Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (Beijing 2008): Worth playing today?
Introduction
The 2008 edition of Mario and Sonic at the Olympics was one that began an unforgettable series. Participating in any Olympic event of your choice in the comfort of your own home alongside your favourite video game characters was an enjoyable experience for a lot of us. Released on November 6, 2007 for the Wii and in January 2008 for the DS, this game sold more than 10,000,000 units and the Wii port received the award of “Best Wii game of 2007”. In this post, I’ll go through everything this game has to offer and tell whether or not it’s worth buying today, in 2020.
Let’s Begin
Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games marked the first time the character from both the Mario and Sonic series would merge together to create one amazing game. This game released on both the Wii and DS. The port I have is the one for the DS and I’ve had mine for as long as I can remember dating back to the early 2000s.
Differences
There are noticeable differences when playing each port and the major differences you’ll notice is the graphics and interaction. On one hand, the Wii offers better interaction and graphics and fun to play with friends and family. On the other hand, the DS is mainly for handheld and on the go play. The graphics are quite pixelated, which was what you’d expect from DS gameplay and you have to connect to Versus Play to play with a friend or sibling.
Event Types
The game features two game categories. The Regular Events and the Dream Events. The Regular Events have a variety of Olympic events to play and the Dream Events were just a bunch of fun, miscellaneous events that weren’t really included in the Olympics. These had their own level of spice of you ask me. I don’t remember how to unlock the Dream Events, so you’ll probably have to look on YouTube to find out.
Events and Control Aspects
A lot of the events use a lot of the controls, even the stylus. I’d say the amount of events in this game that don’t require the stylus is acceptable, especially you want to play this on the go. I remember I’d constantly play the Table Tennis event everywhere I went with this game, from the airport to a relative’s house, even the bank. You name it, I played it there. In the Regular Events, the only events that didn’t use the stylus were Table Tennis, Cycling, 10m Platform and those are all the ones I can name.
Some of the Dream Events don’t call for the stylus and those are Dream Boxing and Dream Table Tennis.
Different Game Modes
Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games features four game modes. Single Player, Versus Player, Records and Gallery, which aren’t really “Game Modes”. You know Single Player, so I’m not explaining that. Versus Player allows you to connect systems and play with other people. Records show you your records, rankings, medals and emblems and the Gallery basically lets you play some minigames, tells you facts about the Olympics and has a little jukebox where you can play different CDs that you have unlocked. Don’t forget the small Options tab in the bottom-right corner, which allows you to configure your settings.
Circuits
Of course, this was the part I assume a lot of you have been waiting for. There are additional modes called Circuit and Mission Mode. In Circuit Mode, there are three classes, which are Beginners, Advanced and Masters. Not to mention there’s a Free Circuit in which you can create you own circuit
The first two classes have five circuits while the Masters Class has six. I will provide pictures of the circuits of each class down below:
Missions
Now, it’s time to talk about the Mission Mode. In Mission Mode, there are these missions you have to complete to be rewarded with some stars. Once completed, you’ll receive the emblem for that character.
Medals and Emblems
When finishing 1st, 2nd or 3rd, you’ll receive medals for that event, especially the Dream Events. There are emblems too and you can get those by completing a character’s missions or by winning all of the events in a class. You can check this in Records
Is it worth playing today?
There are many qualities and aspects you want to look out for before buying this game. This game has resonated with me from an early age, but should you play this game today? Here’s my answer. I’d say sure, it doesn’t really matter too much because I don’t play this game on a regular basis compared to other games which I play more. Keep in mind that there are two versions of this game. If you’re looking for a better interaction, nice graphics and a good multiplayer experience, I’d suggest you buy the Wii port. However, if you just want a handheld experience and on the go gameplay, then I’d recommend the DS port. Not many of you have the original DS, but if you have a 3DS or 2DS, then it should also work on those systems. All in all, it’s a good game. If you didn’t read my last blog post, check it out at my profile @TheRetroPhilosopher. That’s all I have time for and I shall see you soon.
