The Sonic and Mario Series has become quite a big hit over the years. This is made clear by playing the 2020 edition of the game. This game has similar gameplay to past games but adds a little bit more depth. It can be quite run competing in Olympic style sports as Mario and Sonic characters. Mario and Sonic characters are the highlights of the series, as they make good rivals. It’s fun to see the characters interact in a game. I’d appreciate if one day there was a full game crossover. Maybe something where the stakes were a bit more real. But all the same, the characters interacting is where the game shines.
The Mario and Sonic series is based around the in-game characters battling it out for the Gold. They go through and play many of the events that make up the Olympics. There is quite a bit of skill involved sometimes depending on what sport the player is taking part in. There is also a good amount of work put into making these sports feel real. I’ve enjoyed playing through all the events, and have liked the attention to detail.
The game itself can be played with either two joy-cons, one joy-con or just buttons. Though some games will only offer two playstyles as they just work that way. Each playstyle offers slight variation with some being more or less noticeable. In the rowing game, I was having a hard time keeping the beat with the control stick. But, when I shifted to one joy-con mode it was far easier, and I won on my first attempt. There are 21 events in the 3D world to play and they each play rather realistically. 3 dream events take place in worlds from the two series. It’s great to play a slew of them, and try to beat the high scores. Players can even select random and maybe try a sport they haven’t had a lot of luck in.
The Dream events are my favorite as they have all of the magic of a Sonic or Mario game. There is a racing game, a shooting game, and a fighting game of sorts. There is even a chance for teaming up in the fighting game. Each of these games feels just a little more open, and seeing classic areas again is a thrill. The games themselves are all quite fun and I have enjoyed learning exactly how to play them. They each have instructions that lay things out, but I’m still having some trouble here and there. The game itself is great to play in short spurts so I’m sure to get better with time. There are also 10 8-Bit sports to play. It’s nice to see the old-school versions of the original suspects playing in these games. While not my favorite way to play these sports, it’s fun seeing how much work was put into making them play as similarly as possible. The games feel like new games while also feeling similar enough that it plays the same.
Like the last Mario and Sonic game, this game also has a story mode. I haven’t played the last game but heard it was rather lackluster. It seems to me that in this game they fixed what problems the earlier game’s story mode had. I thought that while the story might have seemed a little contrived, it worked, and I thought it had good progression. In the story mode, players will play as Mario and Sonic, who have gotten sucked into an old school game, alongside Toad, Bowser, and Eggman. The game is Tokyo Olympics 1964, and players must compete in events to get them out. On the other side of the game, Luigi and Tails work together to free them, while facing off against Bowser Jr who wants to rescue his papa. The story has an in-game map that players will traverse in both versions of the world. The 8-bit version and the HD version. Players will swap between these two worlds every chapter and it flows nicely. Player’s can visit many iconic areas in Japan and take part in Olympic games to win medals.
The map is nice to look at as well, even in 8-bit mode. The amount of detail in both is quite surprising, but I enjoy that clearly care was stitched into this game. It’s in a way like exploring Japan and seeing all the nooks and crannies one can in this decently sized game. As someone who has always wanted to go to Japan, I feel like I have realized a small percentage of that dream playing this game. As players explore they will interact with characters from the series who will challenge them. Once defeated these characters will join the player and then be playable in that event. Certain characters are only usable in certain events which is a little disappointing, but it’s nice to have them along for the ride.
This game also has a decent amount of trivia held within. As players explore the world they will see stands that hold ticket shaped items. Interacting with these stands will grant the player access to it is up to players to collect all of this trivia. Sometimes it can be quite interesting as there is a lot of history held within. The trivia is a nice little bonus for people to read as they complete the game. It adds a little more to the game and makes it feel like a bit of a learning experience. I always enjoy learning new facts and coming from a game, it’s a nice perk. Plus, it gives trivia on the characters which is also fun.
This game can be played with up to four players with one console. Though players can opt to play with up to four separate Switch consoles as long as everyone has the game. I found that it was just as enjoyable to use one console and switch off if necessary, the game is fun all the same. There is also an online mode where players can face opponents near and far. It is a great way to test the player’s might after training by themselves. The internet is host to players with a lot of determination to bring the skills to pay the bills. It won’t be easy but with a little grit, the player might be able to take them down. There is a ranking mode where players can check their stats. It shows how well they’ve done and how high the game itself ranks them. Plus there is a game room where players can play the minigames hidden within the story. Some of these games are a lot of fun so its nice to be able to replay them especially to go for the best time.
Mario and Sonic 2020 is an awesome sports-filled game. There are plenty of challenges to complete, and a nice selection of sports to play. The characters are in their best spirits and its fun seeing the two series interact so closely. Now if only they could come together for a full adventure. Until that day comes, Mario and Sonic at the Olympic games should do the trick. The Olympics are in full swing, and Mario and Sonic are stuck, will the player help them win the gold and their freedom?
Disclaimer: A review key was provided
All images taken from Nintendo.com