: 23.10.09