Alexx Aplin
Alexx AplinI am a big fan of both the Mario and Sonic franchises. I am also a fan of watching the Olympics, whether it is the Winter Olympics or the Summer Olympics. However, in the past, I have had issues with Olympics-related games due to accessibility. Now, with Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 releasing, I find myself confronting my passion for these familiar characters and these interesting events, to give our readers a clear idea of what you can expect.
I should mention that this review is not going to be very similar to other reviews you may find for this game. The reason for this is that one of the main things I am looking at when reviewing it is the accessibility angle. Sure, not everyone can play every game, but with characters as beloved as these, I think giving people an idea of the accessibility of the mini-games matters.
I am a disabled man myself. I don’t talk about it often in articles or reviews because it usually isn’t relevant. However, when motion controls are brought into the mix, I am immediately concerned. I have written about my issues with motion controls over the years, and as a disabled person, I find them to be exclusionary if they are required.
On the same coin, however, there are some varieties of motion control that are necessary. For example, nursing homes and rehabilitation centers have used Wii Fit and games like it for exercise and rehab for many years. It isn’t an issue that has a simple solution, but with Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, the issue isn’t as bad as I expected.
The game revolves around mini-games representing Olympic events. There is a single-player story mode, which involves Mario and Sonic getting trapped in a virtual version of the Tokyo Olympic Games from 1964. They are trapped in this game by Eggman, who created the game console that the game is played on. However, Bowser and Eggman get trapped in the game as well, so Mario and Sonic must compete against them in order to escape this virtual world.
At the same time, Luigi, Amy, Tails, and other friends of both Sonic and Mario are working in our world to try and help them. They end up having to go up against other familiar Mario and Sonic characters in various Olympic events, in order to progress and figure out how to help.
I have to say, I really like the story mode and the option for people to play quick matches in specific sports events if they so wish. It gives it both a party game feel and a substantial experience that you can really dig into. The mini-games all have multiple control schemes. You can either play with the Joy-Cons in the wrist straps, attached to the Joy-Con controller grip, or you can even use a Pro controller.
Because of this, motion controls aren’t required for very many of the events, which makes it an appealing option for people who don’t have the physical capability to use the motion controls to the fullest. Additionally, if you fail an event in story mode enough times, the game will allow you to skip it, so you won’t be locked out of progress if you can’t get the motion controls to cooperate.
A really cool aspect of Mario and Sonic Tokyo 2020 is that you get to explore various arenas and parts of Tokyo’s Olympic area. As a side element of this, you get to find trivia, which tells you information not only about Tokyo’s sights but also about historical things pertaining to Mario and Sonic history. Additionally, you learn a lot about the origins of various Olympic events and details regarding the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, as well as unique bits regarding the upcoming 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
Now, here’s the thing. I’m not a sports gamer myself. I don’t buy the latest FIFA titles for Soccer, and the Olympics are the closest I get to watching regular sports events. Because of this, I’m not going to review each event and tell you whether they’re accurate or not. What I can tell you is that a large number of them are very fun.
In fact, there are even some mini-games that are unlocked in Story Mode, which aren’t related to the Olympic Games. These are mostly associated with the story, but I raised my eyebrows at a few of them, including the Museum Sneak mini-game, which is part of the Story Mode. The reason I found it strange, is that I really question the wisdom of putting a stealth mini-game into a game about the Olympics. This isn’t WarioWare, Metal Gear, or Mario Party, so why?
Aside from that, I found that I wasn’t really fond of the retro version of Volleyball. The controls were strange and I just couldn’t get it to work right. Luckily, if you fail a mini-game in Story Mode three times, you can skip it and it acts as though you succeeded. This lets you try mini-games in Story Mode, and if you find one you can’t succeed in, you can skip it and move ahead.
Because of this, I got to find mini-games that I really enjoy, like Archery. The Archery mini-game is super fun, as is the Equestrian one. There also Dream Events, which are Olympic Events that contain a classic Super Mario or Sonic the Hedgehog level in them, giving a dream-like experience. Some of the mini-games are low impact even with motion controls.
Other mini-games such as the Javelin throw are very button-mashing intensive, and for people who have issues with muscle stamina, this might be an issue. Overall though, I think that in terms of optional motion control and the variety of the control schemes, this version of Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games is probably the most accessible one yet.
There are some issues with the rules not being clear in certain mini-games (like boxing) and the game seeming to go against its own rules. However, I can’t be certain if that’s an actual issue or operator error in some way, shape, or form, so take that with a grain of salt.
I am very pleased with Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. It is a great game that can be played alone, or in local and online multiplayer. The Nintendo Switch Online service is required to play online but if you have it, you can play with up to 8 people, competing in whatever events you want.
Locally you can play with four people, and I can easily see this game being great for families or groups of friends. There is so much content in this game. There are over 50 Olympic Events, 20 characters, tons of trivia, plus a full story mode with unique mini-games inside of it. This is the perfect way to celebrate the upcoming 2020 Olympic Games, and as a fan of them myself, it just makes me even more excited to see the competition come to life in Tokyo.
A Nintendo Switch review copy of Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 was provided by Sega for this review.
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Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020
$59.99 USD
Pros
- Accessible Gameplay for Multiple Playstyles
- Over 50 Fun Olympic Events
- Full Story and Single Player Mode
- Great Party Game Potential
- Lots of Olympic Trivia
Cons
- A Few Story Mini-Games Feel Out of Place
- Boxing Goes Against its Own Rules Sometimes
