Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (Wii) Review
Mario and Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (MSLOG hereafter) is the third iteration of the Sega and Nintendo crossover that brings together a vast collection of characters from the Nintendo and Sega franchises and pits them against one another in a series of Olympic events. It follows the original Beijing title and its follow-up based on the most recent winter Olympics. A crossover between Sega and Nintendo has always been a well-received idea, though I wouldn’t be the only person who would prefer to see such an amalgamation produce a platformer or an adventure game of sorts, rather than an Olympic Games-based title. Nonetheless, due to the large variety of characters, they are well suited to an event such as the Olympics, which contains quite a spectrum of sports.
MSLOG contains a total of 31 official Olympic events for you to play, plus a number of “Dream Events”, which take actual events and give them the Nintendo/Sega makeover (i.e., power-ups, reduced levels of realism etc.). The majority of events that you can partake in are the same as in the original Beijing title, though there are a few new events thrown in such as equestrian and soccer.
There is a lot of variety in the events offered, ranging from track and field events (e.g., 100m sprint, hurdles, discus, javelin) and aquatics (sprints, synchronised swimming) to team events (soccer, volleyball). There is sure to be something here that appeals to young and old, though the quality of each game varies considerably, ranging from dull to quite enjoyable. Soccer, for example, is very simplistic but genuinely fun. The 100m sprint is also very simple, but it is a blast trying to crack the records each time.
The controls for each game vary considerably too, though many of them just involve waggle which generally makes the game boring after a while. Although the method of control for each event is mainly intuitive enough, with so many events requiring that you shake the Wii Remote and/or Nunchuk in some fashion, it can become tiresome quickly. Overall though, the range of events available is quite impressive, and with four players, even the less impressive events are improved substantially. The basic controls can be a problem, but this is offset due to the fact that simple controls make the game more approachable for all players, irrespective of age and experience.
MSLOG includes a new “London Party” mode where you roam around the streets of England talking to characters and participating in minigames and actual Olympic events. The main aim of this multiplayer mode is to collect stickers to add to your sticker album. The first player to finish their collection is deemed the winner. The London Party mode is a nice addition to the franchise, as it provides an alternative method of play as opposed to just selecting a character and playing in a chosen event. In terms of extras, there are several collectables that provide more incentive to play, including the stickers as mentioned above. You can also collect “scratch cards” which can unlock bonuses, such as new costumes. All In all, there is quite a lot on offer in MSLOG, and the quality of offerings does vary quite a bit, but it is certainly improved if you have a few mates to play with.
MSLOG is generally good in terms of visuals and sounds. The collection of tracks from the Mario and Sega universes makes for a nostalgic soundtrack, although most of the material is only rehashed or remixed, with a distinct lack of new tunes. Sound effects are used well throughout the game, although many characters are reduced to a few typical sound bites throughout. Would have been nice to have the voice work reworked to inject a bit more life. The game is bright and bubbly, and the characters are well detailed, even if they are models we have seen time and time again. Like the sound, the visuals could use an injection of new life, rather than just being rehashed. That said, the visual/aural package is good overall.
Minigame compilations were an exciting new (sort of) genre when the Wii was first released. Fast forward a few years, and this genre has already been done to death, particularly on the Wii itself. MSLOG is certainly as good a compilation as any, though it is very similar to the other Olympic Mario and Sonic titles that have come before it. If you already own one or two of these titles, MSLOG might not offer enough new material to excite you a third time.
If you have had little time with the previous two titles, then MSLOG is well worth consideration, particularly if you have others to play with. There is quite a lot on offer here, though some of the events are unlikely to be played more than just a couple of times. It’s a shame that some events have been done so much better in the past. For example, table tennis in Wii Sports Resort is vastly superior to the version in MSLOG. Overall though, MSLOG is a good game without being fantastic. If offers so much, yet some of what is offered could do with a bit more polish.
Graphics 7.0
Looks good without being amazing. Hasnt improved much since the Beijing title, but does the job.
Gameplay 7.0
A lot of events on offer, though the quality does vary considerably. The Dream Events are fun, and the addition of London Party mode is a winner.
Sound 7.0
A good selection of tracks from the Sega and Nintendo universes, though none of it is really new.
Tilt 8.0
If you have a few friends to play with, you will get a lot out of MSLOG. Not as exciting for the sole player. With unlockable material, records to beat etc., there is quite a lot to do.
Value 6.0
A good package with a lot on offer, would have liked to see more (and better) new events.
