Review: Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games

The 2010 Winter Olympics are just around the bend and Mario and Sonic have paired up for yet another collection of Olympics-inspired mini-games. Only this time, all the games typically involve snow or ice, or some combination of the two.

 

Whether you loved or hated the Summer Olympics version from 2007, you should give Mario & Sonic at the Olympics Winter Games a try. Why? Simple - it’s a better game and experience this time around.

 

The game takes you through the entire two weeks of the Winter Olympics, and includes events that range from Figure Skating and Luge to downhill skiing and snowboarding.

 

Some of the games skimp a bit in the gameplay department. Example: As fun as it is to watch Donkey Kong try to pull off Double Axels, making motions with the Wii remote while following onscreen prompts isn’t “gaming,” it’s a high-tech version of Simon Says. Downhill skiing is also a little disappointing, because it’s really not much more advanced than what you find in Wii Fit’s mini-game collection.

 

Favorites include the Bobsleigh—it’s especially fun when you’ve got four people sitting in a line, like an actual bobsled team-and Snowboarding, which had the effect of making me write a letter to EA asking where the new SSX game is.

 

But once again it’s the Dream Events that steal the show. As the game leaves behind any semblance of realism, the Olympics get much more interesting. The Ski Jump Dream Event replaces the “real” mountain with a mountain so tall, your palms will sweat. These events are absolutely thrilling, and well worth the effort to unlock.

 

While some of the mini-games aren’t as creative as others, overall this is still a very solid package. If you’re looking for a way to get pumped up for the upcoming games, this is it. Recommended.