Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020
SEGA
Party, Sports
Nintendo Switch
It’s still incredible that this team-up of two of the biggest franchises in video games has happened. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games has been a serviceable party series (At best) since the first game on the Nintendo Wii in 2008. Despite the fun roster, the games have been cheaply made and uninspired. Still, there has always been a bit of potential for the games to breakthrough, especially since Mario Party doesn’t hold as much weight as it used to. Does Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 finally dethrone the Mario Party series?
To put it simply, not quite, but there is still a lot to like about this game. The Nintendo Switch exclusive separates itself from the previous entries in many ways. I was expecting another hollow button masher that relies on the iconic roster to succeed. I was pleasantly surprised to find that Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 is actually full of heart. It’s thematic, lively, and actually enjoyable with the right group of friends.
The game is essentially just a lot of minigames for players to choose from, and while the quality of the games varies, there are quite a few gems here. There are over 20 3D minigames to choose from, with some of the standouts being Boxing, Gymnastics, and Archery. Quite a few of the minigames are genuinely fun, and our group found ourselves hitting the replay button quite often on these. Unfortunately, roughly half of the games are way too similar to be their own thing. Most just involve hitting a button rapidly and timing the press of another button. The track and field games are the biggest offenders of this. Playing just one of these games gives the feeling of playing them all, which is disappointing. This is the same problem that plagued previous entries as well, but at least the game has more variety in the other modes this time around. This game is also the first entry with 2D modes based on the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo. These modes are full of charm and have quite a few entertaining games in them.
The story mode is pretty barebones, with a mildly entertaining story that connects the various minigames together. It’s exactly what you’d expect and might be entertaining to children but is otherwise nothing special. The game really only shines as a party game, and with 2-4 players, this game can entertain for quite a while. Those who have plenty of people to play party games with will find themselves playing this game often, especially because it is one of the better party games on the Switch. The player limitations of some of the minigames are unfortunate but understandable. If players are okay with passing the controllers around for games like Boxing and Judo, fun little tournaments can be put together.
As mentioned before, the game is full of the heart and the presentation shows that. The graphics are clean and colorful. There are 20 characters to choose from which each adds their own personality to the Tokyo Games. All of the costumes for the various events are fun to see on the iconic characters. This game is almost worth the purchase just to see Dr. Eggman swimming shirtless in a swimming pool. The sound is all fine, with catchy tunes to add to the atmosphere of the games.
At the end of the day, there isn’t really anything special about Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. The theme really sets the game apart from the rest, and without that, this game would be hollow. Still, despite a few flops in the mini-games, this is a game that can be enjoyed by just about anyone. Between the modes, games, and characters, there is a lot packed into Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. It’s full of value and works wonderfully on the go. If players know what to expect, they won’t be disappointed with Mario and Sonic’s best Olympic outing yet.
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Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020
A few genuinely fun mini-games and wonderful presentation helps to offset the lack of depth and variety in Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.
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Gameplay
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Presentation
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Enjoyment