If there’s one thing we’ve learned from the Raving Rabbid series of games it’s that just because something is fun and enjoyable once doesn’t mean we need yearly iterations of the same game (or in the case of the Mario and Sonic Olympic games, bi-yearly iterations). I am among those who actually enjoyed Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games. I thought it was decent set of mini-games that made pretty good use of the Wii’s motion controls and good use of the Mario, Sonic, and Olympic lisences. However, things have changed since then, and this time out I’d just as soon skip the Olympics and see what else is on.
The biggest change to take place between the release of the first game and this one is the introduction of Wii MotionPlus. This little add-on was supposed to be the gizmo that would help the Wii realize the full potential of its motion controls. Unfortunately, there just aren’t many games that have made use of it. Aside from Tiger Woods and Wii Sports Resort, there’s…well, I’m drawing a blank actually, and that’s my point. What’s the use of introducing something like Wii MotionPlus if no one’s going to use it, not even you’re main mascot? I don’t want MotionPlus to turn into the next WiiSpeak, another periphial that no one uses, but that’s an editorial for another time. Getting back to my point, my biggest frustration is we now have MotionPlus for the Wii, we have a new version of a fairly decent and fun game filled with two of the biggest mascots ever, and that new game doesn’t use MotionPlus. Why? Without the addition of MotionPlus, Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games feels more like a fad that’s not as enjoyable the second time around instead of an innovative game that’s still taking advantage of the Wii’s strength. Truth is, I think MotionPlus could have been the difference between a much more fun, innovative game and the current very mediocre game.
Enough of my rantings, let me share some examples. Let’s start with figure skating. This mini game has you follow a pre-set path and you must waggle the Wiimote at specific times to jump or spin it to spin. It’s all done in time with music and the basics for the game are actually a pretty good idea. However the execution lacks imagination. I wonder what this game might have been like with the more precise controls of MotionPlus. If the more precise controls of MotionPlus had been included, I wonder if this mini-game would have needed to be on rails at all. Why not a free-form arena that gives you the freedom to put together your own little routine? Would that have been too complicated for the kids this game is obviously aimed at? Maybe, but why not at least include an advanced option for the other gamers in the family? Instead, we have a very staid mini-game with random Wii-waggle that completely lacks any imagination. Not that I’m suggesting MotionPlus would have made up for the lack of imagination, but certainly it could have opened up new possibilities, or at the very least much more precise controls.
And so it goes with the whole collection of mini-games. The lowest common dominator of Wii motion controls is used for everything from bobsledding to downhill skiing to hockey. It’s all so frustrating because the Winter Olympics are my favorite. I love playing in the snow, I love skiing, I love everything about the Winter Olympics. The fact that I actually enjoyed the Summer Games with Mario and Sonic raised my hopes for this version since this my preferred version of the Olympic Games. In truth, however, this collection of mini-games feels less imaginative and just over all less fun than the previous game’s collection. The games don’t really make any attempt to use the controls in interesting ways, and for any mini-game collection, especially on the Wii, that will always make or break your game. That lack of imagination and creativity is especially disappointing in light of how much potential there was for this game. The selection of winter events is actually pretty good. You have speed skating, figure skating, a good vareity of skiing events, snowboarding, bob sledding and more. These are all really fun events but the generic controls and pointless waggle more or less sap the fun out of them.
The rest of the game is fairly decent. The graphics don’t look any better than the last game, but they certainly don’t look any worse. A little more polish on some of the snow effects would have been appreciated, as well as more of a sense of speed on the downhill and bobsledding events. The opening cinematics look good, but like the rest of the game there’s just something lacking from them. They just aren’t as fun, they don’t have the same sense of lighthearted silliness like in the last game. Maybe I should have seen that as a warning for the rest of the game. Sound wise everything is nice and average. All the characters have their little catch phrases that quickly become annoying, the music selection for events like figure skating is nice but could have been more expansive, and the sound effects are all decent but not spectacular.
I’ve already mentioned that I think this game would have been tons more fun with MotionPlus, but I should at least mention that the motion controls that are involved here are fairly responsive. The game does a good job of mixing things up with slightly different kinds of “shake the controler” as well mixing up times when you need the nunchuck. If you play solo, you can also use the Wii balance board which is responsive but doesn’t add a whole lot to the experience.
As with the Summer Games, the Winter Games are more fun if you play with some friends. While you can go through the story mode on your own, you can also do so with up to three friends which makes it all a bit more enjoyable. There’s also a party mode where you can select which game you want to play, and as you proceed you’ll unlock dream events which take place in recognizable locales from Mario and Sonic lore. These help add a bit more visual variet to everything, but aside from their novelty value they aren’t that much different. Nevertheless, competing against friends and family, as always, is far more interesting then competing against the AI.
Another nice bonus is the wide variety of characters that are available right from the start. All of the stars of Mario and Sonic games are represented, as are a few of the more obscure ones. The characters are broken up into different categories such as speed or skill, but I didn’t really notice how that made any difference in your actual gameplay.
Look, I know that I’ve been pretty harsh on this game, but that’s because I really wanted to like it. Really, my main problem with it is the lack of any MotionPlus support. If there wasn’ty any MotionPlus I might not be so frustrated with it, but in light of all the potential that MotionPlus brings to the table, I can’t help but be disappointed with the missed potential to improve on a game that had a solid first outing and had so much room to improve with the fun of the Olympic Winter Games. Despite my frustrations with the fairly blase and simplistic controls, my daughters enjoyed playing this game. They’re seven and four and they don’t care about whether or not Princess Peach uses MotionPlus, they just get a kick out being able to take her figure skatings. The controls don’t require a lot of skill, which means they feel like they’re doing a great job as the jump and spin while randomly shaking the Wiimote. In all honesty, that may be exactly what Sega wanted to accomplish this second time out with Mario and Sonic, and if so, then they’ve done a fine job. Still, I’d like a little more effort and creativity next time, please.
Score out of 7:
Graphics: 4 - A decent looking game but it doesn’t really push the Wii’s hardware.
Sound: 4 - Simple, repetive catch phrases and generic menu music, but the figure skating includes some nice classical pieces. Again decent, but not great.
Controls: 4 - Other games have done better, including the Summer Games, and Wii MotionPlus is a huge missed opportunity. Still, the controls work, they’re responsive, and some of them are even enjoyable for a few of the games.
Gameplay: 4 - A good mix of winter sports that aren’t quite as much fun as they might have been due to some unimaginative use of the Wii’s motion controls.
Story: N/A
Content: 6 - Good clean fun with two of the most recognizable gaming icons on the planet.
Final Score: 4 - I really wish Nintendo would have pushed SEGA to include MotionPlus with this game. The summer version was good fun and made good use of the Wii’s motion controls. Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games feels like a step back, not only due to the lack of MotionPlus, but also because the motion controls really aren’t all that unique or help immerse you in the game. It’s just one waggle fest, this time starring Mario and Sonic.
November 5th, 2009 at 4:04 am
Hi all…
I am playing games on pc and i like to more about gaming…
I like this article because it’s about gaming…