Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 (2019) [Switch]

The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning but taking part; the essential thing in life is not conquering but fighting well.

-Pierre de Coubertin

We’ll get to our Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 review, but first, a word about the importance of the Olympics…

Throughout the history of mankind, many people viewed sports as one of the most prominent ways to show unity, solidarity, and togetherness. Sports of all kinds have helped people to focus on the spirit of competition, sportsmanship, and the universal nature of the human condition.

Two global sporting events espouse the virtues I’ve mentioned above: the Summer and Winter Olympic Games. Held every four years, athletes from all over the world come together under one venue to compete for their nation’s glory. While legitimate arguments have arisen in recent years about their costs and impacts to the host cities after they leave, the Olympics nevertheless celebrates the pinnacle of human athletic performance.

Over the years, there have been stories told of individuals achieving unimaginable feats of strength, agility, and coordination. There have also been stories of unlikely underdogs who have gained respect from their fellow peers. And finally, there are stories of bitter and friendly rivalries that transcend generations. This final point is poignant, as today’s #magecrit is about Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.

If you told twelve-year-old me that gaming’s greatest rivals – Super Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog – would one day be in a game together, I would have said you were crazy. And yet, that’s exactly what happened. Rather than have the two mascots sojourn together in an all-new platforming adventure, Nintendo and Sega decided to pit them against each other in friendly sporting competition. The Olympic Games provided the perfect backdrop for these two legends to finally compete against each other.

The first game, released prior to the 2008 Beijing Olympics, was a fairly simple affair: Mario, Sonic, and their friends and nemeses would participate in twenty-four classic Olympic events, like the 100m Dash, Archery and Gymnastics. What’s truly fascinating about the series is that it’s fully licensed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). As such, all events featured in this and all subsequent games follow the rules and regulations established by the committee itself. The first title introduced Dream Events, which were largely over-the-top versions of the standard events with elements from both franchises that emphasized special moves, items, and actions.

The unlikely clash of mascots, coupled with the imminent start of the 2008 Summer Games, helped Sega to sell more than 10 million copies of the game, despite mixed reviews. Two years later, a game set in the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics was released. From that moment on, it was a sure bet that for every new Olympic venue announced, there would be a game released starring Mario and Sonic at that venue. Each subsequent game would include new events, story modes and new characters to play as. This trend continued up until the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, where a Mario & Sonic game wasn’t released.

In October 2016, after the conclusion of the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games, Sega announced that they had obtained the licensing rights to make games based on the 2020 Summer Olympics. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 for the Nintendo Switch first showed up at Sega Fes in March 2019. Gameplay footage was shown at E3 of the same year. Several trailers showcased some of the new events that will be featured in this edition of the Summer Games like Skateboarding, Karate and others. We even had the opportunity to preview some footage we captured ahead of release, as well.

Then in August, Sega threw in a curveball called 2D Mode. This mode consisted of a set of retro 2D events inspired by the 1964 Tokyo Games. These events sported a classic 8-bit aesthetic and featured Mario and Sonic in their 8- and 16-bit looks respectively.

The inclusion of the 2D events tied into the new story mode, where Mario, Sonic, Dr. Eggman, Bowser, and Toad get sucked into a video game based on the 1964 Summer Games. Taking place between the present and the past, Mario, Sonic, and their friends and enemies must work together to free the five trapped in the game.

The game will be released on November 1st 2019 in the Asia Pacific region, followed by the Americas on November 5th and finally Europe on November 8th.

Sega has graciously extended a copy to The Well-Red Mage for this Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 review, and we would like to thank them for doing so. I’ll admit, I initially slept on this game when it was announced, thinking that it was going to be just another Mario and Sonic party game. After watching the trailers and getting a chance to play it, I have to say I’m pleasantly surprised: this iteration is unlike the other Mario & Sonic games I have played previously. The only thing I was unable to test out was the online multiplayer component, but otherwise, I was able to get the most out of the gameplay experience.

So, what’s my overall verdict of these two titans taking each other on for the sixth time running? Does this game make the podium for the gold? Well, grab your caffeine fix and hold on tight because we’re going to delve deep into our…

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 review

Visuals: 9/10

You have to hand it to Sega, they’re no slouches when it comes to the visuals. Everything shown is bright, colorful, cheery and inviting. The graphics are also very crisp and I’ve noticed no noticeable lags, stuttering or jagged textures between playing it docked or in handheld mode.

The characters themselves also look splendid. Each of their animations, from competing in events to victory poses and the like, appear to be smooth and fluid to the eye. When competitors execute super moves in certain events, dynamic camera angles and slow-motion are used for great effect. I liked the rainbow-coloured auras shown when super moves are executed, but I felt they were a little too much. I would have liked them to be a touch more subtle, but I’m nitpicking at this point.

The story mode allows players to explore various venues, including Tokyo Stadium, National Stadium, etc. In addition, players get the opportunity to explore popular Tokyo landmarks, such as the SKYTOWER, Tokyo Station, the Kaminarimon, the Kabukiza Theater, and others. I liked how these areas are quite detailed and it makes me imagine what they would look like in real life. The story mode also has a world map where characters can travel to venues and landmarks. I really liked the appearance of the map. It reminded me a lot of the world maps from Super Mario Bros. 3.

Among the best visual features are the retro events based on those featured in Tokyo 1964. Competitors for the retro events include the 8-bit variations of Mario, Bowser, Peach, and Luigi and the 16-bit iterations of Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Dr. Eggman. The venues themselves appear to be replicas of those found in the NES Track and Field games. I do wish we were able to play as more characters in the retro events mode – perhaps they can be released as a part of future DLC? What’s more, a neat Analog TV filter can be activated to replicate the display from a TV in 1964, making for a more authentic experience.

The story mode also features a world map of the 1964 Tokyo Games and it looks very charming. Several of the landmarks shown on the 2020 map are shown on the 1964 map, like Tokyo Tower or Tokyo Station for instance. Venues and landmark areas in Tokyo 1964 are shown from a top-down perspective, similar to classic RPGs from the 8-bit era. I liked how the game approached the visual continuity between the two eras.

Audio: 9/10

Once again, Sega delivers in the audio department. The musical tracks featured in the game are an eclectic mix of sweeping orchestral, upbeat EDM, energetic rock and roll and traditional Japanese instrumentation, among others. The use of Japanese instrumentation in the story mode alone was impressive and memorable. I found myself humming to it quite often after I stopped playing. I also loved the chiptune spin on the various themes that exist in the story mode.

Some of the minigames use musical assets from Sonic and Mario games of the past. Examples include the Invincibility theme from Sonic 3 and a remixed version of Super Mario 64’s Peach’s Castle used for Dream Karate. I thought that was a great touch to include these classic tunes and jingles.

Sound effects, from the raucous cheers of the crowd to the sounds of skateboard wheels rolling in the skate park and everything in between, sound crystal clear. I noticed no jarring noises, scratchy sounds, or anything in particular that irritated me mid-game.

This might be an unpopular opinion, but I liked the announcer for the retro events. He brought a certain old school flair to them that reminded me of old sports broadcasts. Speaking of the retro events, I enjoyed how the game incorporated the old sound effects from the classic games.

Characters have some stock voiced dialogue that plays either during competition or on the podium. I would have liked to see the story mode be fully voiced, or at least have some more voiced lines.

Gameplay: 8/10

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 features twenty-one events, three dream events, and ten retro events inspired by the 1964 Olympic Games. Of the twenty-one events, the majority are what the IOC call the “core” events. These include the 100m Dash, Discus Throw, and Gymnastics, among others. Four new events have been added. These are Surfing, Karate, Skateboarding, and Sport Climbing.

Each event offers a variety of control schemes for players to use. A few events, like Discus Throw, Surfing, and Skateboarding allow players to use a single Joy-Con or Buttons Only to play. Events like Boxing, Sport Climbing, and Archery allow players to use dual Joy-Cons or Buttons Only to play. A few events, like Karate, Rugby Sevens, and Football, restrict the player to use the Buttons Only control scheme. Finally, events like the 100m Dash, the 110m Hurdles, Swimming, and Equestrian allow the use of all three control schemes. Due to the fact that all events in the game can be played with the Buttons Only configuration, this game is fully playable in handheld mode. This gives it a leg up over Super Mario Party, which forces the player to play either docked or with the kickstand.

Athletic events are an exercise of button mashing or waving the controller rapidly. Events like Sport Climbing, Archery, and Fencing require elements of patience and strategy to complete. The Archery and Discus Throw events make use of the gyroscopic control, regardless of the control scheme used. The Canoe event requires players to get into a rhythm at the start before going all out near the finish. Events like Table Tennis and Badminton are fast-paced and can be frantic at times thanks to super moves. I tested both Buttons Only and Motion Controls, and I found that certain events play better with motion over buttons and vice versa.

The motion controls for Skateboarding and Surfing events felt especially well done. I found the use of the single Joy-Con for both events to be pretty responsive. It took a bit of practice to get used to the timing of the jumps and balance moves. Once I got the hang of the controls, however, I found that they felt natural for these events.

Karate is one of the more technical events in the game and has to be played with Buttons Only. It’s likely due to the fact that you need to use your hands and feet to compete. Boxing, on the other hand, can be used with dual Joy-Con’s and it’s a blast to play. I greatly enjoyed both Boxing and Karate. Those two, the 100m Dash, Rugby Sevens, Football, Surfing, Skateboarding, and Sport Climbing are the events I return to play regularly.

As you can see, there are events suitable for all kinds of players with all kinds of configurations, and that makes it very player-friendly. The controls for each event can be accessed at any time while the game is paused, which is handy in case a player wants to refresh their memory on how to play.

Motion controls for some of the events can be slightly finicky at times. For example, I had a bit of trouble with Boxing as I felt that the game couldn’t accurately register whether I threw out a jab or a hook. This isn’t game-breaking by any means and it shouldn’t greatly impact a player’s experience.

I also noticed a few issues when it came down to jumps in the Skateboarding and Dream Racing events when I was using the Buttons Only controls. Part of it could be due to my timing but another part could be that the window to execute said jumps or tricks is very narrow. Luckily, the game provides feedback on if your jump was perfect or too early or too late. Using that feedback, players can adjust their timing accordingly and I appreciated that.

I also appreciated the fact that the game shows a clear, step by step process of how to play each event. The process also shows video clips of characters performing the actions as noted on the instructions. Furthermore, tips to improve are unlocked whether a player wins or loses an event.

Now, it wouldn’t be a Mario and Sonic game without the inclusion of the Dream Events. This iteration of the series features three: Dream Racing, Shooting and Karate. Dream Racing takes inspiration from the hoverboard racing series, Sonic Riders. Players travel down a slalom course littered with ramps, quarter pipes and rails to grind on.

Items can be found in item boxes and can be used to gain advantages during a race, similar to the mechanics that exist in Mario Kart. Also, rings are scattered around the course for players to pick up. Collecting them powers up the board and allows it to go faster, so it’s worth it for players to pick them up whenever they can.

Doing tricks, grinding on rails, and using certain items fills the super gauge. Once full, a character can activate their super move while jumping off of a ramp or bank. Using a super covers a lot of ground, grants a ton of speed, and can make a huge difference in a close race.

Dream Karate uses Peach’s castle as a backdrop, with the Odyssey nearby. Four players participate in a free-for-all brawl on a multi-panel stage using the Karate controls.

When players are knocked down, the panels on the floor below them light up in a colour corresponding to the character who knocked them down. The objective of the event is to knock down your opponents and light up as many panels as possible.

As with other Dream events, items can be picked up and used to gain an advantage over the competition. Filling up the super meter and executing a super move causes any characters around you to be knocked down and lights up a large amount of panels. This event reminds me a lot of the Splatoon Turf Wars.

The final Dream Event is Dream Shooting. Four players compete in an arena and the objective is to accumulate as many points as possible. To do that, players must shoot targets strewn around the arena.

Some targets are hidden and are only revealed once switches on the field are shot. Continually shooting targets creates a combo which increased the points scored for each hit.

Midway through the match, four large kites with multiple targets reveal themselves at the centre of the field. This allows players to rack up large amounts of points. Right near the end of the match, a massive target kite emerges, providing more opportunities to score points.

Being shot enough by other players, though, momentarily stuns you. This prevents you from scoring points and can be a major factor in losing the match. Power-ups are also available in this mode in the form of a Multi-Shot. As the name goes, the Multi-Shot allows players to hit multiple targets at once. This is extremely useful for the bonus point portions of the match.

I thought the Dream Shooting event was pretty well done. I would have liked to see multiple arenas to play through instead of the one. This event also utilizes gyroscopic controls, but I also found that you could also adjust your aim with the right stick in handheld mode. It would be nice if an option was available to turn off the gyro controls.

Next to cover are the 2D Mode events. These were a real treat to play. The events include the 100m Dash, the 400m Hurdles, the Long Jump, the Vault, the 10m Platform, Volleyball, Judo, Shooting, Kayak, and Marathon. These events can only be played in Buttons Only mode.

The 100m and 400m Hurdles are simple affairs. The player only needs to use one or two buttons to participate.

The Vault requires the player to execute a series of button presses to perform the maneuver and stick the landing.

The 10m Platform allows the player to select a maneuver before jumping. Players will need to press four to eight buttons, depending on the difficulty. Pressing them fast enough allows for additional button inputs, which only help to improve the overall score.

Shooting is similar to Game C in the NES title, Duck Hunt. Here, players must shoot clay targets to score points. Instead of using a light gun, however, the player can shoot in nine different directions.

The Kayak event requires players to rotate the control stick with perfect timing at different points of the race before going all out at the end.

Judo was a very interesting event. The objective here is to rush your opponent and make him unbalanced enough to throw him or her to the ground. If an opponent rushes a player, that player must maintain their balance and prevent themselves from being thrown down.

Volleyball was my least favourite of the group, but still enjoyable all the same. Players must set, spike and block their way to victory.

In contrast, Marathon was one of my favourites to play. It’s a game of maintaining both speed and stamina and players race to the finish while avoiding obstacles and drinking water to restore stamina.

Last, but certainly not least, are the minigames. These are unlocked during story mode and can be replayed in Game Room. There are five modern and five retro. All but two games use mechanics similar to those used in the events and, as such, can be treated as mini Dream Events.

In my opinion, there should have either been more of them, or they should have had the option of playing them again with multiple levels of difficulty. Some of these minigames were downright imaginative and fun to play. Examples of this imaginative nature are the ones where Sonic chases Eggman. The first has him racing a bullet train and the second had him on the Tokyo Roads in a viewpoint reminiscent of the Sonic 2 special stages.

Another minigame I enjoyed was the one where Mario has to sneak through a museum by performing his best impersonation of Solid Snake.

For the modern minigames, Luigi’s takedown of Metal Sonic by kicking an explosive rugby ball takes the podium as the most unique of them all. Tails free-climbing the Tokyo Tower, taking on Shy Guys in a rumble and then firing arrows at a bunch of Egg Pawns who take over Kabukiza Theater were also dynamite to play.

In story mode, players alternate control between Mario and Sonic in Tokyo 1964, and Luigi and Tails in Tokyo 2020. Players progress through the story by traveling to venues, playing minigames, and challenging characters to various events. In many cases, the character you defeat joins you in your quest to free Mario and Sonic from the game world.

Moving onto the characters themselves, there are twenty characters to choose from: ten from Team Sonic and ten from Team Mario. The twenty characters can be further differentiated into four advantage types which are dependent on the event chosen.

For example, four characters are classified as very fast (Sonic, Shadow, Metal Sonic, and Daisy), four are all-rounded (Mario, Luigi, Blaze, and Amy), and so on. This means that while some characters are deficient in one way, they more than make up for it in others. Additionally, further characters can be unlocked in story mode for use in quick matches, but they can only be used in the event you beat them in. Examples include Rosalina in Surfing or Zazz in Table Tennis.

A side note here: playing as Sonic in the Swimming event has him wearing a lifejacket and doing a sort of doggy paddle/run to keep up. It’s both hilarious and canon, since Sonic can’t swim after all!

Narrative: 7/10

There are SPOILERS here for the story, so if you want to skip them, use Ctrl+f Multiplayer to skip to the next section!

A tale of regret…

The story mode starts with Mario and Sonic preparing for a competition with one another when they spot a package addressed to them by an unknown individual. Opening it up, they see a retro video game console titled “Tokyo 1964.” Meanwhile, Dr. Eggman and Bowser are watching from the sidelines, waiting for the moment when the two heroes turn on the device. It’s revealed here that Eggman created this machine to trap the hedgehog and the plumber in the game, while the villains reap the rewards of earning Olympic medals.

Bowser, as impatient as ever, takes things into his own hands after they watch Mario and Sonic inspect and question the machine without turning it on. He demands that the two activate the console, with Eggman following closely behind. Sonic, smelling a trap, tells Mario not to turn it on. Suddenly, Luigi shows up and accidentally activates the console, sucking up Mario, Sonic, Bowser, Eggman, and Toad and trapping them in the game world.

Panicking, Luigi ventures off to find Tails – Sonic’s best buddy and mechanical genius in his own right – to set things right and free the fivesome from the game world. The story then splits between the present and past. In the present, Tails and Luigi have to find a way to free the characters trapped in the game world. They run into trouble with Bowser Jr. and Eggman Nega, with the former stealing the console and the latter analyzing it while covertly providing assistance to Eggman and Bowser within the game.

Meanwhile, in the game world, Eggman and Bowser take the opportunity to try and earn gold medals in the events inspired by the 1964 Games, despite being trapped within the game.

Aside, Eggman tells Bowser that he programmed a backdoor to allow anyone to leave the game once all the gold medals have been obtained. Eventually, Sonic and Mario find out about the backdoor and the four characters compete with each other to obtain as many gold medals as they can. Despite being trapped, the five seem to be having a good time.

And then the battery starts to die out.

It’s here that the story becomes tense. As Eggman explains to the group, if the battery dies out while they are still in the game, they will cease to exist. Eggman Nega, seeing the grave predicament his ancestor is caught up in, creates a battery powered by the excitement of the crowd to replace the failing one. While Tails and Luigi gather energy to perform the delicate operation of swapping batteries, Mario, Sonic and the others try to gather the remaining medals in order to escape.

I really liked this turn of events and how it played out. It raises the stakes and prevents the story from being too monotonous. In the end, though, the good guys and bad guys are freed from their digital prison and everyone is able to enjoy the Olympic Games in its entirety. And that’s all that matters in the end.

Something that I really enjoyed within the story was Sonic’s classically snarky one-liners. It was a treat to see him in his classic look sporting that famous hedgehog attitude. I also enjoyed the fact that both Sonic and Tails could understand what Mario and Luigi were saying, despite them not having any sort of dialogue. They must have had practice talking to Classic Sonic in Sonic Generations or Sonic Forces.

Some of the banter within the story was a bit cheesy, but it really fits well for family-friendly audiences. Kids should definitely get a kick out of it.

A very neat addition that adds colour to the story was the various trivia collectibles strewn throughout the 2020 and 1964 areas. Each piece of trivia found reveals a wealth of information about the history of the Olympic Games in Japan, Japan’s cultural heritage, iconic landmarks, and even some fascinating character trivia. Trivia collectibles can be found in the open or by talking to various NPC’s within the venues. Being a trivia nerd, it made me want to explore as much of the map as possible to hunt down these collectibles.

In summary, the story brings little to the table in terms of originality, but it’s enjoyable. The dialogue is quite entertaining, if a little cringy at times. And finally, the way they showcased the history of the Olympics in Tokyo – both past and present – was very well done.

Multiplayer: 7/10

With the various control schemes available (Motion Controls with single or dual Joy-Cons and Buttons Only), Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 is fairly good party game to play with others. The straightforward nature of the events means that it doesn’t take very long for couch battles to commence. I haven’t had an opportunity to test the online portion of the game, but these consist of free and ranked events. Ranked events affect a player’s global ranking, while free events are more casual in nature. If the game only featured events from Tokyo 2020, this score would be lower, but the addition of the retro Tokyo 1964 events brings a freshness to competitive couch play. The retro events are fairly short in duration, fair and balanced, and insanely fun to play with others.

Replayability: 8/10

The minigames alone have made me come back to this game over and over again. Sega’s decision to include these short games was a genius move overall. In addition, the fact that the 1964 events are also a load of fun to play allows players to continue being engaged long after story mode ends. Also, it doesn’t hurt that several events have records to break. And finally, there are even challenges in-game to complete! Nothing feels more satisfying than either breaking a world record or fulfilling an achievement with one of your favourite characters.

Uniqueness: 8/10

Compared to previous iterations of the Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games titles, this one surpasses them in terms of what it brings to the table. Fun minigames, multiple, accessible ways to play, a charming story mode and the retro events make this title truly stand out among the crowd. Among other party games, only Super Mario Party really surpasses this one in terms of minigame variety.

My Personal Grade: 8/10

Despite it being the sixth title in the Mario & Sonic series, this is the best of the lot. It really hit it out of the park thanks to the retro events, the minigames, and the engaging Dream Events. The minigames were so much fun to play and I wished there were more of them. I also would have loved to see a few more Dream Events as three seems too little compared to the amount of normal events that exist. The addition of Surfing, Skateboarding, Free Climbing, and Karate was incredibly welcome. I appreciated the inclusion of these more dynamic sports within the Olympic Games. Overall, this is a solid and fun game to play and I’m looking forward to playing this over the holidays and during the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics with family and friends alike.

Aggregate Score: 8.0

Engineer by day, adult-responsibility juggler and caffeinated gamer dad by night, the Hyperactive Coffee Mage is a coffee-fueled writing machine and expert gaming historian. Check out his cool beans at gameswithcoffee.com.

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