Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Games has launched today in Europe, continuing the hugely popular series starring the Nintendo and SEGA mascots. Unlike previous entries that appeared on the Wii and 3DS, this latest entry is only on the Wii U and is setup to utilise the system's various control options, with the GamePad and Wii Remotes used at different points.
We didn't think this title reached its potential in our review, saying the following.
Mario and Sonic 2014 feels like a minor progression, and not the huge leap you might be expecting. Taking a lot of its cues from the 2010 game, and ignoring the rapid-fire party experience of 2012, this latest edition hits some of the right buttons, but they’re the same unremarkable buttons that were hit four years ago. The inclusion of online is certainly welcome, but too limited, while the inventive TV idea used on the GamePad is never taken far enough. But that said, with a group of friends, there’s still a lot of fun to be had here; it’s just hard to shake that feeling that you’ve done it all before.
It can certainly be fun when playing this one with others, while opinions will naturally vary on the events available to play. Nintendo UK's launch trailer shows a lot of these events in action, so check it out and let us know what you think; the game released in North America a week from today on 15th November.
Comments 15
I think these events look silly but very fun. I'm actually leaning towards getting this right now.
I was thinking the same. if it controls well why not
Looks fun! Might get this me and my wife are gaming together now that i have a wii u were playing lots of wii u party , wii sports club , luigi U anf even cod ghosts with the awsome 2 player online feature with the gamepad . oh my i love nintendoooo
I'ld buy this if it had balance board support for skiing and snowboarding, seems like a huge mistake to leave it out, especially while trying to sell the balance board bundle w/ Wii Fit U. What other Wii U games support the balance board?
Yes I know this is Sega, not Nintendo, but Nintendo should have asked them to include it, even if only offline for a few events. If only 4 events have online multiplayer only 4 events could use the balance board. Thats about how many minigames used it in the Rabbids tv party game.
Oh well, maybe a B1G1 sale then.
Wonder if the next time it will still be said it is hugely popular after this flops.
Aw, Bowser Jr finally gets to spend time with Mama. Its all he ever wanted
@rjejr Totally agree, I was looking at the slope style snowboarding, made me think of Shaun White Snowboarding. Nintendo needs to go all out, let someone make skateboarding/snowboarding games to use the balance board, and include the balance board in these types of games.
I like how Nintendo is finally adding online multiplayer to their games.
@JtotheY I don't think Nintendo has any rules against 3rd parties making games that use the balance board. If a third party wants to do it, I really doubt Nintendo would stand in their way. In fact I think Nintendo would encourage it.
The problem is not every Nintendo gamer owns a balance board, so a third party developer would be selling to a much smaller userbase by making a game dependent on the balance board, which is probably why third parties aren't doing it.... Not when they can release a game that uses the gamepad, because all Wii U owners have a gamepad, therefore the potential pool of customers is much larger.
@Zenderfire Nintendo isn't developing this game
@JtotheY - I have Shaun White Road Trip, which was silly but fun. No way I would even bother playing a game like that w/ a regular controller though. I'll probably play this for the racing, hockey and other dream events, but that's about it.
Woat? There's Pod Racing in this game? Tempted to buy just for this event alone.
Anyone know if this is fully playable with the Gamepad only? I am pretty sure that i saw a trailer once that stated that every mode in the game supports the controller.. but another dude on another forum stated that most modes need a wiimote (however it has to be said that he had not played it, merely read a review somewhere).. I have already bought it although my pre-order hasnt been sent out yet (problably due to the weekend) so.. i gonna play it either way - although i do not have or plan to get a Wiimote.
@Bessestad - I was in Target this afternoon and they had a demo for this game w/ 3 different events. 2 used either the Gamepad or Wiimote and 1 showed only the Wiimote. I dind't look close enough to see if it was Wiimote + or regular, and Target doesn't have a Wiimote attached so I couldn't play it anyway. I tried the ski race, came in 2nd, I liked steering w/ the Gamepad but swinging it up to jump is annoying. here may have bee a jump button but I was kind of in a rush.
@element187 great explanation 100%
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