The latest entry in the Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games series, Tokyo 2020, is a family-friendly sports-event title that aims to be accessible with a wealth of events and simple controls. It also features a few neat gimmicks.
While the game doesn’t feel like anything revolutionary, it does feel like a step forward for the series. Its retro-themed events give it an extra dose of whimsy and fun, while its story mode offers up a more fleshed out narrative than its predecessors.
Gameplay
In the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, players will play as Mario and Sonic in a variety of sports events. The game features 10 classic 2D events from the 1964 Olympic Games, and new 3D events such as surfing, skating, and karate.
The gameplay is based on the standard Mario & Sonic style where characters perform moves and use special attacks to defeat their opponents in each event. However, unlike the first four games, the game does not report character stats.
Rather, it reports for each character specific advantages that correlate to their character type (All-Around, Power, Speed, Skill) from the previous game. Luigi, for example, is slower and less powerful than Mario but has better technical ability. In addition, Mario has better jumping height and vertical jump than Sonic.
Story Mode
The story of Sonic at the Olympic Games revolves around Mario and Sonic competing in various events. In the game, each character has a specific advantage in their event; these advantages correlate to their character type (All-Around, Power, Speed, Skill) from previous installments.
Meanwhile, Bowser and Dr. Eggman lose against Mario and Sonic in various events; Bowser and Dr. Eggman think that if they can collect gold medals in the game, they can free themselves from the game system and return to reality.
As a result, Mario and Sonic begin chasing Bowser and Dr. Eggman, allowing them to get gold medals in their various events. In the process, they also discover that several mysterious items are falling from the sky into various parts of 1964 Tokyo.
Replay Value
Nintendo and Sega have both partnered up to bring their famous characters Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog into an Olympic Games-themed crossover. Featuring 34 minigames based on Olympic events, this game is sure to be a blast for anyone who loves video games or is interested in the Olympics.
Aside from the story mode, you can also play a variety of multiplayer games in this title. These include real-life Olympic events that are shown in 2D retro graphics.
The game’s collection of events can be played solo or with friends, and while they aren’t as deep as Super Mario Party, it’s still a pretty good package. It doesn’t offer much in the way of replay value, but players who like to set a world record or try to beat tough AI will likely come back to them over and over again.
Graphics
Nintendo’s latest foray into the Mario & Sonic series is a solid entry in a series that hasn’t been particularly well served in recent years. Fortunately, it has an impressive roster of events and is a worthy pick-up-and-play for fans of the series or those seeking a robust suite of games to experience on their Switch console.
The story sees our heroes trapped in a retro world based on the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, while Bowser and Dr. Eggman are working together to sabotage their attempts to escape. They must work together and play through the various Olympic events to earn gold medals in order to return home.
Soundtrack
The Opening Ceremony of the Olympics featured music from a number of video game franchises. These included themes from Sonic the Hedgehog, Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest and more.
The Olympic Games are a great way to celebrate some of the most popular video game franchises, and it’s no surprise that Nintendo and SEGA decided to take advantage of the event with Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. There’s a lot of fun in the soundtrack, with energetic poppy remixes of some of your favorite Sonic the Hedgehog tracks.
While the game’s scope is limited, it does a good job of capturing what Mario and Sonic are about. The duo can coexist, they sometimes outrun each other, and the world doesn’t end for them.