GameSpot | GameFAQs | SportsGamer | Metacritic | MP3.com | TV.com
 |
|
||||
|
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
How Metascores Are Calculated
40
Alone in the Dark
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed games. |
In Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, players compete in events that take place in environments based on the official venues of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Using a supporting cast of characters from the worlds of both Mario and Sonic, gamers compete as or against a range of lovable personalities including Mario, Sonic, Luigi, Knuckles, Yoshi, Tails and more. Innovative usage of the Wii and DS control systems to maneuver a favorite character allows players to race the likes of Mario and Sonic down the 100m track, engage in exhilarating rallies in table tennis and churn water in a swimming heat, all while competing for the much sought after gold medal. [Sega]
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more... 90
Official Nintendo Magazine UK
It's ideal both as a family game or as great post-pub entertainment. [Christmas 2007, p.64]
80
games(TM)
Mario & Sonic brings with it the return of the dreaded ‘Nintendonitis’. Play for more than an hour, aiming to break the world record on each event and it’s likely that your arms won’t forgive you for the rest of the day. [Chrismas 2007, p.128]
80
NGamer UK
If you like laughing and sweating - and especially both at the same time - this is Olympic gold. Some duff events, but you'll be giggling too hard to care. [Christmas 2007, p.44]
80
VideoGamer
Neat ideas like the inclusion of actual world records, and the option to gamble the potential points you could win from an event round off this tidy compilation.
 79
IGN
For being a game that’s made up of simple gestures and “been there, done that” gameplay, Mario & Sonic is a huge surprise in its ability to still pull us in and really deliver pure, classic entertainment.
78
AtomicGamer
Overall, I'd still recommend this game, despite its higher-than-expected price point. You'll still have a good bit of fun for your gaming dollar.
76
Games Master UK
Shallow stuff, but simple enough for anyone to play. Shame to see Mario and Sonic wasted. [Christmas 2007, p.72]
75
Nintendo Power
While the game never really blows you away, it's hard to imagine that any fans of Mario, Sonic, or party games wouldn't be glad to have this in their collection. [Holiday 2007, p.79]
75
GameZone
Some of the motions are brilliant, like Archery, but most are mediocre at best, like Skeet Shooting.
75
Pelit (Finland)
Wii is just right platform for olympic games. For example Archery and High Jump are just excellent. It's a shame, that some of the events suffers from fiddly controls like Single Sculls and Table Tennis. Generally game is quite fun and it works best with bunch of sporty friends. [Mar 2008]
70
Zentendo
Its presentation and decent execution put it beyond mediocrity, but its fumbling inconsistency, repetition, and lack of defined flair fail to truly set it apart from others of its kind.
70
NTSC-uk
A great game with a group of friends, and one which could help shift a pound or two, but the necessity to unlock events for multiplayer and the near-vertical difficulty curve for later circuits are hard to overlook.
70
GamePro
It only takes a few minutes of playing Mario & Sonic at the Olympics to understand that this isn't so much a game as it is a marketing tool to promote the upcoming 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.
70
GameSpy
Mario & Sonic is by no means a bad compilation of sports-oriented mini-games; it's occasionally flawed but ultimately fun.
70
PALGN
With a wealth of options and a large variety of mini-games, Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Game is a great partnership for the former rivals.
70
EuroGamer
If you're willing to put the hours in, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games is a highly entertaining party game.
69
GameTrailers
Overall, it lacks the polish and simplicity to compete with so many other mini-game collections on the Wii, leaving the unlikely pairing of mascots as its biggest draw.
69
Gamer 2.0
While the game is incredibly tiring to play, it's a whole lot of fun when you're playing with other people. Other than that, it's just another game based on the Olympic Games... or it's just another Mario sports game.
69
Ferrago
This is more of a distraction until a proper Wii Sports game appears on the scene. There just isn't enough substance here to keep the committed player coming back for more.
67
Gaming Age
Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games is a lot of fun to play when you get a full group together, as long as you can get everyone over the initial learning curve.
65
PTGamers
Deep down, it’s a set of mini-games wrapped up in the Olympics thematic, but fails to prevail in one or the other aspect.
65
Kombo
The real Mario/Sonic event comes next year with Super Smash Bros. Brawl. In the meantime we have Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, a fun distraction when playing with friends and an exercise in skipping animated clips of characters cheering when playing alone.
64
Cheat Code Central
With competent graphics, a real feeling of character, and mostly good uses of the Wii's motion sensing controls, this game is an enjoyable experience overall. Just don't let the allure of the crossover cloud your judgement when deciding whether or not to play this title.
63
Electronic Gaming Monthly
Let me help clarify: The controls aren't complicated on their own; they're just complicated for this type of gaming experience. [Holiday 2007, p.66]
62
Worth Playing
The controls are hit-and-miss, and although you can play with a friend, you won't be able to progress through the circuits together, which makes it a moot point.
60
Edge Magazine
It’s the kind of concept you suspect was conceived more by the desire to ‘leverage brand synergy’ than to create a classic videogame. [Jan 2008, p.90]
60
NZGamer
The single-player is an amusing distraction but playing with a few more people immediately takes things up a notch.
60
GotNext
A brilliant idea on paper.
60
GameDaily
The events don't show much diversity, outside of a few creative "dream" events. Worse yet, the controls are haphazard, sometimes reading perfectly and other times barely registering. As a result, it earns a bronze metal, at best.
60
1UP
The complexity in the competition's certainly a step up from "Wii Sports" and "Wii Play," but without the option to play how you want and when you want, this feels like just another souped-up minigame collection. It's enjoyable -- and to be honest, more fun than I expected -- but it's not quite the evolution of Wii Sports we've been looking for.
60
GameSpot
Mario and Sonics' debut as a duo fails to earn them a spot on the medal stand.
52
GamingExcellence
“Mario and Sonic at the Olympics” turned too quickly into “Player versus Mario and Sonic Olympics”, and the result is an unhappy gamer with a set of sore arms.
50
The Wiire
Playing with others is certainly more fun than playing alone, but there is nothing inventive about the approach to multiplayer, and the lack of full online play is disappointing.
50
Gamestyle
This game is certainly entertaining, but only for a few days, and several of the events just prove too aggravating to replay again once you’ve done them as often as you need to.
40
Game Informer
This game had the chance to go in a different direction on the Wii and do something interesting with the Olympics, but unfortunately merely substitutes remote-shaking for button-mashing rather than offering genuinely fun activities.
30
GameTap
I could go on and on how Mario & Sonic misses the mark in nearly every respect, but there’s really no point.
Lucky P. gave it a9: Darren S. gave it a10: Mick gave it an8: Filazafer X gave it a9: Luke B. gave it a10: Wilma B. gave it a10: Matt M. gave it a5: |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Popular on CBS sites: Fantasy Football | Miley Cyrus | MLB | iPhone 3G | GPS | Recipes | Shwayze | NFL
About CNET Networks | Jobs | Advertise
© 2008 CNET Networks, Inc., a CBS Company. All rights reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use
