It’s time to look at the Mario OVA which is so obscure that I wouldn’t blame you for not hearing of it before. There are 3 episodes in this OVA which each tell a story that shows why Mario is a true hero. They decide to mess with his origin a bit and each story is a stand alone, but it’s interesting to see Mario be used in a bunch of classic fables like this. It may not be the greatest Mario adventure, but they aren’t bad.
The first story starts with Peach and her Hammerbro parents. They are not able to protect her from the mighty Bowser. That’s where Mario comes in as he is born from a shooting star and grows up very quickly. He heads off to save her, but he will have to deal with many powerful threats like the King of the Koopas. Mario isn’t scared though and quickly gets ready to take them all down. This is a more vicious Mario than we are used to as he even wields a gun. It’s cool to see Mario fight like this. He actually uses some hand to hand skills which is something that never happens anymore. We seriously need the upcoming big budget Mario film to have some real fights. This is the Mario we deserve. The whole special is very surreal though, like how are Peach’s parents Koopas? I figured they would at least be Toads or something. Bowser doesn’t look very good as can be expected though. It’s a short little story and one that is fun enough.
The second story is about Mario but this time he is only 1 inch tall. Mario doesn’t care about this and wants to go check out the big city anyway. He knows that this will help him quickly become one of the all time greats. He meets Peach along the way and has a great time. Unfortunately, Mario’s plans are cut short when Bowser appears and decides to take Peach away. Mario can’t have this so he grabs his sword and then begins a fight for the ages. Mario may be small, but he has some serious moves and Bowser makes the mistake of swallowing Mario without chewing. I never quite get why the big villains do this since of course Mario will stab him from the inside. Bowser didn’t really think this plant through, but I suppose I can give him some kudos for the attempt. It’s a fun special as well although I prefer the first story. Mini Mario just doesn’t make for as endearing a character as his normal form.
Finally, the OVA decides to end with a bang on the last episode. This one is a Snow White homage as Bowser dresses up as an old lady and tricks Peach into biting the poison apple. Mario arrives too late to save her, but breaks into the castle in a rescue attempt. Surprisingly he wasn’t doing too well this time, but granted Mario was outnumbered. Fortunately Luigi comes in to save the day and the duo finally get to team up. It was nice to see Luigi actually show up for a bit since I thought the OVA had forgotten about him. This was the last special but probably also the best one so it was a good way to close things out. The action was on point.
So, it’s hard not to like this special as how can you not enjoy a Mario anime? Granted, the anime is fairly low budget. There is a lot of reused animation throughout the specials and they went for stills whenever possible. There’s not much of a soundtrack here either so on a technical level the OVA is pretty bad. That’s why you always want to have a good story to help counter balance these elements. If this wasn’t a Mario product then it probably wouldn’t rate quite as highly as it does. Still, it is great to see Mario on the big screen so I guess he deserves some props for that.
Even if you combine all 3 episodes the OVA isn’t all that long. You can fast blast through this with ease. The pacing for each special is pretty good as a result. It’s all pretty easily available online if you decide to check it out. Mario makes for a good hero and Peach is pretty consistent. Bowser isn’t a great villain though and you probably won’t be able to take him seriously for any of the specials. I think Bowser Jr/Baby Bowser may have been a better pick here or perhaps a made up villain. Bowser just seriously needs a better goal than constantly trying to marry Peach. It’s a futile mission and one that was doomed to failure from the start.
Overall, The Amada series may not have put Mario on the map, but they gave it a good shot. The special is reasonably fun, but there isn’t too much replay value to be found here. Watching it once is good enough to enjoy the surreal elements of the OVA. After that you’ll probably want to stick to the main Prince Haru movie. That’s where most of the Mario elements stayed after all. Of course, if you want to see Mario with a gun, then you have no choice but to run to this series. Either way, if you’re a Mario fan then I recommend checking this special out. If not, then I probably wouldn’t recommend it quite as highly as you could find better alternatives, but it’s a good adventure story for any viewer.
Overall 6/10
Stats time!
Play Time 3h 39m
Level Stats: Star Rank
World 1 All Cards Obtained. 22/25 Marios saved
1-1 Silver
1-2 –
1-3 Gold
1-4 Silver
1-5 –
1-6 Silver
1-7 Silver
1-8 –
1-9 Silver
1-B Silver
World 2 All Cards Obtained. 19/25 Marios Saved
2-1 Bronze
2-2 –
2-3 Bronze
2-4 Silver
2-5 Bronze
2-6 Silver
2-7 –
2-8 –
2-9 –
2-B –
World 3 All Cards Obtained. 25/30 Marios saved
3-1 Bronze
3-2 Silver
3-3 Silver
3-4 –
3-5 –
3-6 –
3-7 Bronze
3-8 Silver
3-9 –
3-B Bronze
World 4 All Cards Obtained. 27/30 Marios saved
4-1 Silver
4-2 Silver
4-3 Silver
4-4 –
4-5 Bronze
4-6 –
4-7 Bronze
4-8 Silver
4-9 –
4-B Silver
World 5 8/9 Cards Obtained. 25/30 Marios saved
5-1 Bronze
5-2 Silver
5-3 Bronze
5-4 Bronze
5-5 Silver
5-6 –
5-7 –
5-8 –
5-9 Silver
5-B Bronze
World 6 5/9 Cards Obtained 30/35 Marios saved
6-1 –
6-2 –
6-3 Bronze
6-4 –
6-5 –
6-6 Bronze
6-7 Silver
6-8 Silver
6-9 –
6-B Bronze
World 7 6/9 Cards Obtained. 23/35 Marios saved
7-1 Bronze
7-2 –
7-3 Silver
7-4 Bronze
7-5 –
7-6 –
7-7 –
7-8 –
7-9 –
7-B –
World 8 3/9 Cards Obtained. 24/40 Marios saved
8-1 –
8-2 –
8-3 Bronze
8-4 –
8-5 –
8-6 –
8-7 Bronze
8-8 –
8-9 –
8-B –
It’s been a little while since I played the original Mario vs Donkey Kong so it was finally time to check out the sequel. Unlike the first game which used a mix of Mario and Mini levels, this one double down on the Minis. They’re definitely fun to play around with so while you will probably miss the standard levels, the Minis can hold their own game. It’s a fun sequel that gives you what you expect from this series.
The plot is that Mario dolls are selling really well while nobody wants the Donkey Kong ones. Pauline even grabs the Mario one while DK watches to rub it in. In return DK kidnaps Pauline and Mario was so busy antagonizing him that he didn’t have enough time to save her. Instead Mario sends in the Minis, but can they really hope to stop the legendary Donkey Kong? This guy packs a punch so they will have to use their sheer numbers and skill to put a stop to him.
This time around the gameplay uses the stylus the whole time as this is what allows you to control the Minis and to set off stage hazards. You must guide the 2-4 Mini Marios to the door which signals the end of the level. You win as long as one Mario survives, but naturally you get bonus points if you can get multiple Marios to the end. There will also be vines which you have to lure other enemies to destroy, springs to jump on, and many enemies that you can ride. The levels will usually allow you to get used to the hazards before they throw you in. The game never gets all that difficult though so you should have no problem getting through.
There are 8 worlds with each world having 9 normal levels in addition to a Mini level if you found all of the cards and a boss level as well. Then there are 2 final levels if you have gotten enough collectibles. Interestingly enough all of the boss fights except for the final one are the same fight, but with some added twists. You’re always trying to launch the Marios high up in order to either hit DK or cause something to fall on him. It may have been a stylistic choice to have the bosses be the same or a budget one, but it’s a pretty fun boss concept either way. Bouncing the Marios off the walls while trying to avoid the critters is just as tricky as it sounds.
The graphics look nice and colorful as you’d expect from Mario. The levels are all fairly compact and so the game doesn’t really need to go all out. Most of the objects and enemies are fairly similar so it likely wasn’t too hard to get all of the character models polished. As a result I would definitely expect everything to look good and it does so there’s definitely no issue. Nintendo always tends to deliver here. The soundtrack is fairly bland for a Mario game though. There aren’t really any memorable themes to be found here. You’ll likely be too focused on controlling the Marios to really notice this though.
After beating the game you do have some replay value when it comes to unlocking all of the bonus levels. You’ll want to get gold ranks on all of the stages and collect all of the cards for bonus Mini levels. Grabbing the cards is a fairly easy task, but good luck going for the golds. The game really expects you to earn them as nabbing the gold basically means that you have to play the stages perfectly. I actually think that this is the reason why beating the game was surprisingly very easy. Nintendo decided to make it so that you could breeze through the story and see the ending, but getting the gold medals would be the challenge. A lot of the levels start you off with at least one Mario right by the goal so you would be guaranteed to win, but if you wanted the rest of the Marios to survive then you would have to actually play the level and use teamwork to get through. Moving one Mario is easy enough, but coordinating all of them will likely take some practice.
I do have to quickly say that Mario looks rather iffy in this game. I still say that he was really antagonizing DK in the opening cutscene as he grins while Pauline holds his doll. That’s fine since of course he’d be thrilled, but he’s grinning directly at DK as the ape’s doll is completely ignored. He seems fine at the end and Pauline probably goes a little overboard when trying to make DK feel better, but I just can’t forget the opening. Something tells me that Mario is still holding a grudge with DK over some of the things that happened to them back in the day. I wish I didn’t have to put Mario on blast like this, but I can’t come to any other conclusion.
Overall, Mario vs Donkey Kong 2 March of the Minis is a fun sequel to the original. The original game will still take the win due to not having to rely on touch screen controls and having some normal Mario levels as well, but this one does a good job of operating well with the stylus. You will rarely if ever die because the game couldn’t read your swipe and you’ll probably end up grabbing a lot of cards along the way to beating the game normally. By then you may find yourself wanting to grab the final cards just so you will have truly completed the game. If you’re a Mario fan or just like brain teasers then this is the game for you. It’ll force you to always be thinking 3 steps ahead.
Overall 7/10
It’s time to take a look at the best video game of each year! This was definitely a tough project since some years have a ton of great games. Naturally I am only counting games that I have played in some capacity. Collections aren’t counted and I just count myself as playing each game individually. I’m going with the original release date so if it came out in Japan a year sooner than America then I go with that date. Remakes get iffy, but if it’s from the ground up or there is something to make it significantly different then it is counted. Without further ado, lets look at the best games of all time!
2018 Dragon Ball FighterZ
https://flic.kr/p/24WVJgB
2018 is still going, but it already looks like FighterZ is here to stay as the champ. The game is just spectacular in terms of gameplay and visuals. It’s the complete package and everything you could ask for from a DBZ title.
2017 Super Mario Odyssey
https://flic.kr/p/GPbyEf
This was a tough one, but Odyssey manages to barely edge out Sonic Forces and Fire Emblem Warriors for the title. It’s definitely a great Mario game and it feels like the next big installment to the series. Nintendo will have to work hard to possibly top this one and I don’t expect the next big Mario game to come out for several years as they work to make it a masterpiece.
2016 Pokken
https://flic.kr/p/23Sdu9A
When they first announced this game I knew that it was going to be awesome. How do you possibly top a Pokemon Fighting game? The answer is that you don’t. The Rock Paper Scissors form of combat is used well and you really have to play it a lot to get the mechanics down.
2015 J Stars Victory Vs
https://flic.kr/p/GPbyFh
Finally, the Shonen Jump fighting crossover that I always wanted. It’s a great blend of DBZ and Naruto 3D gameplay as you get to pit fan favorite characters against each other. It’s a really fun game that has largely gone overlooked, but is definitely a top fighter.
2014 Super Smash Bros Wii U
https://flic.kr/p/GPbyGE
https://flic.kr/p/23Sducb
https://flic.kr/p/GPbyJ3
The greatest game of all time! Super Smash is a game that I’ve put in well over 1000 hours and counting. It’s just the perfect game that has unlimited replay value. While you do get an edge over other players if you pay the 5.99, it just helps you reevaluate if you want to get a sandwich outside or skip lunch to start winning.
2013 Sonic Lost World
https://flic.kr/p/24WWj7T
Lost World was a fun Sonic game that may not have gone down as one of the all time greats, but I guess 2013 couldn’t offer us anything better. It just goes to show that Sonic games are underappreciated and Lost World helped to brighten the year up. It was a different take on the Sonic series, but one that worked well.
2012 Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Generations
https://flic.kr/p/23Sdud3
Definitely the best of the Ninja Storm games that I’ve played. It was cool to see Naruto characters from Part 1 and 2 go at it with the solid 3D gameplay that I’ve come to expect from the series. It’s definitely a game that you can play at any time.
2011 Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3
https://flic.kr/p/23Sdueq
While it may not be the best Marvel vs Capcom game in the series, it is definitely iconic and a game that will bring you endless amounts of fun. The combos are flashy and the character roster is pretty solid. You will get sucked into the game as you find more and more team combos to pull off.
2010 Tenkaichi Tag Team
https://flic.kr/p/GPbyKA
The best portable DBZ game and one that does a good job of emulating Tenkaichi 3. The Tag Team mechanic is pretty fun and the 3D combat is as good as ever. We definitely need to bring the Tenkaichi gameplay back since it’s so fun. Playing as Goku and Vegeta makes for an excellent team.
2009 Final Fantasy XIII
https://flic.kr/p/24Tg8BS
Final Fantasy XIII is still my favorite part of the Final Fantasy franchise with the second game upping the intensity even further. The graphics are excellent and the game set the tone right from the start by having one of the best intro cinematics out there. With an awesome protagonist like Lightning and a solid gameplay system in place, this was the game to beat in 2009.
2008 Super Smash Bros Brawl
https://flic.kr/p/24Tg8EC
Brawl was the first Super Smash Bros game to have a story and boy did it deliver. I’ve seen the cutscenes numerous times and it’s so surreal to see the characters all in one place interacting. Sonic really stole the show here and the gameplay was as great as ever. While it may be a little hard to get into after playing the Wii U version, its legacy will not be forgotten. There’s always a lot to do here so the fun never stops.
2007 Dragon Ball Budokai Tenkaichi 3
https://flic.kr/p/22c1RqA
For a while I had this listed as my favorite game of all time. It may have been surpassed but it’s still up there as one of the best games of all time and is still my favorite DBZ title. The huge 150+ character roster is amazing and the story mode was excellent as well. You just can’t get tired of playing this game and the controls are easy to learn, but hard to master. The perfect blend for a game like this.
2006 Sonic The Hedgehog
https://flic.kr/p/24Tg8z7
Sonic 2006 may have been mocked by fans and critics, but it still has one of the best stories in a Sonic game and was hype all the way through. You’re unlikely to actually run into the infamous glitches and will instead have a blast powering through the game. Silver was a great new character to the franchise and his boss battles are a lot of fun. Psychic abilities are tough to get around and Silver does a good job of demonstrating that.
2005 Kingdom Hearts II
https://flic.kr/p/24Tg8G1
Kingdom Hearts has had a lot of great installments, but Kingdom Hearts II is still the best one. It finally ended the main plot of the arc with a lot of intense battles and the final boss was intense. I barely survived with one health left and so this really felt like a bout of skill. Seeing Cloud go up against Sephiroth was naturally an awesome payoff as well.
2004 Custom Robo
https://flic.kr/p/23zUDmg
This game actually came out on my birthday which is pretty awesome. It’s the ultimate 3D robot experience. The story was really epic and the gameplay is amazing. You feel like you are in control the whole time as you are able to customize your robot to your liking and then fight for all the marbles. There are a lot of customization options here which are really what makes the game feel authentic. It just doesn’t get better than this.
2003 F-Zero GX
https://flic.kr/p/24Tg8tW
The graphics for this game were amazing for its time and still look awesome to this day. F-Zero is easily the best racing game of all time and even the story mode was awesome. It’s a shame that we haven’t gotten a new game so long because clearly the series still has a ton of potential. It’s just an awesome game through and through and revolutionized the genre.
2002 Sonic Adventure 2 Battle
https://flic.kr/p/22c1RnE
The best Sonic game and one of the best games of all time, Adventure 2 Battle introduced us to Shadow while also perfecting the Sonic formula. The gameplay is amazing and the multiplayer modes are excellent as well. Seeing Sonic and Shadow team up like this has never been topped by another moment in the franchise and the cutscenes will still give you the chills. This is definitely an all star title.
2001 Super Smash Bros Melee
https://flic.kr/p/24Tg8rS
While Smash Wii U is the best game, Melee is still the most intense fighting game. You move at incredible speeds and the sheer amount of effort it takes to pull off combos is incredible. People even damage their hands from playing this game at a competitive level and it’s where I first realized that Fox would be my main for life. He’s just such a great character here while also being completely fair and balanced. Aside from Smash Wii U I feel like I was the most dedicated to this game for the longest period of time.
2000 Marvel vs Capcom 2
https://flic.kr/p/24Tg8pY
Marvel vs Capcom 2 still has the best fighting game cast of all time aside form Super Smash Bros Wii U. It was huge for its time and basically all of the big Marvel and Capcom characters got to make an appearance. Playing as the beam spammers is a ton of fun but getting in close is satisfying as well. This is definitely what you think of when you think of the MVC series.
1999 Super Smash Bros
https://flic.kr/p/24Tg8mb
The start of the greatest franchise of all. The game may not have had a whole lot of fighters, but the gameplay was way ahead of its time. Super Smash Bros is as addicting as it ever was and being able to have iconic characters like Mario and Link fighting it out was a dream come true. This game is absolutely amazing!
1998 Marvel Vs Capcom
https://flic.kr/p/22c1RgN
Marvel vs Capcom is one of the few fighting titles that can even compete with big shots like Super Smash. The concept behind the game is genius and the fighting style has become a whole sub genre. It’s a fantastic game that holds up very well and just about every character feels viable. They can all pull off crazy combos so you can play this for hours.
1997 Mega Man X4
https://flic.kr/p/24Tg8iW
Mega Man X4 is the first X game that I’ve ever played and it also happens to be the first one with a real solid story and animated cutscenes. It’s a blast to play through and it was a fun title for the PS2. Playing as Zero was a lot of fun and while the difficulty was high, I’d consider it to be one of the easier X games. Definitely a title that is worth checking out.
1996 Mario 64
https://flic.kr/p/24Tg8gG
The greatest Mario game of all time. This one is legendary and it’s easy to see why. Being able to actually punch and kick your enemies is awesome and the levels are amazing. The final boss is also the tensest one in all of Nintendo. You will walk away from this game a very changed person.
1995 Street Fighter Alpha
https://flic.kr/p/24Tg8co
Street Fighter Alpha is really the iconic retro Street Fighter game. It had an ongoing plot during the trilogy along with a sizable cast. It was really quick so playing the matches was fun as you had to keep up with your opponent. It’s easy to see why the game series became so legendary.
1994 Mega Man X2
https://flic.kr/p/24Tg8au
Mega Man X2 was a solid game with that nice motorcycle game. I may not have as much experience with it compared to the classic series, but the X games always look really nice with the graphics and their difficulty is brutal without feeling unfair. It’s a great sidescroller that will take a lot of time to complete.
1993 Kirby’s Adventure
https://flic.kr/p/23A618X
The definitive Kirby game, Kirby’s Adventure really brought an intense final boss to the series with the fight even taking place in space. The whole game is a blast and Kirby does a good job of keeping its gameplay creative with the flying ability while also not letting you cheese the whole game by just flying over everything. It was certainly an excellent game to keep 1993 exciting.
1992 Fatal Fury 2
https://flic.kr/p/24Tg88q
Fatal Fury may not be as popular as some of the other fighting game titles around, but don’t doubt its quality. This fighting game can absolutely hold its own against any of the other big titles. The controls are on point and any game where one of the fighters is called Terry is destined for greatness. Not a game that you want to take a pass on.
1991 Sonic The Hedgehog
https://flic.kr/p/24Tg8eh
Sonic has finally entered the fray. The instant that he came in it was time for Mario and the other titles to move aside. While his games aren’t generally as fun as Mario’s, they are a nice change of pace and are solid in their own right. Being able to move so fast through the levels was probably a very fresh experience at the time.
1990 Mario World
https://flic.kr/p/22c1RdS
Widely considered to be one of the best Mario titles of all time, I would easily say that this is the best 2D one. It’s between this game and Mario 64 for the absolute best and I’m inclined to give the 3D one the edge here. Mario World has a ton of replay value and you could play it over and over again because of how much fun it is. I’m super nostalgic for the game as well and have completed it 3 times over the years.
I didn’t play any 1989 games which is sad. In my defense, Mega Man skipped that year, Sonic wasn’t out yet, and Mario released Super Mario Land which is one of the few 2D adventures that I have not played. It’s how it goes I guess. (-____-;)
1988 Super Mario Bros 3
https://flic.kr/p/24TeWcu
With Luigi finally getting his due credit, how could Super Mario Bros 3 not make it? This is definitely a game to remember and it was a fun way to start closing out the 80s. The levels are well made and you’ll have a blast playing this game.
1987 Final Fantasy
https://flic.kr/p/24TeWaW
This may not have been the final Fantasy, but it was a great way to start things off. Between this and Pokemon, the turn based style of combat really got big and Final Fantasy did it justice. There may not have been a huge plot back in the day, but exploring and leveling up made this game a real hit.
1986 Legend of Zelda
https://flic.kr/p/24TeW9o
I remember playing this at the arcade before watching Wallace and Gromit back in the day. It’s definitely a fun classic and the overhead actually worked well for the game. The series has come a long way, but the classic will always be remembered.
1985 Super Mario Bros
https://flic.kr/p/23SeaPC
Now this game’s a classic. Who hasn’t died to the first goomba at least 10 times by now? He comes to suddenly and the game never relents as it pushes you into trial after trial. You can’t take the game lightly and its difficulty and fun graphics are what makes it such a classic.
I didn’t play any games from 1984. Yes, I know that I’m a casual (-_-)
1983 Mario bros
https://flic.kr/p/24TeW6C
This stage is iconic since Mario Bros had you dodging the fireballs and creatures as you racked up a high score. It’s a fun game with a high amount of replay value even if the gameplay is a little different from most of the other Mario games.
1982 Ms. Pac Man
https://flic.kr/p/24TeW4J
With more levels and colors than the original, Ms. Pac Man is a strict upgrade over its predecessor. It’s a really fun game and one that tests your skills of memorization and reaction times as you dodge the ghosts. It’s hard to beat this classic.
1981 Galaga
https://flic.kr/p/23SeaKu
I’ve definitely put many hours into this classic game. Galaga revolutionized space combat back in the day and it’s a lot of fun to try and beat your high score. Play it safe and play it smart, that’s how you’ll get the record.
1980 Pac Man
https://flic.kr/p/23SeaJN
Now this game is a living legend. Who would have thought that Pac-Man would end up being one of the greatest games of all time? There is basically nobody alive who hasn’t heard of the famous icon and the game holds up just as well now as it did back in 1980.
1979 Galaxian
https://flic.kr/p/23SeaHq
Potentially the best video game of the first year’s batch that I ever got to play, Galaxian is one to remember. It’s a rough version of the classic Galaga and is definitely one that you can have fun playing for a long while. It’ll remind you of the good ole days.
Congrats on making it all the way to the end! I’ll be sure to update the main page when new years pass by so be sure to check it out in the future. Who knows, perhaps some of these entries will be surpassed by other old games at some point as well. Gaming has certainly come a long way, but one thing’s for sure, surpassing Super Smash Bros for Wii U will be nearly impossible!
Stats Time!
32 Gold Medals
3 Silver Medals
Olympic Medals 11 Gold 2 Silver 3 Null
Dream Medals 6 Gold 1 Silver 4 Null
Emblems 16/80
Music Collection Complete
Square Decals Complete
Banner Decals 52 to go
Paint Sheets 24 to go
Boutique: Everything left
Sport Records
Dream Alpine 2m 13s
Dream Ski Jumping 560 pts
Dream Snowboard Cross 2m 5s
Dream Short Track 2m 7s
Dream Figure Skating 379.2 pts
Alpine Skiing Downhill 1m 37s
Alpine Skiing Giant Slalom 57s
Ski Jumping Individual Large Hill 245.1 pts
Moguls 23.10 pts
Ski Cross 1m 1s
Halfpipe 35.120 pts
Snowboard Cross 59s
Speed Skating 32s
Short Track 1m 36s
Figure Skating 96.500 pts
Skeleton 1m 11s
Whenever someone yells “MARIO AND SONIC AT THE OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES” you can’t help but get very nostalgic. I rented this game a long time ago and had quite a lot of fun with it. While the games are more limited than in the first one, it has improved in every other area. This title feels like the high budget Olympics game that we had been waiting for and the soundtrack is certainly one of the all time greats. My main character that I use in this game is Shadow of course but there is a solid roster of other characters to use as well.
Unlike the last one, this Olympics actually has a story mode of sorts. Essentially you have to play in the Olympics to try and secure the gold trophy. To do this you will have to prove that you are a well rounded athlete who can excel in many different events. You play the Olympics one day at a time. At first there are 2 events per day and then 3 for the second half. You also get 2 break days to relax and go to the shop. It would be pretty sad to play the whole thing and then lose so the A.I isn’t too crazy. Not to mention that many of the events are training so you can’t actually lose. It’s a way to get free points and move up the ranks of you were beginning to lose. You still need to win most of them if you are going to succeed though. As I hinted at earlier though, most of the mini games are rather similar so you shouldn’t have a problem after you’ve gotten used to them.
The best mini game is probably the Snowboard one. It’s very simple and straight to the point. You have to drive down a slope as fast as you possibly can. No gimmicks or anything like that, it’s just a pure bout of skill. You just can’t top it. There is a similar mini game where you are on Skis, but you have to utilize the motion controls more. It’s really the same thing but slower and with more stuff going on to distract you. Nothing wrong with that, but it just can’t compare to the style of the board.
We’ve also got Ice Hockey which would usually be in first place but it’s really hard to move much at all without getting slammed by the other team. That part makes it tough to enjoy the game because you don’t actually get to be playing it much. Good concept though. The game that seems to be the main attraction in this game is the figure skating. You have to pull off moves with the utmost precision at just the right time of you want to get the maximum score. While defeating the computers can be pretty easy you will want to do your best if you’re fighting a human opponent. It’s not my favorite game since it’s very slow paced, but it’s not the worst either.
The worst mini game is the one where you have to slide the discs across the floor. Many party games have this and I can never get any since it has never been good. The very concept ensures that it won’t be good if you ask me since it is a very slow paced game by nature. I’m sure it has its fans, but I am not one of them.
There are also some mini games called dream events which have items included and can get quite chaotic. The Snowball fight game is probably the most memorable one and it’s definitely a lot of fun. Your teammates may actively sabotage you as they get blasted, but it’s a pretty balanced game in that respect. Who doesn’t like a good snowball fight right? Another monk game has a glider where you have to fly and catch rings as you make it to the end. Naturally you’ll want to aim for small rings for maximum rings, but your opponents may have the same idea which will make things tricky.
After a while you will probably grow bored of the snow theme, but at least you can basically say that the game tries out every possible idea. Some mini games may seem like slight rehashes of each other but at least do have things that make them unique. Other party titles just make all of the games the same and don’t even attempt to hide it.
The presentation of the game as a whole is quite impressive. From the main menus to the shops and the levels, this game looks quite great. They spared no expense on the visuals. All of the character models are on point and the level designs are great as well. We even have a Challenger Approaching icon that is sort of like Super Smash which is pretty neat. It shows up before each boss battle and feels quite thematic. Then there is the soundtrack. It’s quite impressive as it takes many of the best Mario and Sonic themes and then throws them into the games/bosses. Listening to the Sonic Adventure themes is always nostalgic and naturally the Mario ones are good as well. I haven’t played the next Olympic installments yet, but I think it’s fair to say that they are going to have a very tough time surpassing this one.
There’s a lot to do in this game so length is certainly not an issue. The main campaign isn’t very long but that’s only the tip of the iceberg as you try to earn enough money to buy everything. You can also go for new records in individual events as well as challenge friends in multiplayer. Multiplayer mode certainly adds a lot of replay value to the game. You really need this in any sport game and in particular, offline multiplayer is a must.
Overall, it’s impressive just how much the series stepped it up with this installment. The game is just a lot nicer to play, listen, and look at. Boss battles was a real good addition and I like having a ceremonial story mode even if it is relatively small. It’s certainly better than nothing. The game’s only weakness is its limited amount of games, but at least the one that we do get are really fun which is certainly the important thing. I’d definitely recommend getting this game. While it may not be as unheard of as it used to be, a crossover with Sonic and Mario is always worth noting.
Overall 7/10
Stats time!
Shadow Level 3/5
Beginner’s Class Tournaments 4/4 Completed
Advanced Class Tournaments 5/5 Completed
Master Class Tournaments 0/6 Completed
I got Mario and Sonic at The Olympic Games a long while ago so it’s cool to finally get to play it. I did dabble around with the game briefly before now but the intense difficulty and length of the games temporarily caused me to retreat. Going back to the game, it’s still quite difficult but fun nonetheless. It’s just made solely for multiplayer as the 1 player option just won’t have a great deal of entertainment value in comparison.
There’s no plot of course as you are here for the games. There is a reasonable amount of variety with the games although there isn’t quite as much as the game will have you think. You unlock a game after each tournament but these are effectively just longer versions of the games you already have. Of course I’m still glad to have more options so it’s not as if this is a bad thing. For the first game in the series it’s a rather solid start. You’ll be spending most of your time in this game in the Circuits. There are 5-6 tournaments in each difficulty level. Progress as far as you can in order to beat them all and unlock all of the games. The tournaments tend to have 4-5 games inside. You are given a token which you can use to double your points for claiming victory in one event per tournament, but use it wisely. If you don’t come in the top 3 at the event where you’ve bet your chip, it will be lost. If you use it right, you can afford to bomb one event as long as you do well in the other ones.
Another mode is Mission Mode. There you play one event at a time and accomplish the objective. Finish in 2nd place is one for example. It’s a pretty nice little mode although I didn’t play it too much. I completed Shadow’s missions and called it a day. It’s a nice way to add in some replay value though. At the very least you can’t say that this game was lacking in content. It’s got enough to keep you busy for a very long time and then some. You can unlock emblems, music, and of course the games. Completing all of the tournaments should also take a while. I’d say we’re looking at a game that’s at least 10 hours which is really solid for a Sports title. Although I guess sport titles usually last a while if you think about it. Lets talk about the games.
The first one is the Swimming event. This one’s pretty fun as you just push and pull the Wii Remote/Nunchuk as fast as you can while pressing whatever the screen tells you too. It takes fast reactions to complete, but is certainly a game of skill. There is no luck to be found here and it’s pretty satisfying. I was able to wrap my head around this one pretty quickly. Next up is Archery which isn’t nearly as good. The instructions were unclear and it felt heavily luck based with the wind factor and all. I may just not be properly appreciating the nuance of this event though, but it was one of the weaker ones for me.
The sprinting event is the best one. It’s very simple, just shake your remotes as fast as you can and get to the goal. You’ll get a real workout here, especially in the longer versions. You also have to jump over obstacles in some versions, throw a baton to a teammate, or even use items to slow the others down. I enjoyed these levels quite a bit and wouldn’t have minded seeing more of them in the tournaments. It’s just an event that you can get behind really quickly and we never did get that Track and Field Mario game that I always wanted.
There are also the jumping/spear throwing minigames. Essentially you have to make a throwing/jumping motion as you approach goal. The problem is that the game is incredibly unclear and misleading on when you have to time your jump so you have to do it quite early in order to get it right. Otherwise the game penalizes you. I figured it out the hard way after several shots, but with something like this you should be able to tell where you have to jump on the spot.
There’s also sword fighting which is pretty decent. I’d enjoy it more against a human opponent, but any kind of combat is always hype in my book. It plays out like a Pirates of the Caribbean game as there is a lot of parrying and feints. There’s also a Trampoline minigame which is handled really well as you press a lot of buttons and go for a high score before you finally land. I feel like this was my best minigame as I always beat the computers here. Finally we can’t forget about Ping Pong. That game is a classic and certainly one of the best ones. The computers don’t just roll over either so you really have to earn your win here. Watch out for their slams.
There are quite a lot of games here and for the most part they were all solid. There were a few lackluster ones, but they were in the minority. While these are all of the main minigames, there are also several variations of each one so the gameplay stays fresh. I do have to question what Nintendo was thinking when they made the A.I. though. I seriously can’t imagine a kid being able to beat most of the tournaments. The computers are simply too merciless and you have to really compete to take them down. I beat all of the tournaments under Beginner and Advanced, but Master Class is really something else. Even Beginner was really tough at first and I lost a few times there. Having a practice run before doing the real minigames would help a lot since I didn’t understand quite a few of them.
The graphics are really good and certainly hold up well. It’s definitely nice to see Mario and Sonic racing side by side. I feel like Sonic was still faster, but Mario did a good job of keeping up. The music is also on point to be sure. The technical aspects of the game were certainly on point and as a result this is a very complete game. You’ll have a lot of fun playing it for sure and at this point you can get the game at a good price. I will say that the game is a lot more fun when you’re playing with someone else though. As with most party games, the minigames are made for multiple people. With the emotionless computers, it’ll feel a little repetitive after a while. They’re also surprisingly good as I mentioned earlier so while you may post a score that you feel would have won the bout in multiplayer, that may not be the case here.
Overall, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games is a lot of fun. If the game didn’t have a multiplayer mode, then I would take off one star so keep that in mind if you’re buying it to play by yourself. I’ve played a lot of party games over the years so I can definitely confirm that this is one of the better ones. Actual effort is put behind it and there were no glitches that I could see. I already own the next game in the series so I’ll definitely be playing that one pretty soon. I remember thinking it was a significant upgrade so I’m excited to check it out.
Overall 7/10
Stats time!
Play Time 17h 33m
Comets 38
Coins 674
DReager1.com 