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Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games

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5.5 User Score:

Mixed or average reviews

Based on 54 critic reviews
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Based on 10 votes
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Game Info

Publisher: Sega

Developer: Sega Japan

Genre(s): Sports

Players: 4

ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)

Release Date: October 13, 2009

Summary

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games takes players to Vancouver, Canada, host city of the official 2010 Olympic Winter Games. This gaming experience invites players of all ages and skill sets to face-off in some of the most intense winter competitions available for the Nintendo platforms. Developed by SEGA of Japan, under the guidance of Shigeru Miyamoto, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games takes players to lifelike Olympic venues where they can choose from a legendary cast of playable characters, including new faces to the series. This fresh gaming experience features completely new Olympic Winter Games events from the official competition schedule including Alpine Skiing and Speed Skating. Tailored to the specific system controls, Nintendo DS and Wii gamers enjoy completely unique experiences thanks to each platform having its own specific gameplay features and modes. Players of all skill levels enjoy the intuitive controls of both the Wii and Nintendo DS systems, in both single and multiplayer gaming modes. The Wii game offers an even richer multiplayer experience offering co-op and competitive gameplay where the Nintendo DS brings an intense competitive element using the Nintendo DS wireless capabilities. Additionally, one of the new features to be found in Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games is the inclusion of the Wii Balance Board which can be used in some events featured in the Wii version, allowing for a more interactive and realistic gaming experience. [Sega]

Also On The Web: Official Website

What The Critics Said

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...

Official Nintendo Magazine UK

This is a highly accomplished party game that stands head and shoulders above the mess of shovelware garbage out there, even if it does lack the depth of its slightly more meaty handheld brother. [Nov 2009, p.65]

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Nintendo Life

It may not have the control genius of Wii Sports Resort but it’s every bit as good in terms of content, presentation and pure, distilled fun.

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NintendoWorldReport

In the end, Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games is a great game. Sega took the solid foundation of the first title, addressed many of the concerns found with it, and made an excellent sequel that does justice to both the Olympic Winter Games and the Mario and Sonic universe. If you liked the first Mario and Sonic Olympic game, don't hesitate to give this one a try.

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Worth Playing

Fans of the original Summer Olympics title will definitely enjoy Mario and Sonic at the Winter Olympic Games. At the same time, those who didn't care for the original iteration might want to check out this title; I think there's been enough of a presentation improvement to warrant a second look.

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Impulsegamer

In conclusion, SEGA have created a fun sports game that works well as a single-player game and even as a party game. With a plethora of SEGA and Nintendo references, this game will definitely bring a smile to your face as you compete in a variety of winter sporting events.

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Games Master UK

The game justifies the hype. [Dec 2009, p.82]

NGamer UK

It addresses just about every criticism we had about the summer game. [Winter 2009, p.44]

Zentendo

Overall Mario and Sonic at the Winter Olympic Games is vastly better than it’s predecessor. Sega listened to the feedback provided last time and made this mini-game collection much more interesting and easy to use. Unfortunately there is no online play, which even Mario Karts Wii and Animal Crossing Let’s Go to the City manage to achieve.

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LEVEL (Czech Republic)

Splendid compilation of minigames offers lots of fun especially in multiplayer mode. Anyone will enjoy the arcade version of otherwise boring winter sport disciplines. [Nov 2009]

N-Europe

Mario and Sonic return with slicker, more varied events, yet its still only the Dream Events which really hold the entire package together.

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SpazioGames

The adventures on the ski slopes of Mario and Sonic convinced more than those on athletic tracks of Beijing. The single player mode, unlike many other party games, manages to keep up the interest of those who don't have the opportunity to see their house invaded by friends. It has some defects as an IA not particularly brilliant, and some specialties too similar to others, but overall we are satisfied with the Winter Olympics.

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WonderwallWeb

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games is not as instantly likeable as the first title but with so much on offer it is still a must have Wii title.

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XGN

The new Mario & Sonic game will bring you next year´s Winter Olympics, with a high fun factor. Although the controls sometimes fail, the game is still fun to play.

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Cynamite

Entertaining mini-games with simple control. However, playing it alone is only half the fun.

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Eurogamer Italy

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games proves to be an exceptional party game, capable of exceeding its predecessor under any point of view. Despite some small flaws (mostly related to a gameplay that can still be improved), its minigames quality and attention to detail will be able to grant an entertaining experience both to adults and children.

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3DJuegos

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games is an exceptional party game.

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Vandal Online

It follows the path of the previous game and offers some improvements. It's true there isn't any spectacular change, but they've achieved a much more balanced and fun result.

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Meristation

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games is finally here with a bunch of new gameplay modes, a quite impressive graphic engine but lacking an online feature. It still has some issues in the controls but it's definitely a better game than the original one. A must-have if you're looking to have some fun with a couple friends.

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Eurogamer

It's true to say that Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games is no Mario Kart. But it's a fun, polished party game with broad appeal, and a marked improvement over the previous one.

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GamingXP

Mario and Sonic fans should not hesitate, especially with friends aside you will not want to play some of the thrilling sports games again and again.

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Play.tm

There's bound to be plenty of cynics, but it's a lot better sitting around with your family and playing this than other Christmas staples, especially some dodgy DVD 'game' of Deal or no Deal your Mum picked up two years ago.

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GameFocus

If you loved the first Mario and Sonic outing, the Winter Olympics is most definitely a welcome addition to the series. The controls feel less contrived than the previous game, and the addition of Balance Board support makes a huge difference. Perhaps not a gold medal finish, but it’s definitely reached the podium this time around.

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GamesNation

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games offers many enjoyable sports disciplines to be played alone or in the usual party mode, which can be real fun. Nevertheless, the control system should have been better, and some of the competitions are not so involving.

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InsideGamer.nl

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Wintergames is smoother and better than the first game. With multiple players, it can be a lot of fun. You would probably learn the game very quickly as well as being done with the game. But SEGA has succeeded in making a better game and if your fan of the first game, you should probably have just as much fun with this game.

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Computer and Video Games

2007's game in the snow - an accessible, content-filled party game. Take some risks next time Sega.

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GamePro

It's a decent follow-up to the original and the variety of events will make for some good times, especially in a party setting. But the lack of improvement or innovation since the first game means that it will never be anything more than a simple title that's more a marketing tool than anything else.

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Nintendo Power

A solid title. I'm still waiting for the series to live up to the full potential of both the top-class team-up of its stars and the companies behind it, but in the meantime, there's still good fun to be had. [Nov 2009, p.80]

Boomtown

As it stands now, Mario and Sonic Olympic does have some scope as an entertaining multiplayer game, but isn't really thrilling enough to be remembered as a classic outing for these videogames icons.

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Gamer.nl

A well done sequel to the successful first game. The controls and AI could’ve used some extra attention, but the large selection of different sports and a few fictional ones, combined with the familiar faces of Mario and Sonic and their friends, make up for it.

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Telegraph

Better than we expected.

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Cubed3

It may be incredibly simple to work through the single player mode, but entertaining friends or family is where the package really shines through.

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Multiplayer.it

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games does not upset the formula that distinguished the previous episode of the series, with twenty minigames more or less enjoyable.

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DarkZero

All in all there’s a lot of play here, although it is most fun playing with friends.

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Everyeye.it

A step forward in the series. Interesting minigames and original game modes.

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Eurogamer Spain

Not as fun as Mario Kart or Smash Bros. when played with some friends, but still a pretty good party game anyway.

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Kombo

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games is a good break from more serious sports games, but it falls far short of the mark it set for itself.

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games(TM)

While the shortcomings are obvious, this is a cut above most Wii-based mini game fare. [Christmas 2009, p.126]

Gamervision

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games isn’t going to surprise anyone with its gameplay, graphics, controls, or concept, but it’s a perfectly serviceable party game for the Wii.

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Cheat Code Central

The festival mode and dream events provide some good variety and playtime, but it would have been nice to be able to compete against other players online.

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1UP

The events aren't anything mind-blowing, but they're all competent and solid enough to keep me coming back to improve my last run.

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Gamer Limit

Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games brings with it a good amount of events, most of which are done better in other games. This is one of the many Wii titles where enjoyment depends entirely on how it will be played in the household.

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IGN

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games isn’t a bad choice on Wii – it’s just way too generic for more players to get into. We’ve seen many of these events before, oftentimes within stronger packages, first-party Nintendo offerings, or in full-fledged standalone games.

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IGN AU

Pardon the bad pun, but this one left us cold.

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Teletext GameCentral

What should be the most epic crossover of all time is reduced to Daley Thompson's Decathlon in the snow.

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GameDaily

The sloppy presentation, lack of online multiplayer and way-too-easy controls make this more like a bronze contender than a gold medal champion. Oh well, there's always 2012.

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AceGamez

Fundamentally the game is broken, and so any set dressing, from the squeaky tones of Toad, or the way that Knuckles reacts when he wins a race, this is a game that Wii owners should avoid.

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GameSpot

There's some multiplayer fun to be had in this winter sports collection, but you'll have to sift through a lot of lousy stuff to find it.

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Eurogamer Portugal

It is one of many casual games on Wii that can be used for fun with friends on a night out and burn some calories.

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Game Informer

In general, the minigames work about as well as Wii games always do: just enough to prevent me from calling them broken.

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GameTrailers

The lackluster controls put huge a damper on the experience for anyone trying to take the game seriously. Let's face it: the Wii has no shortage of mini-game compilations that are more worthy of your time and money. You're best served by staying in this winter.

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PALGN

This is a game faced with the challenge of condensing sports into fun mini-games. Mini-games it delivers, but the fun is too often missing.

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RealGamer

The experience does improve when played with friends and fans of the last game may want to give it a try other than that it is hard to recommend.

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Gamestyle

As it stands, like its predecessor this game is by no means horrible, and definite attempts to improve the formula have been made, but the control issues and various other bugbears mean that this is still only worth a rental at best.

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The Onion (A.V. Club)

So much of what’s here has been done before in other games, and better, faster, and stronger.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 5.5 (out of 10) based on 10 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

boris D gave it a2:
A poor effort from Sega, it's a classic example of the usual film/sports event/TV show tie-in dross. It basically feels like one long advert for the Vancouver Winter Olympics with the occasional mini game. It even has a 'shopping level' which is unbelievably crass. The games themselves are, for the most part, unexciting, (I've played better Ice hockey games on the megadrive). The controls and responsiveness are poor and lead to a frustrating gaming experience. Particularly annoying are the over long load times and tedious cut-scenes between each level. If Sega had a basic understanding of human psychology they would understand that if you have just lost a race to a cartoon sprite you want to IMMEDIATELY return to to the start and beat it.... not have to endure at least a minute of load screens and tedious menus just to replay the race. I hired it from my local video store on a week's loan, I finished it in an evening ad deposited it back at the store the next day with a lingering feeling of resentment. Do not buy this game.

radarjones97 gave it a2:
Another Awful Game from a company that used to be great, Winter Olympics fails to bring any fun, bad controls, no motion plus (why didn’t they hold this to add motion plus?) this game is best suited for the 4 to 11 year olds. even the mini-games are boring. the first one was something special having Mario & sonic together for the first time, now there milking it to death , winter Olympics is also failing and most people dont like it all saying the same thing "its boring" did we want a sequel? nope nearly everyone was disappointed when they heard it was coming. This is nothing more then a money grabbing game its not made for fans, nor gamers or anyone its made just for your money, and that’s one thing you shouldn’t let it have, stay away from this, if u want Fun on the Wii, go Buy Mario Kart, Smash bros brawl, Metroid prime 3 or Mario galaxy there worth your money and were made for you to enjoy unlike this and all other sega games which are made for your money only. Why do sega always screw up even worse with sequels? plus they dont care about sonic they admitted it, saying "we dont consider sonic a mascot anymore he’s more the Run in for the money" that’s why sonic is gone, that’s why anything with Sonics face is rushed out and for money only. They don’t care for fans or the people, if they did, we would be having 1 sonic game a year and Fun great games again but were not. Avoid this game.

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Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games

Game Info

Summary

What The Critics Said

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