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Outside of Canada, it may be news that there's a Winter Olympics coming up in February. (In Canada, they're up in arms about the possibility that athletes might cut to the front of the line for H1N1 vaccinations. Imagine!)
Sega knows, though, and has brought back Mario & Sonic for another romp through the Olympic village: Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games for the Wii and DS platforms. (This review only addresses the Wii version.) The first version was a tremendous success-selling over 10 million units worldwide, despite relatively simplistic gameplay–and so the arrival of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games was roughly as surprising as night following after day.
It's hard to do a sequel well, especially when part of the original's appeal was precisely that it was the first crossover game with Mario and Sonic. Metal Sonic and Donkey Kong are fun to see, but hardly rate must-own status. And most of the winter events have been done recently with the kind of technical sophistication that a Mario & Sonic title can't aspire to match. (See, for example, NHL 2K10 and Shaun White's Snowboarding.)
Having said that, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games should appeal to many GeekDad readers: If your children are younger, or not that experienced at gaming, or if they liked the first version, then this is a welcome update. Sega is billing this as a "sports party game" which I think is fair: the multiplayer modes–both competitive and cooperative–are fun, and the controls and interface are easily picked up. (Read: My 6-yr-old was able to teach his mother, who doesn't much like video games, how to play hockey in about 5 minutes.) The game includes a "Festival" mode, which lets you play all the events, and take on "boss"-style characters.
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games has two other updates from the original, beyond the new characters. First, you can use the Wii Balance Board for most of the snow sports, and, second, there are new customization options that add to the experience. As you play the game, in addition to unlocking levels you can also earn money to spend in the game's store, buying virtual stickers and other upgrades to your equipment. Your Mii can also compete in the events, and can be customized in-game.
The games are pretty much what you'd expect. Most of the familiar Olympic sports are present, in normal and "dream" modes, controlled in the familiar waggle/shake/lift combinations from the first game. (That is, if you're using the Wiimote.) Several games also incorporate leaning, for balance and for adjusting to the wind, which is ok. (More fun on the Balance Board.) The various events are about as fun as in the original version–which is to say, fun but probably too straightforward to hold the interest of devoted gamers for very long.
I will say, though, that my kid loves three events in particular: hockey (in part because it's so simple–it's basically just passing, shooting, and checking), dream snowball fight, and curling. Curling's great because it's all about angles–positioning your stones, and knocking the other players' stones out of the house–the game is just a lot more fun than you might imagine. And yet it's dead simple to play: if you can do Wii Bowling, you've got the skill set for curling. These three games have been in pretty steady rotation since the game arrived.
Mario and Sonic at the Winter Olympic Games by Sega
Rating: E
MSRP: $49.99
Wired: Family-friendly game, especially well-suited for diverse ages and skill levels. Dream snowball fight, curling, and hockey are entertaining enough to get you through the winter. Customization options are a plus.
Tired: Graphics are just ok; gameplay is a little familiar.
FTC: Statement here.
